Update 2/18/2008: Updated this for the 6th time, removing all legs prior to Puerto Vallarta. Also updating to allow for shorter trips (single-handing again) and to add places as recommended by friends I've made along the way. Currently in Panama City, FL visiting the boys. Boat is in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, near Puerto Vallarta.
February 28 -- La Cruz to PV (day sail)
Approx 10 miles. Visit PV for nightlife & etc., get autopilot fixed.
Early March, 2008 -- PV to Zihuantanejo
Approx 420 miles. Including Tenacatita, Barra de Navidad and Manzanillo.
Mid March, 2008 -- Zihuantanejo, Mexico to Hualtulco, Mexico, to Playa de Coco, Costa Rica
Approx 1200 miles. Way offshore to avoid high winds coming off the Gulf of Tehuantepec (Tehuantepecers, heh heh... really - that's what they call them) as winds from the Gulf of Mexico shoot across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec through a narrow gap in the Sierra Madre mountains - picking up speed and spilling into the Pacific. The very end of this leg also crosses the Gulf of Papagayo, where more high winds occur.
Mid-Late March, 2008 -- Cruising Costa Rica's Pacific coast
After clearing into Costa Rica at Playa de Coco, we'll spend between 8 and 10 days making our way down to Golfito.
Late March, 2008 -- Golfito, Costa Rica to Pedregal, Panama.
After returning from Florida and celebrating the new year, we'll depart Golfito on a 100-mile hop around the Punta Burica into Panama and the Port of Pedregal. After clearing in at Pedregal, we'll cruise for 360 miles of islands and coastline including the Islas Secas and the Archipelago de las Pearlas before joining the rest of humanity waiting to get through the Canal sometime before the end of January. I'd hope to not have to rush through this part, as I'm not sure when I'll transit the Canal again. Assuming a Florida base for the foreseeable future, I'll see plenty of Caribbean islands and could cross the Gulf of Mexico for the Yucatan or Belize, but transiting the Canal from East to West will probably happen only one more time -- when I go back through to cruise the South Pacific. And it sounds to me like the Pacific coast has more to offer anyway in the way of nature, and a cruise of this coast won't be complete without a couple of river journeys where we can anchor and wake up in the middle of a jungle.
Late March, 2008 -- Transit Panama Canal
Need to leave a little buffer here, as you can't schedule an exact date/time for transit... basically we'll just show up at the Balboa Yacht Club and they'll tell us how many days we'll have to wait.
Early April, 2008 -- Colon, Panama to Punta Gorda, Belize
About 920 miles north up the Caribbean Sea to Belize. This could be the harshest part of the trip, with potential for battling currents and/or wind for a long passsage.Mid April (Spring Break?), 2008 -- Belize
About 160 miles of Belize cruising inside the barrier reef, from Punta Gorda to Ambergris Cay. Boys spring break is April 7-11, so they might join me here for this easy cruising?
Mid April, 2008 -- Belize to Cozumel, Mexico
About 190 miles
Late April, 2008 -- Depart Cozumel for Panama City, Florida
