Our Journey Finally Begins!!

US and Lucio as we shoved off from PV.

GUESS WHAT!!!!!    Yes we have actually done it!!!!  What you may ask?  We left PV Tuesday February 22, 2011, three months late, but we started.  

  

There were about 30 boats waiting to leave

As we began our journey we could not even get out of the Marina.  A cruise ship was coming in and we were stuck at the mouth of the harbor with all of these boats.  It was kind of cool to see all of the activity.  


Our first leg of the trip was a bit rough.  We had following seas pushing us with five to nine foot waves.  The boat held well and we arrived at our first destination, Chamela, at 6:30 p.m.  An 11 ½ hour trip.  

The skiff on the right is the baby skiff that we use for shore landings.  This is the one they were in.

Now, anyone that knows us knows nothing is normal or easy!!!!   Aggie, our beautiful, dutiful, well behaved doggie refused to do her duties on the boat.  We put down paper, pads (with a sample of her urine to entice her) and even a small carpet to lure her.  Nothing worked.  We couldn’t get off the boat to get to shore.  The waves on the coast were humongous. 

So, we all went to sleep and at 8 a.m. we tried again with her.  Nothing, nada, not a damn thing!!!!!  We first took down our big skiff from the top of the boat and thought we could get in close enough.  NO.  Too dangerous.  Now what?!!!!  Let’s inflate our small, small skiff.  We put Lucio and Aggie in, pulled them as close to shore as possible, and Lucio oared onto the beach.  Ahhhh, what a relief. 

 Lucio put Aggie back in the skiff but the waves prevented him from getting back to us.  Twice, not once, but twice, they were overturned, ending up in the ocean.  Aggie swam to us and I yanked her up by the collar, almost choking her to death.  Bottom line…..I don’t think she’ll ever pee again OR get in a skiff.   And being the brilliant people we are, she was not wearing her life jacket….yes, we have a doggie life jacket…..a lot of good it did Aggie!!!  I don’t know how the hell we’re going to get to Costa Rica or through the Pamana Canal; we can’t even get the dog to shore without it being an ordeal.

Sooooooo.  After all of the excitement we decided to spend an extra night here so we can all catch our breath. . . especially Aggie.   Maybe she will pee on the boat now!

This is Chamela.  Nice and peaceful.

Chamela also.

But, through it all, I am sitting on the back of the boat, looking at the sea and the small village of Chamela, typing this blog, answering e-mail, listening to music, and secure in the knowledge of how lucky a woman I am.   Love to all…..  DC