• A special thank you to our sponsors 
  • Add comments while you are sheltering in place and bored
  • Country Updates 
  • Vessel Locations and plans
  • Lighting Mitigation 
  • Pictures of the Week
  • Exiting Panama – en route to Nicaragua
  • Long term plans – heading to Chile
  • PANAMA – Burning a “stuffed man” in effigy – the traditions is that of the Muñecos
  • Reply to this email
  • One season ends but 38 vessels have already signed up for next Panama Posse
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1) A special thank you to our sponsors

  • Marina Puerto Vallarta, Puerto Vallarta – Mexico 
  • Marina Puerto de La Navidad – Barra de Navidad – Mexico 
  • Marina Ixtapa, Ixtapa – Mexico 
  • La Marina Acapulco, Acapulco – Mexico 
  • Marina Chiapas – Mexico 
  • Marina Bahia del Sol – El Salvador 
  • La Palma Moorings – Bahia del Sol, El Salvador 
  • Marina Puesta del Sol – Nicaragua 
  • Marina Papagayo – Costa Rica 
  • Marina Pez Vela – Costa Rica 
  • Banana Bay Marina – Costa Rica 
  • Vista Mar Marina – Panama 
  • Shelter Bay Marina – Panama 
  • Red Frog Marina – Panama 
  • Bocas Marina – Panama 

Official Panama Canal Agent

Official Panama Posse Ambassadors

Panama Posse Partners

2) Things you can do while sheltering in place … Add you comments  !!!

Log into Good Nautical and make your relevant comments in any of the places you have been goodnautical_make_comments

Please make your reports – simply ADD A NEW COMMENT in Good Nautical for each spot

Posse

2)  Country Updates 


Mexico   7,497  650†
– border closings between USA and Mexico but commercial entry permitted – outbound and inbound vessels still possible 
– certain ports are closed or locking down and exit zarpes are issued electronically for a fee via agents if required this
includes Puerto Vallarta and Areas of the Sea of Cortes      

Mexico has implemented temperature-screening measures at all airports and many road checks.  Reduced flights and Capacity.
Passengers with abnormal temperatures and travel to high-risk areas might be subject to additional health screening.

The Mexican government declared a national health emergency on March 30 and imposed restrictions on non-essential activities in the public, private, and social sectors until April 30.  On April 16, the Mexican government extended the health emergency and the accompanying restrictions in most municipalities until May 30.  Essential activities include medical services and supplies, grocery delivery services and stores, restaurants (for delivery and carry out only), public safety, fundamental economic functions, government social programs, and critical infrastructure.

Mexico Visa Extensions

Cruisers with visas expiring in April were able to renew for 180 days in La Paz Mexico yesterday.
Those with visas expiring in May were told they would have to wait until next month

Mexico Port Closings
This is direct from Antonio at Marina Fonatur San Blas as of 4/14/2020.
The marina is not letting any new boats in. Boats currently inside are allowed to depart.
The port captain is not allowing anchoring in the estuary in front of the marina. Anchoring in Bahia de Matanchen is just fine.
The fuel dock at Marina Fonatur San Blas is open, and they will sell you fuel (diesel and unleaded are available). No one is allowed off the boat though, and you must immediately leave after fueling up. If it helps, at low tide the shallowest we saw was about 7′ deep when entering the river.”
Jalisco, Mexico new requirements

The Governor of Jalisco announced today that beginning tomorrow, wearing a mask will be required whenever you leave your home. He also stated that parks, etc. are all closed to recreational activities. Whereas up to now the preventative measures have been voluntary, now they are obligatory and people can be fined for being out for anything but essential business.

mexico corona virus masks

*People may leave their homes only for essential business. *A mask must be worn any time one leaves the home. *The use of public spaces for sport or recreational purposes is prohibited.
The following groups are not permitted to leave the home at all:
– over age 60 – pregnant – high blood pressure – diabetes – chronic cardiac or pulmonary disease – liver or kidney dysfunction – suppressed immune system

Guatemala 257 7†

– full lock down – no entry permitted  – Curfew extended to April 28th
It also banned cruise ships from docking.  All nationals, residents and diplomats are required to be quarantined upon arrival.
President Alejandro Giammattei also banned travel between the different departments inside of the Central American country before and during Easter.



El Salvador    201      7† 
–  full lock down – no entry permitted †

El Salvador’s Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that  the government
cannot arrest people accused of having failed to comply with a mandatory household quarantine nor confiscate vehicles or property.
But El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele said on Wednesday he would not accept several Supreme Court rulings
meant to stop him from enforcing some measures to curb the spread

  
Honduras    472    46†
Honduras – full lock down – no entry permitted – all borders closed except for cargo.
    
Nicaragua –  10   2†
Check in with Marina Puesta del Sol ahead of time – they will coordinate to send a health inspector out – after which customs, immigration will clear you in 

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said Wednesday that the country “has not stopped working” and that it will maintain its vision of responding to the emergency without social confinement.


Costa Rica    660  4†
– full lock down – no entry permitted – Curfew expected to be extended

 
Panama   4,273  120†Panama –  no entry permitted   14 day quarantine has been obtained by some in internal movements 

– curfew w/ 1 hour movement x certain day for with 30 minutes based on ID number and day and gender – no alcohol sales –
Fines for curfew violations

4) Vessel Locations and plans from the Saturday 18th Extraordinary 6th Line call ( these calls will continue every Saturday at 16 UTC until further notice
line.me app weekly call

NUMBER NAME LOCATION STAY IN PLACE MOVE ON TO  LOGISTICAL ISSUES
1 BAJA FOG Barra de Navidad, MX      
John & Monique
4 THISLDU Puesta del Sol, Nicaragua      
Garrett & Audrey
10 SEAGLUB San Jose del Cabo       
Chris
12 JEAN ANNE Chiapas, MX      
Steve & Chelsea
13 SINGULARITY Vista Mar, Panama  because so many people violating     
Robert & Carol
14 SLOW DANCER bocas marina  no lifting of restrictions     
Dale & Kenneth
19  ©  KNOT RIGHT Vista Mar Marina, Panama all good –     
Walt & Jeariene
20 ©  COMPROMISE chiappas, mx – co      
Ronald & Karen
23 TOP CIDER isla ixtapa will sail further  good snorkeling    
Chuck & Sharon
29 DELTA SWIZZLER tenecatitia,  making water  alge   
Mark & Cindy
30 FIREFLY las hadas  everything the ame  3 boats beaches are empty patrol boat comes around   
Brenda & Ted
40 AVANT Shelter Bay, Panama  in canada – 3 western states are coordianting openings – boats are free to move    
Rob & Debra
43 RHAPSODY vista mar marina, Panama      
Sarah & Bob
50 ANDURIL Chiapas, MX      
Alice & Greg
51 GREEN FLASH san clemente , wet and well and cold  away – to get to panama     
Bob & Joan
67 CHIMERA Costa Rica – have not seen enough – really don’t have we will wait it out  –       
Dennis & Margaret
88  © SEA LARKS en route to nicaragua – puesta del sol  may go to chiapas     
Jeffrey & Paula
95 WAVE DANCER florida in costa rica      
Vladimir & Galinda
96 MALOLO isla grande – been here – quiet – propane  dingy ashore –  leaving to     
Matt & Britt
99 HO’OKIPA Barra de Navidad, MX      
Lisa & Lucky
100 VOLARE Chiapas, MX      
Jessica & Adam
101  ©  KIANGA in la cruz marina – everything very quiet waiting       
Beat & Daniela
117 PILIALOHA we are in hawai’i vessel is in marina chahue  longing     
Rick & Maria
124  © INDEPENDENCE barefoot cay honduras boat maintenance – boat in perfect shape – varnished –    
Larry & Jamie
129 © NESHUMA on the hard at mazatlan marina      
Carl & Cynthia
131 MAR Y SOL Marina Vallarta, MX      
Bob & Marisol
138 BLESSED LIFE   how is the vessel clearing in from  weather in costa rica   
Bob and Margie
144  © ELSKA vista mar marina  – shut down  4 boys – bring the boat     
Ben & Mary Jane
147  GRASSHOPPER Chiappas,  remain here – few months – comfortable – but restaurat baos is closed     
Jeffrey & Cheri
152 © SUSIMI tenecatita  10 – 15 boats – since Thursday  hoping to head north     
Paul & Hazel
173 © BISOU bocas del toro       
Robin and Tad
 
 
 
 
176 REEF DANCER barra de navidad, MX      
Jerry & Debra
 
 
178  HAPPY DANCE  playa samara  have a leak on the prop shaft – limping to puesta del sol  thunder storm  

5) Lighting Mitigation
lighting mitigation for vessels in central america


Lightning mitigation and preparation: what we did on Avant.

When in lightning prone areas, we buy jumper cables at an auto parts store and connect them to the upper shrouds and drop the loose end (in the water) or connect to jack stands (when on the hard). This increased the grounding of the vessel and may help make you less of a target or mitigate a strike.

Open flat areas are worse than areas with prominent tall geographic features.

Being next to a larger boat with a taller mast, or a catamaran or other lightning friendly target is also a good strategy if you can arrange it.

Rob & Debra
AVANT


Carinthia (Cat) spend the summer of 2018 in Vista Mar Marina in Panama and we deployed the following lighting mitigation

– top of mast has a lighting rod – taller and thicker than the VHF antenna
– base of the mast ( deck stepped) has a attachment point and a thick electric cable is lowered into the water below the keels
– we dropped our anchor in the marina in our slip and wrapped a short chain around the base of the mast and connected this chain to the deployed anchor chain
– at the shroud deck-plates just below the turnbuckles we attached truck battery charging cables and dropped them into the water below the keels
– disconnected most electronics from power and all network connections
– 2 catamarans did get hit that season with a lighting strike  – Wine’n’Down ( lateral hit ) & Samara Explorer (direct hit 800 K damage )
– 1 catamaran Sugar Shack got hit in the Southern Costa Rica the following season (direct hit)
– check your insurance policy

Dietmar & Suzanne

CARINTHIA

6) Pictures of the Week
BLESSED LIFE SAMARA

Samara, CR

BLESSED LIFE DOG

Samara, CR
BLESSED LIFE Samara

Bob & Margie

BLESSED LIFE


Still life – Two fish, cutting board and knife
Thisldu



thisldu
Garrett & Audrey

THISLDU

7) Exiting Panama – en route to Nicaragua

An update from Happy Dance traveling with Candine.  We left Punta Balsa yesterday planning on a three day run to Nica. When we reached the Gulf of Nicoya we started seeing squalls. This soon turned into major thunderstorms that wrapped around us even as we tried to change course. Long story short we eventually escaped by heading toward shore. We tried anchoring in Domicelito but the swells were running straight in. We then went to the southern Manuel Antonio anchorage and planned to wait out the afternoon storms. Unfortunately we ended up with the wind blowing onshore and big thunderstorms over us. That’s also when the GuardaCostas arrived! They politely asked for our passports and papers and went off to look them over. In the meantime the anchorage was deteriorating rapidly. The GC then came back and said to raise anchor and follow them. We didn’t know why, but since they had our passports we thought it might be a good idea to go. 🤣 Getting out of the anchorage was a challenge now that it was a dangerous lee shore with large rollers coming in, blinding rain and a headwind. Not fun. They led us to the northern Antonio anchorage where we are now. Much safer and tranquillo.
The GC guys were very friendly and asked many questions about our health, where we’d been, etc. After a good hour of them talking on the phone they finally brought our passports and paperwork back and told us we were not allowed to go to shore. We’d already tried to explain that we had no intention of going to shore, that we only stopped due to weather. Since the weather was pretty bad right then, I think they got it! All this to say that they were helpful and polite and gave us their phone number in case we needed it. We’re leaving in the morning to continue towards Nicaragua. Hopefully the rest of the GC are as easy going if/when we stop again. Just wanted to share our experience in case others are planning to travel through Costa Rica while their borders are closed. Cheers!⛵

Nora decided to go on today and is heading to Chiapas. We’re going to be stopping at night the rest of the way…

drive shaft happy dance

Update on the drip! The grease helped slow down the flow substantially! We sailed most of the day so that helped too. The weather is great, slight onshore breeze, thunderclouds over the mountains. Mucho mejor !!!


We’re staying at anchor for now and have the leak wrapped up and slowed down substantially. We’re setting up the boat to be ready for a major fail 😬 but will hopefully get to Puesta and then to Chiapas. We’re waiting for Wildest Dreams to get here so we’ll also have a buddy boat if needed. Fingers crossed!!!🥴⛵️


Marty & Sue

HAPPY DANCE

8) Long term plans – heading to Chile

SV Sänna plan to head down the Pacific coast to Ushuaia Chile beginning around October-ish for the southern hemisphere spring and summer. They’re teaming up with Jimmy Cornell to route-plan. Sänna are happy to forward their route planning to any Pacific-side boat who might be interested in making this passage. You can contact Dave at dave@sanna-uk.com.
Good Nautical CHILE
Chile

Dave & Marie

SANNA

9) PANAMA – Burning a “stuffed man” in effigy – the traditions is that of the Muñecos
These life sized effigies are an old Panamanian tradition Muñecos or Judas Dolls

Judas Dolls

They are stuffed with firecrackers and are lit and beaten at the stroke of midnight on new years eve.
According to folklore, by beating and setting the effigies aflame, the sins and evil spirits of the old year are destroyed. 
Making way for good fortune in the new year. The fire crackers are said to help drive the evil forces away, since ghosts are afraid of light and noise.
The Muñecos are usually made to look like well-known politicians or movie stars from the outgoing year….


Posse

10) Please reply to this email with


– your updates – self quarantine info
contenders for picture of the week
– relevant blog posts – and of course your valuable suggestions

and we’ll include it in the next FLEET UPDATE – Keep em ‘coming



DietmarSuzanne


Dietmar & Suzanne
Sheltering in place in Barra de Navidad
SV Carinthia



11) This 2019-2020 Panama  – officially ends on May 31st
but you can already sign up for next season  and 
here is the list of valiant entrants, explorers and adventurers

https://panamaposse.com/2020-2021-vessels






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