Sailing from the Virgin Islands to Panama

[Aurora Seas]

We are currently in the BVIs and have been trying to figure out when to head down to panama. Does anyone have any experience having taken this route or has any advise of when the best time to head down there is? We are looking to go in the next few weeks so any info would be great. Thanks

[gjordan]

I did Antigua to Panama in April, years ago, and it was almost all DDW with heavy air. Much of it was double reefed main and staysail. The boat was comfortable like this, but I realized how bad it really was when a large tanker passed us going the other way, and was slamming into headseas, and taking green water half way back on its decks. If I had needed to turn up wind, it would have been truly nasty. I talked to other sailors in Panama that had done it a few weeks earlier, and they didnt have any heavy air, so it is a crap shoot. Weather reporting has improved since then, so maybe you can choose a better window. Good Luck. _____Grant.