UK to Panama

[tdsail]

Hi All,

I am intending to sail from the south of UK to Australia via Panama and would like to receive any information on this trip as it will be my first. I have read that an 'easy' /milk run version is uk to spain, then onto madeira, the canaries, possibly cape verde islands and finally tobago onwards through the carribean to panama.. I would appreciate any and all advise for the trip (i'm going to sail single/short handed on a twin keel 24footer)
I also have a couple of specific questions:
1. What are if any visa/other government requirements for those countries (I have eu and aussie passports)
2. I inted to set sail around mid may to get to the carribean and onto panama in time before the hurricane season..is that correct
3. Prevailing winds and the route..Never sailed in them so would I be going the right way/time/route

Thanks in advance,

Tom

[Southern Star]

Tom, although Tobago is below the traditional hurricane belt, you will nevertheless likely want to depart the Canaries for the caribbean no earlier than late October/early November in order to avoid hurricane season during your crossing. Is there a specific reason that you have selected Tobago as your first landfall in the caribbean? Thereafter do you intend on cruising in the caribbean, or more or less heading directly to the Panama canal? If doing some cruising, are there any other islands you would like to visit? I ask only because it will be much more difficult to head north from Tobago through the windward and leeward islands, if you intend to cruise there.

Brad

sp

[tdsail]

Hi Brad,

Thanks for your info. I've no particular plan but probably go straight to Panama...I'm open to where I fall after the crossing...what would you suggest to be the easiest/enjoyable passage to panama?
Thanks again
Tom

[GordMay]

UK to Canaries (or Madiera), to Barbados (perhaps to Grenada, or to Aruba), to Panama ?

[tdsail]

Indeed...given my research I'm now thinking late summer uk to spain...then possibly senegal, and if need be stay there until late nov to avoid hurrican season in the carribean...then make my way slowly to panama to get onto pacific after april again to avoid the hurricane season...would this work do you think?

[Southern Star]

Gord's suggested landfalls make sense - Barbados will put you sufficiently south and it is the most westerly of the islands in the Windwards. Grenada would make a nice next stopover seeing as you are not planning on departing Panama until April. Thereafter any (or all) of the ABC's.

Brad

[tdsail]

Barbados and Grenada sounds like a plan...what do you mean by ABCs? I was thinking of Dutch Antilles and/or Venezuela before Panama...

[Southern Star]

Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao ( part of the Dutch Antilles) - all of which are off the coast of Venezuela. A stop on Isla de Margarita after Grenada would provide you with not only a convenient stopover on your way, but also a very cheap place for provisioning.

Brad

[johnnyreno13]

Have you room for a stowaway. lol

[tdsail]

Hi, sounds good. I read up on Venezuela and it seemed that there is a fair bit of pirate activity ongoing at the moment so a bit concerned about stopping there, but my sister lived in Bonaire for a couple of years and said that its a great place...
Incidently what is the pirate activity like in the Carribean and norther South America? Is it as bad as it sounds?

[svHyLyte]

You would do well to obtain a copy of Eric and Susan Hiscock's book, "Around the World in Wanderer III", which cover's the course you ar proposing, exactly. You would also do well to pay a visit to the Cruising Association (see Cruising Association Home Page ) at Limehouse Basin in London. The membership there, and the library, contain a wealth of knowledge, charts, trip logs for the course et al.


FWIW...

s/v HyLyte

[GordMay]

ABC Islands = Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao

[Southern Star]

TD, there are a number of threads on this site and others. Suffice it to say that there are areas in Venezuela that it is best to avoid. And as to Margarita Island, there are some concerns recently if anchoring in Porlamar; that being said, there are absolutely zero reported cases of theft from the marina in Porlamar behind the Hilton. If you avoid the mainland of Venezuela and use some common sense, you should have no difficulties between Grenada and Panama.

Brad

[tdsail]

That's all great info guys so thanks very much...I guess first thing's first and that's crossing the bay...I think this will be a good test run for her to see how she handles in the open

[johnnyreno13]

Good luck. Merry Christmas