Panama to MArquesas in August

[jjorio]

Hi everyone,
What about crossing from Panama to Marquesas in august ? any downsides ?
We are still working on our schedule for crossing from Panama to the Marquesas this year, and planning to spend lots of time in Marquesas, and the cyclone season.
thanks !
Jaad SV CINCO

[roverhi]

If you want to hang out in the Marquesas get a years visa ahead of time. You won't be rushed to thoroughly enjoy those islands and the Tuamotus before venturing on to the leeward Islands. Many of the anchorages that are good in their winter are rolly in their summer and vice versa so an opportunity to see more places if you are the type that likes to move around a lot. Depending on the frequency of tropical storms, the Marquesas are the best place to wait out the hurricane season. The storms don't often get west of Tahiti. Head on west the next April-June before finding a place to hide during the way more active tropical cyclone season further west the following November.

[Paul L]

It'll probably take a chunk of fuel to get out of Panama to some wind.

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by roverhi;2314036[B

]If you want to hang out in the Marquesas get a years visa ahead of time.[/B] You won't be rushed to thoroughly enjoy those islands and the Tuamotus before venturing on to the leeward Islands. Many of the anchorages that are good in their winter are rolly in their summer and vice versa so an opportunity to see more places if you are the type that likes to move around a lot. Depending on the frequency of tropical storms, the Marquesas are the best place to wait out the hurricane season. The storms don't often get west of Tahiti. Head on west the next April-June before finding a place to hide during the way more active tropical cyclone season further west the following November.

Roverhi, do you happen to know if you have to be in your country of origin to apply successfully for this visa?

Thanks.

Ann

[kiwin]

In August you have missed the NE breeze in the gulf of Panama. It will be light and variable. Head toward malpelo island. The wind will fill in from the SW. Slow going hard on starboard tack against the current. Just N of malpelo tack over to port, out into the Pacific. At this point you will make NW at best but as you go W the breeze will swing left. Pass 100-200 miles N of Galapagos. At Galapagos you should be eased sheets and pointing well N of the Marquesas. The wind will trend left all the way to the Marquesas and so keeping N of the rhumb line and going for speed here will enable you to come in to the islands on a 140 degree broad reach instead of running. Much more comfortable and faster.
Done it three times

[jjorio]

Hi everyone,
Thank you for your replies.
No problem with visa issues, I'm french.

Ideally, I'd rather not count on fuel, as we won't have the capacity to carry enough fuel to do the whole leg to find SE.
So for the lights and variable winds I suppose that the earlier the better to get out of the gulf of Panama.
Would a departure in June give a significant change ?

Kiwin, you mentioned you did this crossing 3 times, at what time of the year ?
You used the same strategy mentionned earlier ?
Is a strategy based on current forecast a good bet to get out of the Gulf ?

Thanks again,
Jaad

[kiwin]

i have done the trip leaving in early and late june and late july. The last of the NE is usually done by mid may.The first trip I went S to the same lat as galapagos before tacking out into the pacific. This makes the trip longer and you spend more time in adverse conditions. its hard to understand how much the wind and current will change as you go W. Next time I had a seized rudder bearing and had to go wreck bay to effect a repair. Having to get into the galapagos adds at least two days to the trip as you will be close hauled/beating when you could be cracked sheets and going two knots faster. Third time was just right, Panama to the bay of virgins in 28 days

The light wind section of the gulf of panama is only 100-150 miles so one day of motoring before the SW'er.

The first section out of the gulf is unpleasant. The next section down to Malpelo is a little better, with breeze but still too much traffic, overcast skies, thunderstorms, adverse current etc. Once well out to sea it all gets better and by the time you are half way between S America and the Galapagos its all more bearable. The passage from Galapagos to the Marquesas is much better, with that part of the ocean probably one of the least affected by the human race. Mahimahi on demand!

[icemate]

I left Panama in late March or earily April, I went to Marquesas and then onto Pago Pago and used $42 in diesel the entire trip. Most leaving Panama. I stayed around 5 degrees North most of the way. I few rainy days and a few windy days but not bad. My Log was stolen so I can't tell you exactly how many days the trip was. Have a safe trip. If planning on long stay in any French Islands, take a lot of money. Western Samoa is nice and the Vavu Tonga and the rest of Tonga and the New Zealand.

[jjorio]

Thanks everyone for your feedback !

[Livia]

You said "we". Is everyone aboard French (or EU)? We ran into a few couples with a French citizen and a non-EU citizen aboard and marriage didn't seem to help the non-EU citizen.