Caribbean from Pacific Coast

[Rod Headlee]

Originally Posted by Rod Headlee

Sail down to the canal, watch the weather at the Gulf of T and the Gulf of Papaguyo. After transiting the canal head north to Grand Cayman, the current will be with you. The winds will be out of the west if you go at the right time. From Grand Cayman you can follow the Gulf Stream around the west end of Cuba to Key West. Then plan accordingly, visiting the Islands in the proper direction. Watch out for the Christmas Trade winds. They blow hard. I have done that route in reverse twice, I love Grand Cayman. Have fun, use your pilot charts, plan layovers for hurricane season. Portobelo is a good place to lay up on the Caribbean side of Panama. Avoid the east coast of Central America, pirates, shallow water etc. Watch the reefs between Panama and Grand Cayman. Hug the coast around the west end of Cuba (12 miles off). Brunswick,Ga is a good place to lay up for hurricane season in the USA.

I made a mistake in my post and don't see an edit button. The winds will be out of the EAST not the west on the sail from Panama to Grand Cayman.

[LByers]

My wife and I did that trip from Seattle with a “new to us” boat, (1986 Passport 40), without much experience and made it alive and well. What would I have done differently? Pick my weather windows better and allow plenty of time.

Having said all that, it was an adventure of a lifetime, (almost all positive), that I would have missed if I had shipped the boat.

[Rod Headlee]

Originally Posted by OarElse

Was just wondering the best way to cruise to the Caribbean from the Pacific coast? (California.)

For this trip, I wanted to go as direct as possible realizing I have a whole continent in the way.

This would obviously be my first blue water cruise.

Thanks for the input.

What kind of boat? Don't be afraid to say. We sailed a Catalina 38 to the South Pacific.

[PNWSalmon]

Originally Posted by nepal

Any idea how much the canal option and the truck option will cost?

There's a great site called noonsite.com which you should bookmark and visit often. In the Panama section they have all the latest information on what it costs to lock through. This is the current link as of January 2021. https://www.noonsite.com/report/pana...t-information/

The fees doubled last year. As some have said, using an agent can save you a lot of hassle.

[Scorpius]

We did that trip many years ago. I understand the fee structure at the canal has changed dramatically since then so I can't comment on that topic. We anchored off the Balboa Yacht club for a couple of weeks and went as volunteer line handlers on two other boats (to get the hang of things) before taking Scorpius through - with volunteer line handlers from other boats wishing the experience. It's exciting in the canal locks. It can seem like whitewater kayaking when they open the penstocks to flood the locks!

From Colon on the Caribbean side we sailed to Portobello (a neat place) then the San Blas Islands (a WONDERFUL place), spent a few weeks, then headed to Cartagena, Colombia. From Cartagena we headed northwest to Cabo Gracias a Dios, then Belize, Mexico (the Yucatan), and Florida. It was a great trip and I don't remember any of it being terribly difficult sailing. Maybe we were just lucky.

We had started in Vancouver and really enjoyed the trip down the west coast of the US, Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama - and our two years in the Caribbean. But if that's not your thing, sail to San Diego, truck your boat to the Gulf Coast and go from there. We trucked Scorpius back from Tampa Florida to Vancouver after our adventure and I've never regretted that. It was MUCH easier and faster, and probably a lot cheaper, than sailing her back. Plus I'd gone back to work and just didn't have the time. Trucking did absolutely no damage to the boat but then, with a steel boat, I didn't expect any

Six of one, half a dozen of the other I guess.

[Leee]

Hi Scorpius,
Off topic but I'd like to know more about Madeira Park if you are willing. I'm in Vancouver, boat currently in Greece. How do I contact you?
Leee

[Scorpius]

Originally Posted by Leee

Hi Scorpius,
Off topic but I'd like to know more about Madeira Park if you are willing. I'm in Vancouver, boat currently in Greece. How do I contact you?
Leee

PM me here and we'll take it from there. Madeira Park is a MARVELLOUS place!

[Scorpius]

Originally Posted by Student_Driver

If that’s ur first offshore, it may be ur last. That’s all uphill. Bashing into waves and beating upwind with an adverse current. No bueno first passage.

What, uphill from California to Panama? I don't think so! And on the other side if you watch the weather forecasts carefully, it's not so tough to go across to Cartagena, then north to Honduras, Guatemala, and Belize - then north to Florida if you wish. Then you can start your cruise down the Caribbean islands. All in all it's a WONDERFUL trip.

[Dooglas]

Originally Posted by OarElse

Was just wondering the best way to cruise to the Caribbean from the Pacific coast? (California.)

So tell us a little about your boat. That will provide some insight into the difficulties of taking it by water to the Caribbean, and will have more than a little bearing on the potential cost of shipping the boat by truck from the West Coast to the Gulf of Mexico.

[CarinaPDX]

If the point is to deliver the boat to the Caribbean there may be an option to put her on a ship; otherwise, truck her across to Texas from southern California. But really, the cruising is good on the west coast of Central America, or at least Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama (I don't know the current status of the others and would need to check carefully first). There are options once leaving the canal; I chose to go east (Columbia, Venezuela, Trinidad) before heading north but I would be loath to recommend that these days due to security around Venezuela.

Consider going cruising instead of delivering...

Greg

[piloto]

Originally Posted by aucoingc

I broke out laughing...well said. I made the passage from San Francisco to the Caribbean in 2014/15.

I did it back in the 80’s. Best sailing adventure I’ve had but, then, I wasn’t in a hurry. SF to Panama Canal (all of Mexico and Central America in between) into Carribean and San Blas. It’s the journey as much as the destination.

[waterman46]

Originally Posted by Student_Driver

If that’s ur first offshore, it may be ur last. That’s all uphill. Bashing into waves and beating upwind with an adverse current. No bueno first passage.

This is not really offshore - you'll never be more than 2 days from a harbor.

We are doing it in four years, but would not go the Columbian route. So much to see and enjoy in the Western Caribbean! First year from California to down to Panama, store boat dry over summer. Next fall through Canal and head north along coast to Rio Dulce or Belize. Summer dry store or in Rio Dulce or in the water in Belize. Third winter head north to Yucatan and continue over the north side of Cuba to Florida west coast. Dry store over summer, then finally fourth winter head to the Caribbean.



It will be five years for us - couldn't do anything this winter due to Covid. Boat is in Belize at the present time.


This way there are really no long stretches of upwind - you can time your passage north of Cuba to pick up northerlies or at least fairly calm conditions and you have a current with you. Passage to northern Caribbean from FL will be mostly upwind but the distances are short.

[captainstrickle]

If you are really interested...my Catalina 42 is on the hard in Shelter Bay Marina, Panama. It is ready to sail. We have some medical issues that may end our cruising (8 years).

[Scorpius]

Originally Posted by captainstrickle

If you are really interested...my Catalina 42 is on the hard in Shelter Bay Marina, Panama. It is ready to sail. We have some medical issues that may end our cruising (8 years).

Oh what a shame! Just goes to show everybody: If you REALLY want to go cruising, get out there and do it! You never know, at whatever age, when you won't be able to.

To CaptainStrickle: I REALLY hope your medical issues resolve positively and you can get back to your boat and carry on with the lifestyle we all love. Take care.

[mindsofman]

done that run 5 times,, its worth every $ just
for the experience,,, Can be a milk run or can
be tuff, sure, but go for it, you wont forget it.
Ive done it Solo but having good company aboard
makes it better..
Sitting at the Fish Fry in Georgetown telling
cruisers how your BENNY is being trucked
OVER,,, Nah, not as interesting as dodging lead
walking thru Acapulco at night or having the
gates of Gatun Locks closing behind you..
Go for it.