Six Foot Boa Constrictor Comes Aboard in San Blas

[mudbug]

Hi Y'all!

In the latest Indigo Moon trip log, read the whole story of cruising from Colombia to the San Blas and on to Colon, including, a visit by a six foot long, very pretty red-tailed boa that swam out and decided to come aboard for a nap.

And we had many visits from Kuna Indians as well.

Anyway, there are lots of pictures of the snake in this report. It's not everyday you walk out into the cockpit and find boa constrictor sunning itself on a stern cleat!

To see the trip report, simply click on the Indigo Moon link below!

All the best,

Buddy

[SeaKing]

Nice site, Buddy. are you a Who Dat too! I see dat LSU flag. I grew up in N.O.

[Reality Check]

Great log... will be looking forward to more

[mudbug]

SeaKing: Who dat? Who dat?

Both Melissa and I went to LSU and yes, we are loyal to the Saints. . . it's not for the weak of heart, though!

Anyway, nice to meetcha dahlin'.

Reality Check,

Hey, thanks so much for the kind words! We really enjoy sharing our adventures and impressions about the last four years of "on the go" cruising, as you can see by our site.

Anyway, so glad you enjoyed the lastest trip log with "Da Snake!"

Snakes on a plane???? No, it's snakes on a catamaran!

All the best to all of you,

Buddy

[MarkJ]

Great blog! Locely piccies of San Blas and your snakey friend

[sidneybrown]

Is a backpacker boat, like a bunch of backpacking kids traveling through europe, just on a boat?

[mudbug]

MarkJ,

Thanks a bunch. What a pretty snake, hugh!?

sidneybrown,

Yes, a lot of young people in groups travel Central America with backpacks, much like in Europe. Except it's a LOT cheaper to do Central America and Colombia. It's popular right now.

And most of them have a BLAST if in the right group.

I sure wish I had done it when I was young and beautiful!

Thanks for asking.

All the best,

Buddy

PS: The best way to get from Panama to Colombia and back is by boat. There is no easy access by road, so backpackers often take a budget cruise to make that jump. Then it is back tp hiking and bus travel, etc.

[Therapy]

I have read your blog on and off.
Off when I am depressed that I am not there yet.
On when I have to have another dose.
Or is it the other way around?
Kudos.

[stevensc]

I've just started reading your website and am enjoying it very much. I hope to be following your wake leaving La. early in 2010. I'll be doing the trip, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and V.I.s in a trawler, about 40'.
Years ago I had problems with mice chewing the insulation off the wiring of a 23' fishing boat I had. I couldn't figure out why the problem had stopped till we were offshore fishing one day and a big ole rat snake slithered across the cockpit deck.

So if you ever have problems with mice or rats on board adopt a snake!
Good Crusin' to you!
Steve

[Southern Star]

Well done! How long do you expect your 'circumnavigation' of the Caribbean to take - or are you (blessedly) without any fixed return date? I am another one who will be making the trek down next fall with an ultimate destination of Margarita Island. Any plans to cruise the islands off the coast of Venezuela and, if so, when?

I have a small property on Margarita and if you wanted, I have a part-time property manager who speaks some English who could provide some assistance if needed when on the island. Anyway, pm me if you want details. In the interim, continue to enjoy!

Brad

[mudbug]

Therapy,

Thanks so much for the Kudos!

And I know what you mean on the double-edged sword of reading about the adventures of others.

Anyway, I wish you great success on getting you adventures underway!

stevensc,

Cool on the Rat Snake! hee hee

Hey, when I grow up I am going to get a trawler too!

Good on ya! Sounds like you will have a great trip! Those cruising grounds are awesome in many ways. I hope you have a BLAST!

Southern Star,

Hey, so glad you like the Indigo Moon site!

WOW! Land on Isla Margarita! That's way cool.

We have been out of U.S. waters for three years now, moving clockwise (the right way ) around the entire Caribbean. You could spend a lifetime doing it, I guess, if you stopped at every single place and spent quite a bit of time.

We are currently in the Rio Dulce, Guatemala, and will be heading back up to the USA, to the Keys in November/December and will thereafter cruise all the way up the East Coast again for Hurricane Season 2009 and see many things we missed in 2005.

Then there is talk of the Thorney Path down south to see what we missed (we did the offshore 1130 mile "I-65" trip last time to the USVI).

Then, after that, maybe straight across from St. Croix to the Los Roques off Venezuela and back to Bonaire again.

But, Bonaire just got bashed by Hurricane Omar!

We are not on a schedule, but we will have been 15,000 miles in four years come the New Year and eventually we will get tired of on the go cruising, but not yet!

We have discovered that a liveaboard marina life is not our bag, so the day will come when we "swallow the anchor" and live on land again.

Anyway, I just might be back down in Isla "Margaritaville" Venezuela in 2009/2010!

Hope to see ya there!

All the best to all of you and thanks again for the kind words,
Buddy

[Talbot]

Mudbug

I was seriously disappointed by your blog. I read all the way to the end expecting to see photos of the snake ,to be bittterly disappointed. It was only a six ft snake, what was the problem?

seriously for a mo

Good read.

[Southern Star]

Thanks Mudbug. If you are down there, look me up. I'll eventually have a small beachfront resort in a well protected bay on the North side of the island. Right now I have only constructed a couple of small apartments, a courtyard with water tanks and the pool. Having said that, I do have laundry and a small Renault van you'd be welcome to use. And if its in 2010, I may well have the entire place up and running.

At present very few yachts visit Playa Zaragoza, but the bay is (as indicated) very well protected and very safe. There is a small fishing village at one end, the opposite end is undeveloped beachfront and the middle has a number of Spanish Colonial villas and some posadas fronting the bulevar (a 6 meter wide ceramic tile walkway between the beach and the buildings). There is an office for the Guardia National and I will be splitting a nightly security guard on the beach in front of my property with the posada next door. This will give great security for boats under anchor (as well as inflatables). Frankly, the security guard is probably overkill as the beach is largely deserted at night and there is a large lagoon running up to the street side surrounded by mountains (i.e., no barrio nearby).

In any case, if you give me some notice that you'll be visiting Margarita, I can provide some assistance whether or not I am there. Otherwise, hope we cross paths some day.

Cheers!

Brad

[mudbug]

Talbot. . . . well, the pictures are ok, but, I swear, he looks a LOT bigger in person when hanging on the cleat!


Hee hee, glad you enjoyed the report! All kidding aside, the snake was extremely well-behaved and probably could have been tamed in short order.

It was a perfect specimen just a shade longer than six feet. Flawless.

Brad,

Cool deal!

I wish you great success with your deal on Margarita! we'll keep you posted if we hed that way!

Thanks again,

Buddy

[mudbug]

Talbot,

Hmmm . . . Hey you were joking, right?

You did see all the snake pictures on our website, didn't you?

Just checking to make sure you did not really have a problem seeing the snake pictures.

Thanks,

Buddy