Panama to San Diego 2020/2021

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by benbis

Hey thanks so much for all the reply’s to this thread!
There’s some great info for me to consider here.

Right now I’ve downloaded the Sarana guides and I’m going to see with my insurance if I can be covered to arrive in Chiapas by June 15th.

Or potentially take longer and then leave the boat in Costa Rica in July.
My time frames for sailing this route are Late March to November, due to work.
I know this isn’t ideal but if I can find secure marinas to leave the boat in either Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico I should be able to me lake it work.
By only sailing North of 10 degrees outside of the hurricane season.

Has anyone left their boat in Panama, Costa Rica or Chiapas for a long time?

Our boat was in Chiapas for a few months, it was fine. In Costa Rica there are good marinas but expensive.

[LeaseOnLife]

Oh, and for weather forecasts, and other reasons to access the www: We got a data only SIM card from Movistar in Panama. unlimited data (on the device, can not be used as hotspot) costs $5/week. Scratch cards for refill can be bought all over Panama.

Movistar has a program "sin fronteras", and you can get data at no additional cost all the way to Mexico, whenever you are in reach of a cell tower.

To recharge the movistar with a new scratch card, outside of Panama, dial *888# (not *312code as it says on the scratch card).


Dirk

[roland stockham]

Originally Posted by LeaseOnLife

Oh, and for weather forecasts, and other reasons to access the www: We got a data only SIM card from Movistar in Panama. unlimited data (on the device, can not be used as hotspot) costs $5/week. Scratch cards for refill can be bought all over Panama.
Dirk

Only problem is that there are few places on the coast that have cell tower coverage good enough to download, get a decent coverage map!

[LeaseOnLife]

Originally Posted by roland stockham

Only problem is that there are few places on the coast that have cell tower coverage good enough to download, get a decent coverage map!

We didn't bother buying any local SIM in Costa Rica despite spending a bit of time there, it was good enough there. Nicaragua had good reception, even had to expand my insurance via cell-internet to get permission to land there. Don't remember El Salvador, we were too far out also. Guatemala was on/off but still OK not to use the Pactor modem. That was April 2019 and I thought it worked quite well..

[Llerrad]

Hoping for a little weather info from people that have traveled from San Diego to Balboa Panama. Planning a departure from San Diego sometime in January or February to Balboa Panama. Is that a decent time to depart?

[nhschneider]

Originally Posted by Llerrad

Hoping for a little weather info from people that have traveled from San Diego to Balboa Panama. Planning a departure from San Diego sometime in January or February to Balboa Panama. Is that a decent time to depart?

As long as you can avoid deep low pressure areas that are heading eastward across the Pacific, you should have fairly consistent northwesterly winds, giving you a sleighride most of the way down. During January, however, these winds can become enhanced, also known as the 'Christmas' winds, which can make an offshore passage interesting. Is this a delivery or a cruise?

Good luck, fair winds and calm seas.

[Llerrad]

Its a delivery. I have done that route before going north in November. Had no issues. Boat in in refit and wont be done until Dec-Jan. I would like to depare end of Jan -mid Feb. from San Blas to Bequia. I was hoping the christmas winds would be settling down by then. Thank you very much for your input.

[donradcliffe]

January departure from San Diego is fine. Watch the northers in the Sea of Cortez, the Tehauntepecers, and the Papagayos. February is too early to go east from Panama.

[Llerrad]

I’m just curious. Why is February too early for the Caribbean? I’m aware I’ll be going against the wind and current. The Christmas winds should be over. I know they’re still steady tradewinds. I have a great vessel, for heading to Bequia from San Blas in Panama.

[Montanan]

I believe that you have missed the weather window for departures during 2020/2021.

Might have better luck in 2023/2024.




Bon voyage.

[donradcliffe]

Originally Posted by Llerrad

I’m just curious. Why is February too early for the Caribbean? I’m aware I’ll be going against the wind and current. The Christmas winds should be over. I know they’re still steady tradewinds. I have a great vessel, for heading to Bequia from San Blas in Panama.

Tell us how it went for you if you make it. I passed Aruba gong westbound in March doing 7.5 knots through the water and 11 knots over the ground. The night before I came into Cartagena I had 35 knots gusting 40.