Leaving
Golfido, Costa Rica
Today ,Septiembre 19, is checkout day-checkout of Costa Rica. We are pulling the plug on the air conditioner, packing it away, checking the anchor and getting ready to throw off the lines. No more Banana Bay breakfasts, no more sugar doughnuts from the bakery, life has been so easy here where the most difficult thing is getting from the boat to the dock and staying dry, except the rain is so warm and wonderful you don't even mind being wet. Many days we soap up on the deck and let the rain do its work. We are being told that it is cold in Ecuador-break out the jeans and sweat shirts-and that the weather has not been great. Friends of ours on "Orbiter" are heading for Cape Horn but had to take refuge about 120 miles from Manta, Ecuador because they were getting beat up pretty badly.
We are excited and I am scared. I always feel lots of apprehension-lots-before we get started. I worry about the buoys-which is port, which is starboard; I worry about the next anchorage-whether we'll get there before dark and will it be so rolly I'll sit up all night in the cockpit worrying about the anchor dragging; I worry about the fuel-will we be able to sail enough so we'll have enough diesel; if it can be worried about, I'll do it.
Little Gulpy, our every 2.5 minute bilge pump has not been going on so time to go check him before breakfast and listening to the net and the weather. See you in Panama.
- 19 September 2000