Yesterday, the 27th of February, the news was full of the Chillean earthquake and impending Pacific-wide tsunami. In the end, the tsunami never transpired, but the news channels and experts kept up the heat until the forecast tsunami-hour had passed Hawaii, 3 hours after the expected time in Panama. Naturally, we alerted the BWR fleet and they all headed out to deep water.
Scot Free is leaving Shelter Bay this evening and will be transiting the Gatun Locks at approximately 18.30 – 1900 hrs local time (+5 GMT). They will spend the night in the lake and then transit the Miraflores locks at around 11.30-12 noon tomorrow. Island Kea is still on schedule to arrive in Shelter Bay on Sunday.
Thursday, 04 February 2010 10:45 | By Richard Bolt
Our 2009-11 rally has been meandering happily across the Caribbean as yachts made their own way towards the Panama Canal. It has not all been plain sailing. Some rough weather caused a bit of havoc as they swept from the ABC islands towards the San Blas archipelago. Wind steering equipment suffered damage in the rough, steep seas and strong squalls. As I write, we are awaiting the arrival of Scott Free, who has fitted a new autohelm in San Blas, and Island Kea, who broke her mast in Antigua; She is about to instigate a mad dash direct to Cristobal Port at Colon.
Monday, 07 December 2009 14:51 | By Richard Bolt in Antigua
Yesterday Chsalonina became the 14th rally yacht to arrive safely in Antigua. Our photo shows a moment of great elation for every yacht that gets in. Jeremy, with rum- punch in one hand and beer in the other is celebrating to the full. Although he had made one Atlantic crossing 10 years before, for many this is their first adventure across an open ocean. So it is a great mixture of relief, a sense of achievement and well-deserved pride that each crew member enjoys as he touches solid land for the first time in 3 weeks.
Saturday, 27 February 2010 13:02 | By Richard Bolt
The earthquake in Chile has caused the coast of South and Central America, including Panama and the Perlas Islands where the rally is currently located, to issue tsunami warnings. Members of the fleet in Las Perlas have said they are all safe and were preparing to head offshore before the possible tsunami could strike. These yachts included: Blue Magic, Lucy Alice, Camomile, Bionic, Briet, Bali Blue, Raylah, Chsalonina. At the same time, Natibou, which is still in Balboa, has confirmed that she is also heading out to sea for the critical period.
Wednesday, 10 February 2010 19:15 | By Richard Bolt
There are six boats transiting this evening and tomorrow morning. They will be in two rafts. Natibou, Chsalonina (affectionately known as ‘Chisel’) and Camomile in one raft, and Gaultine, Blue Magic and Miss Tippy making up the second raft. They will be going through Gatun around 1800-1830 hrs local (+5 hrs GMT).
We are also very happy to announce the arrival of Scott Free in Shelter Bay. Debra and Eileen have had to hand steer most of the way from Bonaire but at least they didn’t have the storms to contend with too! We are hoping to get their paperwork and measuring done today and tomorrow and they will then still be on schedule to go through the canal on Friday. Island Kea is also on her way but will not get here in time to transit on Friday.
Serengeti is no longer transiting the canal.
Only a few more days of transits to go….keep watching.
On Saturday, 6th February, the rally regrouped at Portobelo for a transit briefing and lunch. Eleven yachts joined the rally in Panama making it a very sociable occasion, with new faces to meet and new tales to tell of adventures sailing to Panama and around the San Blas Islands. The sun shone, the beer was cold and the frigate birds put on a display of aerobatic flying next to the sea wall.
Saturday, 12 December 2009 01:10 | By Richard Bolt
At last all our yachts are safely in from their crossing of the Atlantic. Yesterday (Thursday 11th December), our last yacht, Ursula, a Spanish yacht which has crossed via Cape Verde on her own, arrived in Antigua to join the rally. She arrived just in time for the departure party! This morning, our first yachts left for other parts of Antigua and further afield in the Caribbean. The first off was Chsalonina (or 'Chisel' as she has affectionately become known) who was heading for Bird Island, a lovely secluded beauty spot with a well protected anchorage, the other side of Antigua Island from Jolly Harbour.
Wednesday, 02 December 2009 03:19 | By Richard Bolt in Antigua
We are expecting our first yacht in tomorrow. Miss Tippy has continued to head the fleet and hopes to be in sunny Antigua before nightfall. A number of yachts who are joining the fleet in Antigua have also made an appearance. Katrin and Steve, on Island Kea, are having some final repair touches done in Falmouth Harbour. Scot Free, with Deborah and Eileen, is down in English Harbour and Aqualuna, with captain Jonathan aboard has arrived in Jolly Harbour.
Sunday, 28 February 2010 15:21 | 
By Richard Bolt
