And so in preparation for San Blas off shopping again with my Spanish dictionary – staggered back to the Marina in a cab. Was uber grumpy that noone was at the gate to help me get it all to the boat – then I came upon a rather dramatic scene! The finger pontoon we were moored alongside snapped its shackle in 29 knot winds. There is an 80ft Cat next to us at 60 tons fearing for his boat and Oscar is securing us with our palm tree lines to the main dock. Dockmaster appears. Marina has no boat. So we pay two fisherman in a skiff to go to the bow and take our anchor (40kg) and run in out and drop it in the water to help hold us off. Meanwhile we now have 30+ knots of wind – the man in the skiff nearly goes into the water with his skiff and the anchor – the wind is whistling and screeching and I am now quite frankly a bag of nerves. Have never been so far outside my comfort zone as this trip is taking me – it is character building apparently. I have quite a lot of character already! I hastily retire to the marina bar with my book and nurse a margharita – non drinking going well!! I am seriously beginning to think that we have signed up to the Oyster Extreme Sports World Rally not the one that everyone else is doing!
Off to San Blas in the morning and am assured winds much lower!
Sophistikate 