Prepping

I am less than a week away to getting on the plane that will take me to Panama City. My bags are mostly packed, well, I am finalizing the list of the things I’m taking (don’t know if they’ll fit in my bags yet). I have received all the prescribed immunizations recommended from the various websites (CDC, State Department, Web MD, Panamanian Embassy) that if I wasn’t headed for Panama I could visit any elementary school in the country. Am I excited? Yes!

But the excitement started earlier this year when I attended my third meeting as a member of the Long Beach Singles Yacht Club (a story in its own right). the meeting took place in May at the normal location, The Crab Pot Seafood Restaurant in the Alamitos marina. The guest speaker for the evening was Capt. Dave. Capt. Dave, we were told, had just returned from transiting the Panama Canal, taking a break from a two year voyage down the Pacific coast from Long Beach California.

Dave was going to show us some pictures and talk about some of the more exciting moments of the voyage. The presentation went well. There were a lot of “oohs” and “ahs” with an occasional “wish I was there”. When he finished our vice commodore introduced me to him and the plan was hatched.

I would be acting as crew for a short trip from Panama to Jamaica. “Pack enough clothes for a 5 day trip” he told me, “the whole trip should be no more than 7 days”. Sounds good to me I said and went home excited to tell Peggy (my better half) of this great opportunity for some real blue water sailing.

We talked over the pros and cons and decided it would fit the budget and the schedule.

So I let Capt. Dave know I was in. Shortly after that he called me and asked if I wanted to sail the second (Jamaica to the Bahamas) and third (the Bahamas to Florida) legs with him. How could I refuse such an offer? Now I am finishing up my preparations and waiting for the moment to head of to the airport for 6 hour and 2 minute flight Panama City.