Kay Chung
Posted in Central and South Americas, Pacific Islands, Sailings
Mangoes and Coconut Found during the Walk, Vista Mar Marina, San Carlos, PanamaWe have postponed our sailing to French Polynesia until next year.
The best time to sail from Panama to French Polynesia is from February to June. As of right now, many borders and airports are still closed. Our six-month visas will be running out in two-three months as well. Panama only allows foreigners to rent a car for the first 90 days of their stay in the country. We have been here for more than 90 days. So,
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Kay Chung
Posted in Central and South Americas, Pacific Islands, Sailings
Vista Mar Marina during Coronavirus Lockdown, San Carlos, Panama
(May 26, 2020): Panamanian lockdown Day #63. Coronavirus! Things were all going well until this pandemic lockdown was declared. Since March 25th, we have been under curfew in Panama. The only time we are allowed to go out is either for grocery or medication shopping and then only for a few hours on a certain day/time frame.
We stopped our future planning and sailing. I know that “Health is the most important thing.” However, life without freedom is not worth living for me. The longer we are under lockdown,
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Kay Chung
Posted in Central and South Americas, Pacific Islands, Sailings
During this Pandemic, I focused on improving my immune system. Vista Mar Marina and Golf Resort, San Carlos, Panama
Panama is located in the Northern Hemisphere. Strangely, Panamanians say that their winter starts in April and ends in November. At first, talking to local people, I thought we had a communication problem between English and Spanish. Later, I found out Panamanians get their flu vaccines (regular flu shots) in April for their Winter (April to November). There are two seasons in Panama: Summer (=Dry Season, from December to March) and Winter (=Wet Season). Normally in the Northern hemisphere,
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Kay Chung
Posted in Central and South Americas, Pacific Islands, Sailings
Waiting for a Beach Volleyball Game: New Basketball Purchased (No Volleyballs Available) just before the Coronavirus Lockdown. Coronado, Panama
Sailors and employees in the Vista Mar Marina (Panama) are healthy and safe. We are grateful for it. We have been following the Panamanian Movement Restrictions. It started with:
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Kay Chung
Posted in Central and South Americas, Pacific Islands, Sailings
“Practice as if my life is depended on it.“
Meditation Practice, Vista Mar Marina, San Carlos, Panama
Melanie is from Germany on S/V Tore, She and her husband took two years of sabbatical from work in order to sail around the world. They need to go back to work by November but no one knows when we can sail again.
Before flying to Panama, living in Fort Lauderdale, I attended Tai Chi classes at the Broward Wellness Center (Broward General Hospital). I found it takes a long time to learn Tai Chi.
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Kay Chung
Posted in Central and South Americas, Pacific Islands, Sailings
COVID19 Movement Restrictions in PanamaEffective April 1, 2020, new movement restrictions will begin in Panama. Both Women and Men are allowed to go for essential shopping on separate days. On Sundays, everyone must stay home. Designated movement times are depending on the last digit of your Identification Card (National ID or Passport). People 60 and over are only allowed between the hours of 11 am to 1 pm. John’s passport number ends with “5”. He is allowed to go shopping between the hours of 4:30 pm and 6:30 pm.
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Kay Chung
Posted in Central and South Americas, Pacific Islands, Sailings
What can I do to make my day bright? Is it avoiding listening to the media?
I have watched so many YouTube videos in the last two weeks, more than I have watched in my whole life prior to this “Coronavirus Pandemic”. I did learn a lot, and found some really crazy and interesting things that I didn’t care much about but were pretty funny and silly at the same time. We are fortunate that we arrived in a Marina with decent WiFi speed. There are other marinas that we have been in that we either had to use a Simcard tethering a phone or even worse walking up to the office and sitting in the sun to a internet connection.
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Kay Chung
Posted in Atlantic Islands, Central and South Americas, Pacific Islands, Sailings
Bunny and Fox: Our Boat “Bad Bunny” and a Belgium Boat “Fox” in front of the Big Freighter “Maersk Bali” in one of the three Pacific Side Locks
(February 9 to 10, 2020) We enlisted an agent to aid us in the panama canal crossing paperwork. The process was painless on our side, just a bit expensive, but it was worth it. We also hired four Panamanian line handlers as we felt more comfortable using people who had done this many times rather than enlisting the help of other yachties who may or may not know what they are doing.
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Kay Chung
Posted in Central and South Americas, Pacific Islands, Sailings
Panama City View from Hotel Swimming Pool in Old Town Panama City, Panama
Since my last blog, we have been very busy. We crossed the Panama Canal from Atlantic Ocean to Pacific Ocean. It was a lot of work preparing for the Canal Transit. Crossing the canal was a huge experience. We cheerfully toasted the success of the crossing.
After arriving in the Pacific side of Panama, I went home in Florida and sold my condo. I got rid of most of belongings and put the rest of my history in a small storage room (200 Cubic Feet).
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Kay Chung
Posted in Caribbean Islands, Sailings, South America
One of East Coco Bandero Islands, San Blas, Panama. Tourists can sleep overnight in a small building on a hammock.
Small building with palm fronds and solar panels. Coco Bandero Island, San Blas, Panama
Hammocks in the Building on Coco Bandero Island, San Blas, Panama
View from my cabin looking at the Island where we buried my cat, four years ago.
I made to my cat’s island. San Blas, Panama…