Cruising

I entered the muck behind my skiff and pushed it into water deep enough that it would float.  It doesn't take much.  I bailed for twenty minutes and got on the boat, dripping muck everywhere.

Off to Casa Verde, what else do we need?   Ten bags of ice, a couple of blocks, some superglue, gas.

We hooked up the stereo on the trimaran and I headed back for the girls.  We waited a while, nobody is ever on time in Panama.   This time, it was us.  By the time we got to the trimaran all the tourists were aboard.  This was some group from Alberta.   I was later to find out that they pay $100 a day for the tour.  For this they get $25 accommodations, sleeping four to a room and bus transport.  They provide their own meals and tours are extra.   $75 per person per day for god knows what.   A bus ride from Panama City is $33.  That was four days ago.  They stayed on Carenero, a haven for sand flies and these people were pretty well eaten up.

I grabbed a drill, a funnel, a bottle of rum and a box of straws and the girls offered to help.  Here, drill two holes.  Put a straw in one, have the person drink some of the coconut water and then put the funnel in the other hole and pour in some rum.   This was my creation, although, there being nothing new under the sun I have no doubt this was independently invented many times.

We sailed out to the first stop by which time people had consumed immoderate amounts of alchohol.  They were Canadians, lest you forget.   I took the girls off to see a friend in the jungle.   They thought it was awesome and didn't want to leave.  We can come back anytime, you will be here another five weeks.  Off to my place for a few minutes and back to the boat.

They started pulling each others swim suits off and dancing in the buff.  Jen looked at me, raised a blonde eyebrow and said, "Really?"  Hey, it's Bocas.

A few more stops and then there was a request for some crazy punch made of ginger ale, vodka, pineapple and energy drinks.  It tasted like gasoline.   On the way back, we passed three generations paddling a panga.  I don't know what was wrong with the engine.  Surely one of them must have a phone and a friend to call.  I tied them off and pulled them around the point, stopped at the trimaran, dropped off the girls and supplies and pulled them home.   Lots of people on the deck.  Lots of boats.  What the hell?   Who knows?  The guy thanked me and asked how much he owed me.  "Just help out some other stranded boater.  You spend a lot of time on the water, you'll be stranded eventually."

Back to the boat.  With all of the seriously inebriated people aboard only one was an asshole.   "More ice bitch, dig deep."  Charming.   Back to town, I dropped the girls off.  We exchanged phone numbers, "friended" each other on Facebook.  "Thanks, Jim, you are really cool.  That was an awesome day."  Hugs and kisses.  "Later girls."  "Absolutely."