Bahia Drake to Golfito - approx 70 nm June 05, 2008
Bahia Drake to Golfito, Costa Rica Click on the image above for a Live Map!! Big_ImageLive_MapKMLGPX
We expected this to be the riskiest part of the voyage.
Not only did we have to go out by Isla del Canos, reputed to
be the place most often struck by lightning in all of Central
America, but we would be rounding the Osa Penisula, which from the
charts looked like we could expect quite a bit of a "point effect"
(i.e. stronger winds, confused seas and currents) as we came
around this point. We would get to pass places called
Punta LLorna, which in Spanish means "She Who Cries", but
which actually refers to a tale of warning, something like
the Boogie Man ("Watch out or La Llorona will get you!"), and
Punta Salsipuedes, which means "Leave If You Can" lol.
So we were understandably concerned about this little stretch
of ocean!
However, as it turned out, probably due to our spot-on
weather checking and passage-making strategy, by leaving
at 4:00 am, we had absolutely no problem on the leg.
It did not rain at all on the leg and there was
no lightning or thunder to be seen/heard. In fact, it was
sunny and clear the whole way. It was so perfect that when we pulled
into Bahia Golfito, about 2:30 in the afternoon, it also happened to be the best time
to be entering the bay at slack high tide! We lined up
on the range markers and had no problem making the channel
unassisted.
As we pulled into the bay, we contacted Land and Sea
Marina on Channel 16 and were told that they had moorings
available for both us and KETCHIN UP, at the very reasonable price
of $8/day, including free WI-FI, showers, game room, and so on.
After talking to Tim at Land and Sea, we also contacted the Naval
Base and checked in over the radio. A short time later, as we
pulled up to the mooring field, Tim came out in his skiff and helped us
take our mooring, and by 3:00 we were having celebratory beers and shots,
congratulating ourselves on yet another great passage!
Bahia Drake to Golfito1. Isla del Canos 2. Rounding Rocas San Pedro 3. Looking back 4. Gulls and Ketchin Up, rounding Rocas San Pedro