Date: 08.01.2023
Author: Saba
Position: 09°17.14’N 082°23.52’W
Nautical Position: Almirante Bay
Etmal: 7078 NM
Ship: Pelican of London

We finally arrived in Panama! We anchored at about 09:30. It looks incredible. On port side you can see the rain forest and starboard side you can see palm-trees. The turquoise water is all around us. Wherever you look around you see people doing stand up paddling and being tanned from the sun, which is burning down on us. We are all looking forward to go ashore. And then for three whole weeks. Unbelievable. You can overhear people having conversations about diseases, food and the plans in Costa Rica.

The final preparations for tomorrow have already started. The people from the immigration office came on board and we had to get in order of our crew list numbers, like we did a few times before – so they could match our faces to the passports. The last things got packed away and almost every bag was up on deck. But we got a surprise rain over night, so the bags got wet. Not only them got wet, but also the laundry, which was hung up on ropes on the well deck. So we tried everything possible to dry them. We blow dried them, prayed and cursed. Thank God, the sun came out again and it dried quickly.

The last thing on the schedule was Clean Ship or “Happy Hour”. But today we had to do it very well, because the immigration people were looking for tidiness so we would be allowed to arrive. And especially because it’s the last time we’re on this ship for weeks. We had to clean under the beds and sheets. Since we hadn’t cleaned there for three months it was disgusting and there were a lot of things, that don’t belong in a bed. For example sheets of paper from school, that haven’t been packed away. As well as sweets from Dartmouth, that were eaten by ants.

Almost There

In the afternoon we had a visit from “pilots” who supervised us while driving to our new spot where we anchored, because we are closer to the border. The boys couldn’t walk around without a shirt and Forewatch B had to get back on watch. While on watch we saw beautiful mini-islands, that were like small forests in the sea.

Greetings to my family and my friends.

Carlina: Greetings to my grandparents, parents, brothers and friends.
Manuel: Happy Birthday Grandma even if it’s a bit late :D.
Marie: Per il 8.1. Tanti auguri a Bodo!