Looking for a sailboat

Panama - Posted On

My stay here in Panama is all about finding a sailboat to hitchhike with to New Zealand.

I arrived on time for this, even earlier than required as sailboats leave current March-April to Galapagos - French Polynesia - Fiji - New Zealand or Australia. It’s always better arriving earlier than later anyway.

The whole Pacific crossing takes about 6 months with a Estimated Time Arrival (ETA) in New Zealand around October. My Atlantic experience will help me as well as the main theme of world tour on a bike.

However it will take me 2 months before leaving the country.

My main idea and tactical is communicating and showing myself as much as I can. So that I get to know everyone in this small world of sailing.

The different areas where I can “work” are Amador anchorage, Balboa Yacht Club on the Pacific side, and Shelter bay marina on Atlantic side.

Quickly I start also to work on the canal to help sailboats crossing the canal as linehandler. It’s a good opportunity for me to make a bit of money for the trip. I will cross 6 times the canal in a few weeks time, getting to know really well this industrial marvel of the human world.

During this time, many strange and crazy destinies pass my way. Sailing world is full of dreamers and I feel really like one of them.

Opportunities for Pacific crossing come one after the other, interesting sometimes, sometimes not adapted to me. Some say yes, and then say no. This is life, my moral goes up and down following the captains’ mood.

I find quite quickly a French sailboat Tago Mago with Frédéric as a captain who offers me to take me from Galapagos to Fiji. I just have to be there the 8th April the latest.

Next challenge and not the easiest is to find a boat from Panama to Galapagos. By the end of March I found two different ones who offer me to take me as crew to go over there on the right dates.

The Canadian Jsea is my choice as he is leaving earlier. On board are the captain John and his friend Sher, both from Vancouver. Jsea is a 52 ft sloop, very comfortable; I have my own cabin with my own bathroom!!!

My bike is safe in the fourth cabin; we will leave on the 30th March.

The Pacific adventure begins.