Happy Birthday Robb!

19th & 20th January

All important day today (19th) - its Robb’s birthday! I can’t get cell phone reception so we can’t wish him Happy Birthday – we miss both him and Heather, I’m sure they would love the adventure but not the sailing.

Both mornings we have had the Porvenir wake up call at 7:15am, 50 feet above our mast the flight from Panama City brings in another 2/3 guests at the hotel. We bought 2 lobsters and a huge crab for $10, so with beers at the hotel costing $1 we are living like kings – well the boys are I can’t stand lobster or crab.

20th – Today we sailed over to the Chichime Cays 5 miles from Porvenir, these are 2 islands surrounded by a coral reef, the pilotage coming in was rather hairy as the charts for here are hugely out of date. These 2 islands are supposed to be home to just a couple of coconut famers, but we have got here to find a hotel – well I use the term loosely. It’s a wooden hut with a palm roof, bring your own hammocks, all the food, free coconuts, beer $1, all for 10 bucks a day! But hey the view is great and the ants and land crabs clear the crumbs up off the floor for free.

There is a little lad that lives here with his Mum and Dad, we had bought a big bag of lollipops for the kids on the islands, his face was a treat when him and his Dad rowed over to say hello and we gave him a lollipop – don’t think he sees too many sweets. Tonight is Nigel’s turn to cook – fish pie – there’s a surprise (but not one he caught) and then we are going to paddle ashore for a couple of cold beers at the ‘hotel’ with 3 lads who are backpacking round this part of the world. Desert will be ashore – wait for it………….you guessed it…………..fresh coconut! Better get used to it me thinks. We been told fresh coconut milk has a mild laxative effect……….no I’m not even going to go there!