This year is blasting by at a breakneck speed that I’m finding pretty hard to believe. Sure, it’s been an eventful year so far, but come on!
The past couple of weeks back in Bocas have been pretty tranquilo, once I got Andiamo out of the marina, that is. Unfortunately, the marina management left much to be desired, and there was simply no limit to their bad attitude and downright poor service. Having been in several marinas over the past few years, my time at Marina Carenero has been by far the worst. The ironic thing is, that I wasn’t even there most of the time Andiamo was docked, being mostly stateside during the time. I was basically given three days to get Andiamo out of there, and I certainly did so. I’d say more about it, but I think you get the idea. 
The cats handled my absence ok. Lucy was a bit emotional about me not being around. In the first week or so I was back onboard, she followed me EVERYWHERE. You can almost see the relief on her face when she saw I was back. I felt really bad, because I know how much Lucy craves company. Aretha didn’t seem to mind me being gone at all, though she has told me in her own way that she’s glad I’m back. So all in all, the cats and Andiamo (despite lots of messiness), fared out ok while I was gone.
Getting back to the anchorage felt good. And despite some tribulations with Andiamo, the boat’s doing ok. I’ve been trying to stay out of the “Bocas” scene lately. If anything, because I just find it to be a bit boring these days. Apparently Bocas shrunk a bit while I was gone. Eveline, who’d been my partner in crime has been working at the other spanish school in Costa Rica, so I’ve been hanging out with different people in the interim. But for the most part, laying low, staying onboard most nights watching the DVD’s I acquired back in the states.
Since getting back, I’ve been knocking out projects and improvements left and right. I brought back quite a bit of new gear for Andiamo, that should make life a bit easier onboard. Which is always a good thing. Still have a few more things and repairs to knock out over the next couple of weeks. Hopefully, by end of the month, Andiamo will be in primo condition to do some sailing, which will be nice for a change! After a short trip I’ll be doing first week of October, I’ll be meeting up with a “special guest” in San Jose. The plan upon getting back to Andiamo is to provision the boat, and head out for a good week and a half of sailing along Panama’s coast to the Rio Chagres.
After that, the plan is to move on from Bocas for at least awhile. Course points to Cartagena! More news as it develops.