Five Days at Sea Coming Up!

I deduce from this very Suzi blog entry that the adventurers are about to leave Panama for Ecuador, from which fact I further deduce that Suzi's eye is much better. Perhaps I will get more info. when they hike three miles to the internet cafe this afternoon. -Kris

It's dark and the rain is thick and intense. I climb over the companionway door, keeping the water outside, and allow the shower to cleanse my entire being while I open the water tanks to be topped off by the heavens. It is cool but not cold, and as I go back inside, Sidewinder's warmth immediately embraces my being. Just another rainstorm from heaven, and now it is quiet. I will open the hatches and ports and soon the stars will light up the sky. Ah, the rainy season in Panama..........Around 2:00 AM I crawled out on deck and lo and behold, there was a little patch of stars, surrounded by clouds and a light drizzle. It almost happened!  I am sailmailing you now but will send pictures this afternoon when we hike 3 mi. to the internet cafe. I hope all is well with everyone. Tomorrow we leave and will be at sea for at least 5 days; that is the longest passage Sidewinder will have made. I look forward to gentle 12 knt winds and good weather.:)

Received this an hour later:
It's getting late and I'm not sure if we will make it to the internet cafe. If you don't hear from me again, that's why. Love you mucho. We are going to Ecuador; I just got a wonderful sailmail message from Diana [the eye doctor] and she thinks we just go on with our plans. YIPPEE!!!!!

Finally, I received these photos a few hours later, along with this brief message:
Hi buddy. We made it to the internet cafe between rainstorms, and it is time to go. I am sending you a few random pics for the blog and will tell some stories when I find myself snug in a marina in Puerto Lucia, Ecuador. We leave tomorrow morning, and I will keep in touch by sailmail, propagation willing.  Bye for now.