The Caribbean

Visit our Caribbean Playlist on YouTube for more on the journey

Our season in the Caribbean began at Shelter Bay marina. We spent ten days in Shelter Bay and thoroughly enjoyed the hospitality and great workmanship in the yard. Special thanks to Juan Jose and his ever-chilled bottle of Jägermeister. Gargoyle was in/out quickly and by the 1st of January we were looking for our next destination. In the era of COVID, it is advisable to be flexible and with Panama in a tight COVID lockdown we decided to say goodbye to Central America and hello to the Cayman Islands.

We had a rather serious sail during a rare weather window and after five days and one rough night, we landed in George Town, Grand Cayman on January 11th, 2020. Following a14 day quarantine aboard Gargoyle, we were free to explore this amazing COVID-free island.

Grand Cayman was a wonderful stop for us and even more so as we had the island to ourselves with few if any tourists in sight. We spent our time there between several anchorages and exploring ashore. While there we were able to finally get Kevin’s scuba gear shipped in from Canada and he completed his Advanced Open Water certification.

While Kevin was diving Carla spent her time exploring both in the water and ashore. She was able to do some snorkeling at the site of Kevin’s training and captured a bit of fun video of him 40’ below in the crystal clear water. Back on land, she then toured the Turtle Breeding Center and then took a beach ride and swim on horseback. All in all, the 2 months on Grand Cayman were a much needed “vacation” from the stress of sailing off the beaten path.

Now it is time to move on, but the crew still has not decided on a destination. Originally the plan was the Caribbean for 5 months then jump across the Atlantic and spend summer/hurricane season in the Med. Now with COVID still raging, the crew is undecided. So, to delay the decision, we decided to take advantage of a weather window and motor sail 550nm east to the Turk & Caicos. These islands, famed as a destination of the rich and famous, are perfectly positioned for either a hop to Bermuda to prepare for an Atlantic crossing or a run south to the BVI’s as Gargoyle relocates out of the hurricane zone.

So, with our destination in mind and a brief 4 day weather window of no wind followed by gale force winds and seas, we stuffed our diesel tanks full to the brim and set out. As planned, we motor-sailed out onto the flattest seas we have ever seen. It was surreal. And with such a short and definitive window, we put the throttle down on Gargoyle, cruising at 7.5 knots the entire way. We made quick work of this passage and while we were only able to sail for a few hours on days two and three, we were safely checked in and anchored before the forecast front moved in. Sometimes it is good to have a sailboat that can more than hold its own with the big trawlers.

Now we are exploring these beautiful islands and their brilliant turquoise green waters. Everything here is about the water and the surrounding cays. The first thing one must know about the Turks & Caicos can be summed up in a world. Shallow. We have caught ourselves singing the Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga song far too many times. The banks here off Provo average less than 10’ and one must always be on the lookout for coral heads and reefs. It is not for the faint of heart, but the beauty of the sea rewards the crew willing to get out of their comfort zone.

Two anchorages will be in etched in our memories of the Turks & Caicos. French Cay, a small outer cay known for it is diving and as a bird sanctuary. We anchored off the cay on our first night in 9’ of water clearer than most swimming pools and as we opened a bottle of wine to celebrate, we were rewarded with a light show. As the sun set, glowing lights filled the water all around us. At first we thought it was bioluminescence, but it was clearly something else. After giving us a baffling light display reminiscent of lightning bugs on an August night, we went to bed still not knowing exactly what we had seen. Only later would we learn they were “glow worms”. Amazing!

The second anchorage that stands out was off Six Hill Cay. Anchored again in 9’ of water, we had read the nearby shore and reef made for incredible snorkeling, so we dove in off the back of Gargoyle. We spotted our first stingray off the stern of the boat and what followed was the best snorkeling we have seen anywhere. From a large curious ray that buzzed us to a big shark cruising the shallows, it was breathtaking. And the best part was that we ended our swim right back at Gargoyle, with an ice cold beer.

We moved over and anchored in Cockburn Harbor yet another storm front out of the US blows through the region. One thing we have learned from this season in the Caribbean is that the winter winds really like to blow! So, with a stern anchor to settle us in the opposing swell, we waited out the winds. It lasted a full week before we could venture back out again.

Our final weeks in the Turks and Caicos were split between West Caicos and the northwest point, depending on the relentless winds. West Caicos, site of an abandoned marina and resort project, is an uninhabited island with miles and miles of beautiful beach. Sadly, the island still contains the remnants of the construction and a large crane mars this otherwise beautiful location.

The second area is also marred but this time with a fully completed resort, the Amanyara. This exclusive high-end resort features villas for its well healed guests and they dot most of the available coastline. Once marked as having a sand bottom for anchoring, recent hurricanes seem to have scoured the sand down to slate so finding holding is a real issue. You can use the dive moorings from 5PM to 8AM however we found them to be too far from shore to be protected from fetch in the nightly winds. Not a spot we would recommend.

Finally, after two months it came time to check out of the Turks and Caicos. Our original plan had been to sail to Bermuda and prepare to cross the Atlantic to the Azores. Sadly, COVID ruined those plans and we decided to defer our Med journey. But now where should we go?

Due to our insurance requirements, we need to be below 12˚ 04 by June 1st or be considered “uninsured”.  That leaves few options in the Caribbean so planned a quick provisioning stop in Puerto Rico and then on to Bocas del Toro, Panama. On Sunday, April 25th, we set sail for a planned 4 day sail down to Puerto Rico. As we exited the bank at sunset, we had no idea that we would not see land again until a full week later.

Shortly after midnight, the wind picked up from it is forecast 10 to 15 knots to a 20 knot plus howl with heavy gusts. The seas picked up in unison and we were faced with a confused and rough sea state as we once again reefed Gargoyle down for a hard beat to windward. Suddenly, a large wave, which we have come to expect in the Caribbean every 20 minutes or so in these conditions, struck us broadside, heeling us to the waterline and nearly ejecting an untethered Kevin from the cockpit. After more upwind days of sailing than we care to count, we had a discussion in the cockpit. We had another 24 hours of similar conditions forecast, so we decided that we had had enough of upwind sailing and bore off to regroup and find an easier destination. A quick look at PredictWind showed us a beautiful downwind route to Bocas del Toro and we wasted little time in pointing Gargoyle Southwest.

Seven days later we found ourselves rested and refreshed as we made our way into the Bocas del Toro archipelago. Our timing could have been better as we made our entrance on a dark and rainy night, but we quickly tucked into the first available anchorage and dropped the hook. After a cocktail and a great night’s sleep, we checked back into Panama and headed over to Red Frog Marina, our base of operations as we planned for the next six months.

These months would fly by as we enjoyed the easy living of what is a known highlight of the so called “Gringo Trail” for cruising sailors in the Caribbean. Highlights of our tenure here include Red Frog marina and the great staff, delightfully isolated anchorages, fantastic snorkeling and easy access to provisions as well as flights for a few long overdue visitors.

Beginning with our first stop, Red Frog marina on Bastimentos Island, we quickly learned that while Bocas del Toro is remote it doesn’t lack for comforts. Red Frog marina is anchored by the lush Red Frog resort and it’s complex of roads, well-tended trails, restaurants, pools and bars. Beyond the luxuries though are world class beaches and heavy jungle that give you a chance to unwind with nature. Sloths, anteaters, monkeys and iguanas crawl while toucans and parrots fly everywhere on this delightful island. Top that off with a safe, secure and world class marina to call home and for those wishing for a dockominium lifestyle, this may be THE place to call home.

Gargoyle and her crew enjoyed the marina life once a month for a few days during our 5 month tenure, opting usually for one of the areas many quiet anchorages where cooling breezes kept our unairconditioned home a more bearable temperature. These included our favorite anchorages at Mushroom Island in Dolphin Bay, Cayo Gallego, Big Bight and the wonderful Zapatilla Cays.

While these were are favorite get away spots, we also did find a few of the more popular anchorages to be a fun change of pace as well. Bocas del Toro’ #1 tourist destination, Starfish Beach, makes for a great spot to drop the hook, crack a beer and watch tourists do what tourists do best, have fun. Jet skis, towable and pangas make this a noisy stop but the music from the beach and the very happy panga full of tourist make for infectious entertainment and its hard not to have a fun time there. Yes, there are starfish in abundance, but you come here for the party atmosphere.

Another great stop for non-stop energy is the anchorage off Basti Town, where we dropped the hook upon entering the archipelago. We returned here several times for its proximity via dinghy to Bocas town and addictive island vibe created by the near non-stop music coming from the shore. Basti town provides access to restaurants, bars and one of the islands best beaches, Wizards.

Often referred to as the Venice of the Caribbean, the panga is everywhere, whisking guests to dinner, locals to work and generally making wakes 24/7. We found the large number of pangas made the two anchorages near Bocas town to be a bit too rough for our tastes, so we chose to use our dinghy to get too and from town. Shopping for provisions is easy with both a standard supermarket as well as a “gourmet market” for a good selection of breads, cheese and meat.

In addition, the best restaurants are to be found in Bocas Town though we tend to stay away from  the tourist attractions. Early on in our stay we happened upon La Buga, a dive/surf/bar on the waterfront in town. We were told by the owner that we were welcome to use his docks for our dinghy on any subsequent stops and we made frequent use of his hospitality. He offers great food and drinks in a wonderful waterfront setting. Top marks though go to Cocos, a restaurant featuring gourmet burritos and plantain fritters that are so tasty that words can’t do them justice. Finally, we had some very fun and interesting times at the aptly named Floating Bar, located just off the South Anchorage in the mangroves. Good tacos and great margaritas are only topped by the unique and eclectic gang that tends to congregate at this island staple.

After a few months we were ready to host our first post COVID visitor and our friend Tara made the trek down from Vancouver. A relatively painless one stop red-eye itinerary to Panama via Mexico City, followed by a quick hop to Bocas makes this a destination that is not too difficult for determined friends to reach. We then proceeded to show Tara all the hot spots we had found, and we all had a blast catching up after a hard few years. We always look forward to her visits and the variety of Bocas made this one of the best.

Once Tara left to return to Canada, we settled down to pass the hurricane season in what soon began to feel like a tropical prison. COVID was still an issue and had closed many neighboring countries and islands. Even Columbia and our planned trip down to Cartagena had to be cancelled due to border closures. Our tracks through the islands became so overlapped on our chart plotter that it began to look like an etch sketch gone mad.

We did stretch the boundaries and explore several tourist sites with Monkey Island and Green Acres Chocolate Farm being our top choices. Both make excellent stops, and we took both Tara and our final guests, Alli and Kerry back to see the monkeys. All in all, Bocas made for a great place to pass a month. Five months though and we were ready to break out and get back on the seas. Luckily, our adventurous daughter and son-in-law were up for helping us get back to cruising.

Showing up in late September, we quickly stocked the boat and then made a whirlwind final tour of Bocas with an eye towards snorkeling and surfing. First Beach off the Caribbean side of Bastimentos rewarded us with a surfable swell one day, which checked that box for Kerry and Alli. Then several free dives at Zapatilla brought many fish, rays and even three different nurse shark sightings. This was the perfect way to say goodbye to Bocas and hello to a run down to what many refer to as the most beautiful island in the Caribbean, Escudo de Veraguas.

We spent a wonderful 48 hours anchored off Escudo de Veraguas and it really did live up to its reputation. Countless beaches, crystal clear water, sea caves and a shoreline that just begs to be explored by paddleboard. This is a must see for anyone in the area though note that the anchorage is wide open and requires calm seas to at all tenable.

Finally, it was time for the kids to head home and for Gargoyle, so we set sail for an overnighter to Colon. The 100 mile sail passed quickly with only a few squalls to make it interesting, and we pulled back into Shelter Bay exactly 10 months after departing for our Caribbean adventure.

The legendary manager of Shelter Bay marina, Juan Jose, was at the docks to greet us. He shared a post passage mimosa and then quickly made the last minute arrangements for COVID tests and transportation so Alli and Kerry could relax and enjoy their final 24 hours of vacation. You really can’t ask for better service than you’ll find at Shelter Bay.

Then it was time for Gargoyle to head back through the Panama Canal and off to another season of adventure, this time on our “home ocean”, the Pacific.