After six months making our way up to the Turks & Caicos, our plans for an Atlantic crossing in 2021 were thwarted by COVID. An April breakout in Bermuda and uncertainty across Europe meant we had to decide, so we turned back to plan a Pacific crossing in early 2022. After spending hurricane season in Bocas del Toro Panama, Gargoyle once again transited the Panama Canal and headed north to prepare for a March 2022 crossing to French Polynesia. In preparation for a long passage, we replace our standing rigging as well as house batteries before it is time to leave the dock for our longest passage yet, 3,500 NM.

Gargoyle has spent one full year in Central America and now it is time to start a new chapter in the journey, exploring the Caribbean. Catching one of the few weather windows before April, we headed out to make the 600nm passage in the company of Seahorse. As we would be passing along the coast of Nicaragua and Honduras, which have experienced more issues with pirates of late, we had determined it best to have a buddy boat. We headed out on a Wednesday into mild seas and light winds. 5 days later we pull into George Town tired and wet after a night of 10’ plus seas and a few unrelating days with the “Christmas Winds” on our beam. Check out how one couple manages their first Caribbean passage.

Gargoyle has covered close to 10,000 nautical miles since we left in May of 2019 and our list of repairs has been increasing over the miles. Our largest priority is to finally get Yanmy our Yanmar engine repaired properly before we head into the Caribbean and across the Atlantic. For the first time in two years, she will be pulled out of the water to get cleaned, inspected and freshly painted hull. All the repairs will be completed on the Pacific side of the canal and now Gargoyle is ready to go, her will take her through the canal to the Caribbean. An exciting passage through Panama and when we arrive in Shelter Bay, the crew is ready for the last task of hull painting. Finally, after being delayed for 8 months, Gargoyle is in the Caribbean!

Gargoyle departed Puesta del Sol on a Friday, 201 days after arriving in Nicaragua, bound for San Cristobal, Galapagos Islands. 9 days and 7 hours later, she and her crew had sailed 1,200 upwind nautical miles through squalls, torrential rains, one apocalyptic lightning storm and 2+ knots of current right on the nose. Through it all we kept our sense of humor and even managed a 2:00AM line-crossing ceremony as we were welcomed into King Neptune’s court as true scallywags! What a great adventure this has become. Enjoy.

Gargoyle leaves Mexico to navigate Central America with a planned destination of Panama. Beginning with a wild ride over the bar at Bahia del Sol, the crew enters El Salvador and explores the local lifestyle and cuisine. Again, braving the surging bar, Gargoyle then heads south to Honduras and Nicaragua. After spending a few weeks visiting Nicaragua's many tourist attractions ranging from Flor de Cana rum, Plasencia cigars in Estelí, volcano boarding down Cerro Negro and exploring the cities of Leon and Managua, the crew finds itself trapped due to the outbreak of COVID-19. What follows is 5 months getting to know a people and country as the crew shelters in place at Marina Puesta del Sol. Along the way we meet many locals that teach us to surf, take us fishing in traditional pangas and help keep us safe by bringing in fresh vegetables each week. Experience living in a remote fishing and surfing village as the world comes to grinding standstill.

Heading south in the first week of September, Gargoyle makes the run to San Francisco in 6 days. After exploring the anchorages of the Bay area, come hop down the coast of California as they explore Half Moon Bay, Monterey, Morro Bay, the Channel Islands and San Diego before heading to Mexico. Entering Mexico at Ensenada, Gargoyle journey's down to Cabo San Lucas and the famed Baja region. Following a 3-day passage to mainland Mexico, explore Tenacatita, Barra de Navidad and Mexico's Golden Coast. Stopping over in Manzanilla, Ixtapa, Zihuantanejo, Acapulco and Chiapas, the crew takes side trips to learn everything they can from ancient ruins to modern artisanal chocolate making. Finally, the crew checks out of Mexico and leaves the familiar shores of North America to explore Central America.