It’s about an hour to go until we pull up the anchor and set sail for The Galápagos Islands. Yes we really are doing this and the anxiety is building. We’ve double and triple checked so many things but, there is so much unknown. It should take us anywhere from 5 to 8 days to …
It’s Finally Time to Go
We have been in Shelter Bay Marina (aka Shelter “Pay” Marina) for almost 3 weeks now. Matilda has been rigged and washed and inspected and wired and measured and provisioned and now it’s time to join the rally. The majority of the World Arc boats departed from the other side of the Caribbean in St …
Pippa’s Swan Song Cruise to Bocas
Pippa's swan song cruise on Matilda was a huge success. We took her to Bocas Del Toro so that she could check out this amazing archipelago in the northeastern corner of Panama. Pippa is about to be a fulltime land-dog and southern belle. She is moving to Nashville to live with some of her favorite …
Change of Plan (Rev. 1)
For various reasons we are revising our plans. Rather than beating into the wind and swell for 1,500 miles to get from Panama (where Matilda is currently moored) to St Lucia (where the World ARC starts) we are going to wait for the World ARC fleet to come to us in Panama. Other benefits of …
Matt’s birthday on YouTube
Our friends on SV Bohemia have a YouTube channel and just released their 100th episode. Coincidentally, it was Matt's birthday celebration in Costa Rica on Matilda. Hope you enjoy watching it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yFLZVjSojs
San Blas Islands Season Finale!
We had been hearing of the stunning beauty to be found in the San Blas Islands for a few years now. The clear turquoise water, the white sand and the friendly Guna people who inhabit the islands. Very few tourists come here as there are no hotels and limited accessibility. Only those on their own …
The Panama Canal
Transiting the Panama Canal Yes we did it! On May 5th, 2022 Matilda and crew successfully transited the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal is an amazing waterway which was carved through one of the narrowest and lowest saddles of the long isthmus that joins the North and South American continents. It opened to traffic in …
Family visit to celebrate the skipper’s birthday
Brave sisters and their partners traveled long distances to visit us in Costa Rica. This was no easy feat. They all used part of their scarce vacation time to join the birthday celebration. Flights departed from Newark, Nashville and Charlotte all bound for San Jose, Costa Rica. An overnight in San Jose was required and …
Continue reading Family visit to celebrate the skipper’s birthday
A Bunch of YouTube Sailing Royalty is HERE!
We have met many fascinating people on our journey and everyone has a story to tell. Most of us keep our families updated and hope that our friends like our instagram posts and read our blogs. We take some photos and call home when we can. Then there are the super-achievers, yes these are the …
Continue reading A Bunch of YouTube Sailing Royalty is HERE!
You Won’t Believe This – But it is True
Yesterday we met a British guy name Craig who recently sailed with his wife aboard their Beneteau 46 from Europe, down the Atlantic, around Cape Horn, up the West Coast of South America to Panama and is now anchored next to us in Golfito, Costa Rica. His wife gave birth to their son last year …