Newsletter June/July 2003

"The Beer is hot and the crew is passed (spelling error, oop’s) "

Yes, I know, all of you are waiting for the next newsletter from the zany crew of Pipe Dream. After two traumatic months back in the United States, we finally made our break and returned to paradise. Don’t take this the wrong way, it was wonderful visiting our friends and spending quality time with our kids. Back in the States, life just moves too fast for the crew of Pipe Dream. Being a self appointed philosopher, I really think the solution would be for everyone to quit their jobs and chill out. Cocktail time should start earlier and end later. This would eliminate rush hour. Most of you have not realized, as of yet, that work really sucks. Try playing, it’s a lot more fun
Since I wasn’t in any hurry while driving slowly on the freeways in Phoenix and San Diego, I’m afraid I didn’t recognize quite a few old acquaintances, who passed me at a greater rate of speed (the speed limit). For those of you who waved with one finger, I will make a better effort next summer to wave back. You guys have got to chill out!!
Jutta and I arrived in Panama City the evening of June 22. Although it was hot and steamy, we were smiling from ear to ear. Checked into a very nice hotel in downtown Panama City, and went out for a cold “Panama” Beer and some steamed clams (free appetizers) for a total bill of around $ 1.40. Life doesn’t get any better than that! We purchased a new Yamaha 9.9 HP outboard, made our yearly pilgrimage to a dermatologist in Panama, rented a car and headed across Panama to Costa Rica and Pipe Dream. In case you were wondering about the quality of the dermatologist, he spent 10 years at John Hopkins in Boston. This explains the exorbitant fee he charges; $40.00 for a full examination. No wonder I am slowly going broke!
We arrived in Golfito, Costa Rica, about June 27. We climbed aboard Pipe Dream, unpacked all our zillion boat parts, nuts and bolts and wires, and the work began. Leaving a boat locked up in the tropics during the rainy season is asking for trouble. The heat and humidity present is a perfect breeding environment for mold and mildew. We had grey fuzzies flourishing on all the wood work. It took Jutta four days to wash down the entire interior of the boat with Clorox water. I would have helped, but being the captain, someone needs to be in charge! (If you know Jutta, you know better than that). We turned on the refrigerator to cool the beer and nothing happened. It had given up the ghost! At that moment, we knew we were in trouble, no cold beer!! Our friends at Downwind Marine, San Diego, saved the day. They sent a new refer unit to Panama via air freight. The freight and custom charges were almost as much as the compressor and freezer unit! Thank God beer is cheap in Panama. Our onboard computer did very well in the humidity but the printer died as soon as we turned it on. It was off to the store for a new printer. You probably consider Panama as being very primitive, well, we purchased the new printer at Price Mart which is Cosco of Central America. We never miss a bargin!
We finally cut the dock lines in Costa Rica and set sail for Isla Parida in Panama, about 97 miles by sea. On the way, our inverter died and there went the power for the computer and our navigation program. Yes, “stuff” does happen! (for those of you receiving this newsletter at Merillat, I cleaned “it” up). We bought a small inverter to run the computer and are having our large inverter fixed in David, Panama. In total we have sailed about 100 miles in the last month and it cost us about $33.00 per mile. I wonder how much it will cost to get to Florida? I don’t care what people say, ice cold beer does help in situations like this!!! The new refer is working, the beer is cold, and I am typing away on the computer, life doesn’t get any better than this.
Jutta and I have finally made it to the islands and things have stopped breaking for the time being, we have our fingers crossed. Life again is pretty simple. Jutta is the gatherer and I am the hunter. It’s July 23, 2003 at 1:30 PM and I have already supplied the meat for the evening’s meal. I bought two large Lobsters from a fisherman that paddled by our boat in a wooden dugout. The total bill was two fifty cent packs of powder milk, 6 oatmeal cookies and a El Salvador, tourist, tee shirt I don’t know what Jutta would do without me. It isn’t easy being me!
Some of you might think cruising with Jutta is all fun. You don’t know the cross I have to bare in life. Jutta found a great deal on a portable stair stepper in San Diego and insisted on hauling it all the way to Panama and the boat. She has me working out on it every day, plus using an ab roller and dumb bells. I think, it’s some type of a satanic ritual or else she is trying to kill me. I still think, a man looks good with a little weight on him!! And I get better looking every day.
Jutta and I plan to slowly head towards the Panama Canal zone, island hopping along the way (for those of you in Yuma Arizona, islands are mounds of dirt with water around them). Our friends, the Saemisch’s, are going to join us in Panama City at the end of September. We’re hoping, Bob will pass another kidney stone while on the boat, we need a little entertainment.
Please keep sending in those dollars for the “Keep Ferdy Cruising Fund”. To date, we are still waiting for our first dollar’s arrival. Remember, if you need to wave on the freeway please use more than one finger.

From the decks of Pipe Dream,
Ferdy and Jutta