Dirty Jobs & Superman Swim Throughs
Life on a sailboat is anything but typical. However, there are so many things that are typical of the sailing lifestyle. Looking back at this week of our lives, especially with new crew on board, it is clear to me just how unordinary our daily lives are.
I love the big adventures and destinations but it’s the unique everyday aspects of this salty life that are simultaneously the most challenging and rewarding.
Jungle walkabouts, boat repairs, climbing up the mast to remove a bird’s nest and swimming through sea tunnels…typical of the sailing lifestyle but fantastically unordinary.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not boasting, it’s more of an ongoing realization that everyday life is an adventure if we choose to see it that way. Not everyone views their home breaking and needing repairs as an adventure, much less an enjoyable one, especially in the moment. We spit and curse through plenty of life too, but it’s all part of it. The days we remember to embrace it all, even the repairs and mishaps, are way more fun.
So, with all that in mind, hit the play button and join us for our last few days here on Isla Bastimentos in Panama.
It’s hard to believe we’ve been exploring the Bocas Del Toro archipelago for six weeks now and a whole month of it has been at Isla Bastimentos (minus the one-week road trip to Boquete). I feel like we’ve only scratched the surface of the area. It was our final few days at the marina so we were rushing to get the boat squared away and see all the places we had been procrastinating on visiting.
Old Bank, or Bastimentos as the locals call it, is definitely worth a visit. The hike up the hill to the coffee shop, Wizard Beach and the little restaurant all made for a great walkabout. But be warned…the water coming into the dock is crazy shallow with coral bombs everywhere, so follow a panga or make sure you keep a sharp eye.
If you happen to find yourself near Polo Beach and you want to snorkel some of the awesome swim-through caves, we found the best ones immediately east of the islands that separate Turtle Beach from Polo Beach. There’s plenty to see between those islands and that little speck of an Island we showed in the video.
We’ve moved to the anchorage just outside Red Frog Marina and we’re hanging out a few more days waiting on the local chocolate farm to open (because learning how chocolate is born is worth sticking around for!). After that, we’re sailing south(ish) to explore a little more of Panama’s Caribbean coast before we transit the canal.
Gear Used In This Video
- Nikki’s waterproof & floating handbag: gonewiththewynns.com/product/productugo-waterproof-pack
- Quatix 5 Watches (smart watches we use for adventures but they also connect to the auto pilot on the boat): http://amzn.to/2ygOudg
- Hiking Adventure Shoes: http://amzn.to/2yLNOfb Adventure Sandals: http://amzn.to/2zQ41ke
- Snorkel/Freedive Gear
- Nikki
- Hammerhead Free-Dive Mask With Camera Mount http://amzn.to/2d5C6SB
- Hammerhead Free-Dive J Snorkel: http://amzn.to/2cjh3dV
- Nikki’s Sporasub Freediving Fins: http://amzn.to/2kIYmlf
- Jason
- Atomic Mask: http://amzn.to/2uuqsZf
- Omer Snorkel: http://amzn.to/2uxCjEb
- Omer Freediving Fins: http://amzn.to/2kIhljK
- Nikki
- Spearfishing:
- Hawaiian Sling Spear: http://amzn.to/2hIBfHb
- Cut Resistant Gloves: http://amzn.to/2uxZWfM
Cameras Used to Capture The Adventure
- Full Review Of All Our Camera Gear: gonewiththewynns.com/camera-gear-review-2017
- Main Camera
- Sony A7ii: gonewiththewynns.com/product/sony-a7ii
- Sony Zoom Mic: gonewiththewynns.com/product/sony-gun-zoom-microphone-black
- Sony 24 – 70mm f4 lens: gonewiththewynns.com/product/sony-24-70
- Nikki on the Mast – Sony rx100: http://amzn.to/2xG43rn
- Underwater Shots – Sony Action Cam: http://bit.ly/sony-as300
- Drone
- DJI Mavic Pro: http://amzn.to/2vUFXa6
- Drone Filters: http://bit.ly/sandmarc-mavic
Sailing Report
To see our full map with interactive pins, click here: gonewiththewynns.com/map
- Dates: September 6-15, 2017
- Anchorage: Red Frog Marina on Isla Bastimentos.
- Cell & WiFi: We have good +movil and sometimes claro cell phone service. The marina wifi works but to get it in the boat, you will need a booster.
The Crew
Dale and Justin (aka DJDives) are our first Patreon’s aboard and now we’ve welcomed Dan! We offer up crew opportunities to our Patreons as a way to say thanks for their support and allow others to experience this unique traveling lifestyle.
Thanks
Thank you for tuning in! Do you like our videos and posts? Find them helpful, entertaining or useful? If so, check out our Say Thanks page to learn about different ways you can help keep videos and posts flowing. You’ll notice most ways don’t cost you a penny but make a big difference to us.
Diane Merck
?What are you using to support your hard top in this episode? I want to clean up the stainless, our support isn’t broken, but I thought I could do a more thorough job if I took the supports off to clean them. Would you recommend taking them off if it’s not broken, or was it not such a big deal to do so?
We super appreciate you going first.💕
Thanks,
Diane Merck
Sailing Kindness
joe butler
Hey Guys! Love yr vids! One question: when you reef the main if the wind increases, what is your technique? Do you roll in the genoa, turn the bows to weather and then reduce the mainsail or do you reduce the main while running with the wind? I’m a newbie catamaran sailor. Thx and keep up the great work!
Brian
What kind of quad copter are you using? In one of your latest videos, I see it folds up and is very compact, I like that. How do you like it?
Another great video, thanks for sharing your adventures.
Curious Minion
They have both a DJI Phantom 3 https://www.gonewiththewynns.com/product/dji-phantom-3-advanced-quadcopter-drone-with-1080p-hd-video-camera and are testing out a Mavic Pro (I believe that’s what this video was filmed with.
Nikki Wynn
We are using the Mavic in this video. We just did a full review of our camera gear (including drones) if you haven’t seen it yet: gonewiththewynns.com/camera-gear-review-2017
Phil Schneider
So, you never said what happened with your computer. What was the final resolution? Love your videos! Thanks for the fun!
Nikki Wynn
That is because we didn’t have the solution yet. Here is the update: gonewiththewynns.com/update-panama-canal-computer
Roger B
Regarding the part you had welded, would Cosmoline rust preventative help protect those areas on the braces that are difficult to access? Great underwater videos and I always love the drone videos that give me a geological perspective.
Jamie Dillon
Great video! The aerial shots from the drone are awesome. Keep up the great work and travel safe. Take care of my fellow Canadians! REGARDS Jamie
Connie Woods
Thanks guys, that was fun! Waiting for the chocolate farm mmmmmm! Big Love! Did you ask for the sauce recipe? Oh is it now Lobster season? ????????
Martine Felts
Awesome video as always. I love how brave you all are. I would be terrified of those sea caves.
Can’t wait till next Sunday :):):) Stay safe.
Bernard Schaer
As always, great video guys!! I’ve gotten a couple of videos behind, because I had to do a lot of voiceover work lately, but now I am caught up… :-). A question I’ve been wanting to ask you, Jason, for a while now: I’d love to know – and maybe see – what goes into creating one of your fantastic videos. I don’t mean the editing part, but the setting up of shots while out on a hike like you did in this video. How long does a one-hour hike really take?? Setting up a camera, everybody passes by it into the sunset, then you have to come back and retrieve it etc. I’d love to see a “The making of…” video! What do you say?
Stay safe, Bernard
Brian Cleveland
As always another great video, thanks for sharing. I’m sure it’s in your info somewhere, but I can’t find it, what kind of quad copter our you currently using? Is this current one your favorite or is there another one you’d like to have. Thanks again for sharing your adventures. Happy Thanksgiving.
Brian
Nikki Wynn
We are using the Mavic in this video and love the ease of this little drone. We just did a full review of our camera gear if you haven’t seen it yet: gonewiththewynns.com/camera-gear-review-2017
George Hofmann
The first thought I had while watching is probably because I’m getting older and yearn for your adventures but, all of your fitness numbers MUST be off the chart! Good on ya. The only way I could’ve stayed fit was to NEVER buy a sofa!
Nikki, seeing you in a dress was amazingly different and a pleasure. It must take you guys forever to sift through all the footage. Well done you! The drone shots were spectacular.I’m trying to figure a way to make a snake effigy for the mast out of what you have available. I’m nowhere close too an answer, birds eyes are so sharp they can spot a fake. Very good episode. And the adventure continues…
Nikki Wynn
Ha ha, that is such a true statement…don’t buy a sofa! I wish I could say we are incredibly fit but the truth is we’re not. We should be better about working out but most of the time our explorations are our form of exercise(it’s more fun). You are dead on about it taking forever to sift through all the footage and it is usually my fault. I always want to capture everything! Jason sits on our “sofa” for hours on end looking at my shaky footage. Some days I am surprised he lets me have a camera at all. 😉
JOHN SCHRETLEN
Very entertaining video. Like the underwater shots and you mention the low vis due rain. On the other hand I saw the rain coming down a few times when you surfaced. Did you find that swimming in the ocean in a rainstorm is somehow both refreshing and invigorating?
Tracy Humphrey
So glad to see you all this Sunday. Tell your Canadian crew it is -26 here lately. Not sure why we aren’t there doing what you are doing. Enjoy while you can.