For other information on carrying firearms, provisioning, communications and medical concerns, see my 2003 webpage.

Provisions

Well, we don't expect there is going to be much good food left on the boat from last year - we were pretty much down to the dregs and the instant potatoes.  Nick and I plan to spend an afternoon shopping at the 2 local grocery stores in Golfito, Costa Rica, and pick up what we will need in the way of Diet Pepsi, root beer, and other essential foodstuffs to get us to Panama.  We are expecting that there they will have a much better selection and higher quality of foods in Panama - at least we hope so, as most of Central America groceries are of poor selection and quality. 

Communications

We have upgraded our communications capabilities this year, as since it is hurricane season, we are in greater need of obtaining up-to-the-date information on weather systems while we are at sea.  Also, with I will be separated from my wife and daughter for about 6 weeks, I wanted to be able to stay in touch with them. 

As such, we purchased the Skymate satellite communication system, which in conjunction with our laptop computer, allows us to transmit and receive email messages while at sea, as well as get weather reports.  The system cost about $800, with a $100 activation fee and $15 per month service charge that allows us to transmit or receive 2000 characters of information a month.  Getting an SSB or Ham radio would allow for more versatility, but the cost of the equipment, as well as the extensive installation requirements, were prohibitive.  So, we still can't communicate by voice over large distances, but we hope this will be a cost-effective compromise for those things that are of greatest importance. 

Also, Nick will be bringing his cellular phone along, which we anticipate will work in Panama and Grand Cayman, in addition to from Florida northward. 

Weather

This is not the right time of the year to be cruising this region, but two things drove is to make the decision - no school, reduced costs, and the interest of the kids. 

Schooling on the boat turned out to be much more difficult than we expected last year, and needed to be avoided if at all possible.  The sanity and harmony of our family depended upon it.

Financing the boat is a monthly cost, as is the storage and maintenance charges at the faciltiy in Costa Rica, and depreciation of the boat are all major considerations to doing it now rather than later.  All told, it costs us about $1,200 per month for each month, whether we use the boat or not.  So, if we put off this trip another year, it would cost us about $15,000 to do so. 

One of the greatest reasons for doing this now instead of later was a concern that as Nick and Katie get older (they are 14 and 12), they will become less interested in leaving their friends and social lives for a trip with boring mom and dad. This year, it was at times touch-and-go with regards to them coming this time, so it is likely that next year they would put up greater resistance.

If you have any questions or comments, please e-mail me at abston@msn.com.