Learning
Scream's Cruising Budget 2009-2010
Scream's Cruising Budget 2009-2010 Based on last year's results and our previous research we know that $500/week is an appropriate cruising budget for a 45' sailboat with a crew of two. We have been tracking our budget for our own planning and for the benefit of others. We divide our budget as follows: Boat Maintenance […]
Bahía de Caráquez, Ecuador (Puerto Amistad)
I really wanted to like Ecuador. But for the average cruiser, there's a lot to deal with in order to get here and stay here, and the advantages are really few and far between. Quito We had a 7 day upwind slog to get here, and we were luckier than most since we actually sailed […]
Galapagos Cruising Permit / Autografo
[Last updated March 2010] There are all kinds of rumours circulating about the rules governing private vessels visiting the Galapagos islands. Vessels may visit the Galapagos under two different regimes: Any foreign flagged vessel arriving from a foreign port may visit either Puerto Ayora or Puerto Basquierizo Moreno in the Galapagos in order to "provision". […]
Review of Explore Central America!
Boaters in first world countries enjoy many amenities that are unavailable elsewhere. One of the most important differences is the lack of official publications describing the waters. While Latin American countries do make their own, high-quality charts, these charts are unavailable to the cruising yachtsman. I, and others I know, have tried to no avail […]
Monteverde, Costa Rica
From our trip to the Monteverde cloudforest, including great shots of hummingbirds and us ziplining.
Scream's Guide to Walking the Mayan Ruins in Tikal, Guatamala
The Mayan ruins at Tikal are fascinating and inspiring. We highly recommend a visit for anyone with an interest in history, archeology, or nature. The ruins of the Mayan capital of Tikal cover over 16 square kilometers. Seeing each ruin in any degree of detail will take many long, tough days. For most people one […]
Solar panels, a year in review
The solar panels that we installed last May have been wonderful. We installed two 195 watt solar panels on swivel mounts near the stern. Having cruised full time since we'd like to share a few thoughts. The pivoting mounts that mounted our panels on have been a success for entirely different reasons than we expected. […]
Review of Uniden Atlantis 250 Handheld VHF Radio
We bought a Uniden Atlantis 250 handheld VHF radio at the 2008 Vancouver boat show. We bought the radio as we wanted a hand held to use from the dinghy or in an emergency. We've had good reception with the radio. The battery holds a charge well. It has been wet many times without any […]