On Thursday (the 23rd of July), I set off and started another leg of my cruise. Due to the hurricane season in that area, instead of going straight to the Hawaiian Islands, Tanasza is heading for the Galapagos Islands.

The managers of Balboa Yacht Club, knowing that I’ve been having problems with my visa card, did me a huge favour – they gave me a discount on the daily fee for the mooring fee. Just tell me, am I not lucky to be meeting such people? gosh, I’m gonna miss my new friends, those distinct lights of the canal... according to the plan, today it’s going to be the last night to tie Tanasza to buoys safely. I think about it before each time I set off. As always, I’m wondering whether I haven’t forgotten anything... rather no... we’ll see! :) I’m listening to the music which my friend gave me for the long journey. Fresh provisions remind me about tomorrow’s adventure... and the light in the compass has been fixed – thanks, Richard. He also gave me some magic medicine made of silver. It seems that soon I’m going to be even more precious for you :)   the three good things that happened today? - my guys spent the whole day with me, giving me a lift to all the...

  20th of July, 2009 I was going to go tomorrow, but something turned up. there’s always something.  I fell into despair a bit, but tomorrow is going to be a better day, isn’t it?I think I’ve found a solution to the problem but if you look at it from a different perspective, then it’s not really a problem but rather... an unfavourable situation. I have to deal with it, it’s got to be ok!I met friends from Cape Town (we met also on Saint Helena).   Great, they’re going to give me some paper maps. I’m happy because electronic maps of the Galapagos Islands are not precise. There is a two-cable difference from the reality. I’ll explain everything to the non-sailors when the opportunity occurs. .The weather is going to be wet and the wind is going to be a noser, which means a headwind. It’s not very comfy but at least it’s not going to blow too strong. I’m really looking forward to setting off and...

 19th of July, 2009 It’s water time! When I was putting my shorts on, I noticed that my muffin tops have grown bigger again... but when I have the chance, how can I not eat all those ice-cream desserts and pizzas? You tell me! Today, when I was on the land, the rain came down in torrents. Of course, I didn’t close the bull’s eyes, but well... I was going to wash Tanasza inside anyway. When it was raining, I was writing postcards and the wind blew them away... and they fell into a puddle. Those who will get muddy postcards will know why :)  Near the puddle, there was a lot of mud in which Shadow, my friend’s dog, was wallowing. Shadow felt an irresistible desire to exchange greetings with me... which he did, putting both his paws on my clean skirt. P.S. Guess what happened! When it was raining so heavily, boys from Water Taxi saw that my bull’s eyes weren’t closed so they came to Tanasza just to close them. Aren’t such moments THOSE moments? They really treat...

another of my Angels has joined the Mackinac regatta today. (www.interprosailingteam.com). Yesterday, I spoke to Krzysztof Kamiński, the owner of Tanasza, Huzaria, and Błyskawica.He and his crew were preparing late into the night to spend four days at sea. His crew are all magnificent Polish sailors. Keep fingers crossed for them!   In the morning, I was visited by Roger who brought some fruit salad – the salad was for me:) They look after me here, my heart gets warm at such displays of affection. I got fuel, saw to a few matters and then I was persuaded to pay a quick visit to Douglas. His mansion, located over a river and a beach, is just breathtaking. I did not dip my toe, of course. I am afraid of crocodiles... and it does not matter that, supposedly, there are none here. I met nice gentlemen, one of whom offered to help me in preparation of my pilot’s licence. We fried a tasty fish and I was given a mango. The host...

When I was preparing the yacht for the photo session, I wanted to move the flags to a place where they would not cover the mainsail. When I pulled them to the top of the mast, I realised that I forgot to tie their lower end to the deck. So I was staring at the string of flags which dangled in the wind. I was laughing out loud at the sight - there are such moments in our lives when laughter is all you have left... Finally, I grabbed them together and I did everything as it should be done... I pulled the flags to the top of the mast but... it seems that one of my knots let go at one point (I really should learn how to tie knots!) and about a half of the flags fell down onto the deck... and the rest? Up on the mast, dangling in the wind... Now I have to climb the mast again... geeez, I should consider moving up there for good :) I am suffering from an illness... not good. A friend of mine wrote to me: “(...) address your superconsciousness (which is responsible for our health) and...

3rd of July, 2009 Well, today I’ve excelled myself. I did the laundry. The washing machine was full, so I happily put 50 cents into it to turn it on and I went to work on my computer. On my way back, I changed my money for the drier. I opened the washing machine and what did I see?My black laundry was coated with shreds of tissues. As I have a real cold, I blow my nose like a professional nose blower. There isn’t always a waste basket and my parents taught me not to throw rubbish in places not meant for it so my (let me emphasise it) BLACK laundry was washed with more than one tissue.. I’d never seen anything like that before. Oh maaaaan!!! I had to beat it all, rinse each item separately under the tap, clean up the washing machine, sweep the floor...  Now, it’s being washed again... I went to fold this unfortunate laundry, I opened the drier and what did I see? My unfortunate laundry was still wet. I put the money but who would think that I should’ve pressed...

In order to get to the land from the anchorage, I have to call a water taxi on the radio. The other day, I was in a hurry and I tried to get it really quickly, but of course I had forgotten to turn on the radio beforehand. On the next day, in turn, I had left the radio set on the wrong channel (after I’d talked to some other yacht), and I was really angry and cursed taxi owners for not responding... I think dying my hair black is in vain, I’m a blonde, and I just can’t hide it, huh?;) Then, I got into this taxi – a tiny boat – and when I sat down on the small seat, I thought I would explode – I was wearing my pajamas’ shorts and the boat was really hot from the sun... Jasiek is getting ready to set off, he’s invited me for supper on his beautiful yacht. He’s spent three years to prepare it for the cruise around the world. There are a few amazing stories related to it, and I could actually tell them to you, but I’m really a nuisance and talk too much instead...

Today in the morning, Jasiek visited me on Tanasza, helped me fix several things, took away things which I didn’t need any more, but which may be useful during his adventure, so I’m lighter... then what? Will Tanasza and I go faster? :) Yesterday, there was a storm in Panama. It shook a ton of mangoes from trees, and at the anchorage, where Jasiek’s boat is moored, each yacht pulled its anchor. And here, at the buoys, only one yacht tore itself away and hit another one... the fifty-knot wind came very unexpectedly. People say that they haven’t seen anything like that for years.  Today, not far from here, a small airplane (similar to Cessna) was taken out of water... it didn’t reach its airport... Soon, on photographs you’ll see two big dogs, which travel with my new friends on a 42-feet yacht. Can you imagine that??? It’s a pity they can’t sail to some countries because the quarantine is too long or dogs are not allowed to go on land at all, for example on...

After crossing the Canal, Tanasza Polska Ustka is staying in the anchorage by the Balboa Yacht Club. The anchorage is very close to the main canal, through which about 30 ships a day pass day and night, so it’s a bit shaky and, what’s more, there are many small ferries here... we’re swinging in the rhythm of Panama... gosh, it’s amazing to watch those giants passing so near. I get on the shore by a water taxi – we pass by a yacht with a dog on board, whose night-time hobby seems to be waking up all the people sleeping in the anchorage. The chief of the dock is Mr Victor, who has been working here for more than 20 years. He says he loves that job because he meets people from all over the world. His office, located at the end of a long pier, is the centre of local affairs and I’ll be getting fuel there today. I mean I hope so, because here, as it is in all Latin countries, everything goes in the manana mode, which means tomorrow. What’s more, I get the impression that...

I was in the Canal but I managed to get out of it. “Keep it up!” I say to myself. But seriously – crossing the Panama Canal is quite a pleasant experience. After sailing through the oceans of paperwork (for example, you have to sign a document saying that the Canal’s employees bear no responsibility in case of any damages to the yacht... which are their fault), going to the harbour board and solving toilet problems, fitting additional fenders (tyres) on the sides, I set off from Shelter Bay Marina late in the afternoon. On the radio, I asked for permission to cross the main course of the boat traffic, and on its other side I waited for the crew and a pilot (not a tour guide! :) When crossing the canal, you need to have 4 crew members to work at the ropes, and an assistant, who makes sure that everything goes right. At the moment when the gentlemen got on the board of Tanasza, and we were supposed to set off in the direction of the first sluice, I realized that I had...