How Long Should Wood Be Clamped

Flashback - The little log Mouspépé

Voici le récit de Mouspépé (le papa à JC), qui raconte son aventure avec Shaka (fin octobre - début novembre 2010).


   Le Choc Culturel et  Climatique..

But above all, thrilled to find the family of Shaka: Milla, Alex, Isabelle and Jean-Charles. Completely disoriented

.. In San Jose, my sweater, very useful during the flight, is very fast too in the afternoon hot and humid .. especially that Customs had taken care to check our luggage .. specifically the 5 kg of cheese that made them salivate ... Sweats useless ... anyway, they are nice and polite''these''ticos!

Thus we call the Costa Ricans, they are friendly and jovial. Are also proud, whether rich or poor. By car as on sidewalks, it is in no hurry ... And when a storm hits us suddenly, everyone is willing to give a little space to the temporary shelter that he found that an entry of store, a porch or other makeshift shelter ..

A week passed quickly in the land of the environment ... Arenal Volcano (I enjoyed his sleep ...) when you think he could wake up suddenly at any moment ... The fall of La Fortuna ... ; I read .. before descending the 400 steps ...'' recommended for hypertensive individuals ..''. Yeah! ... we take the time needed rain ... helping ... we got away, glad to see up close! Then there are the thermal baths greatly appreciated .. especially hot for me .. and slips of girls having fun with dad who tries repeatedly .. And Mimi, who, for lack of weight was found across the slide and landed on its side, much to his chagrin! And the cherry ... a superb drink at the bar in the large heated swimming pool where bartenders prepare playful dancing and singing cocktail. An emotional moment felt good! I still remember the hours spent at the zoo as well as the afternoon at the Children's Museum in San Jose. So much to see yet ...

Since Alajuela, we must return to San Jose to take the bus that will take us to Panama. Here we are with the real world. To our delight, we are not in tourist class .. we like to mingle with the locals. We are able to see how people live, their habits, their way of life. Not being familiar with English language, the nonverbal is useful, add eyes to repeated gestures and end up not understanding.
But Isabella is never far to come to our rescue!
A marathon rally, or a sprint that began early in the morning ... to 6:00 hrs, not one but two taxis to take us to the terminal with people and luggage for San Jose .. in the morning traffic (in the capital, roads are well appointed, larger and faster .. but all the bridges have only two ways ... see the bottling ). Arrived in town, we run three blocks, bags at arms length, not to miss the bus that goes to Panama ..
The neighborhood is not safe from the guides, but in the morning, it seems, everyone is sleeping!
one sitting, so to speak ... for about seven hours before reaching the Panamanian customs ... our drivers, they are two, each forming half of the journey, we will fully awake ... winding road in the mountains, stocked trucks that double anywhere ... landslide here, then overturned truck ... nothing can stop them ...
Sixaola-Guabito International Bridge!
What a beautiful name for a bridge awful scary to cross on foot! Une heure à  passer  pour deux postes de douanes ! A stamp here, print there .. papers to provide for one will not reassure the country .. and buses that pass over the bridge without passengers .. Customs officers do not even watch the baggage ...
Finally arrived in Changuinola, we run into a small bus that will take us up Almirante ...
We are behind schedule, but our luck continues and we take the last taxi-boat to Bocas del Toro. This is the total! .. A large vessel more than 20 people, I do not know how ... we drive all the way into the twilight ... and it's catching every wave ... we must drive faster than 50 km ... A''grain'', (a good rain) is avoided in the turn of the Bay and arrive in Bocas del Toro ... For a last taxi-boat, calmer one, which brings us to Red Frog ... at the dock where we will Shaka! What a day!

Aboard Shaka ...


two beautiful weeks to discover life on board! At first glance, it strikes us that the small size. Then, gradually, we find the space .. every nook and cranny is used and with the passing days, Shaka grew.
moored at the marina, it's like camping, neighborhood camaraderie and good fit and the benefits of the services offered are worth the compromised access to ... the beach and good hot showers will compensate the continuing heat wave.

already a week past! We leave the marina for exploring the surrounding bays all more beautiful one another ... for me it is the initiation of marine exploration with fins and snorkel ... the reflex to rest while swimming on back to me quickly back to reality ... especially since my doctor forbade me the salt! While I open my mouth! Even more impressive is the multitude of fish around me.
I remember the whoop ... the sun is just rising, it is in a beautiful bay, a breathtaking scenery, tropical jungle ... there, on the shore shacks sometimes on land, sometimes on stilts are home to indigenous ... their alarm clock is on time ... Later we will see the children away from Shaka on makeshift boats with styrofoam containers, one with three youths on board!

Did you know? I like to steer. Taking the helm of a sailboat has always fascinated me. Like the guide boat, the rudder that responds to the slightest movement and monitor the weather vane to keep the course and not panic the sails ... And I discovered Shaka. Dashing, a small
5 knots of wind and now he bites already. Despite its sails tired, he responds to commands from the eagerly Skipper. John Charles, his hobby are the sails all the time, it adjusts the tension; takes listening, coward that one ... never forget to monitor the helm ... But nearby there is another skipper ... also present .. Isa. She did not like him to prepare both the mainsail the Genoese. You must see on a sheet or halyard, nothing can resist him .. Should not be fooled by appearances ! The two belong together and are inseparable! They are complementary.
too good and too short, we must think back .. in my head, I keep the memories ... a happy family, in harmony with the environment, and the girls, their school that's life at every moment, every day. Language, skin color are not barriers ... Alexe hear me translate in French what a salesman told me in English was charming. Milla and also live in the replica English in his native tongue! Isabelle, Bellizi is the gem ... because they are rare women who enjoy living on a sailboat and I can confirm, Isa is one of them! Jean and Charles, who last saw his dreams, is fully realized. This guy, he was not my son, I think I love it!

Moussepépé _/)... ...