The fleet weighed anchor this morning bound for Portobelo 10 miles along the coast. Winds were light and the distance short so to make it more interesting we had an unofficial ‘race’. Inspiration Lady has the added advantage of visiting friends who happen to be keen racing sailors. The Challenge was laid down and the race was on. At under 5 knots and sometimes under 3 knots when the wind dropped further. Still it added spice and the men were keen to show their prowess with sail trim. My role is tactician and navigator. Calls for trim that angle on the headland met with the caution of underlying rocks 200 yds off the point. A valiant effort by all and Inspiration Ladies narrowly won the day with their expert on board and a bungled sail change on Jackster.
All good merry fun. A fine anchorage and the final resting place of one Sir Francis Drake. He died of dysentery in January 1586 and his body was put in a lead cask and dropped into the sea beside Isla Drake (don’t know it’s name before Drake was cast overboard) just off Portobello. Allegedly the casket has not been recovered and the Drake Socity are trying to raise funds for an expedition to raise and return it to his native Plymouth.
Nowadays it is a sleepy town built in and around the ruins of the original Spanish fort and boasting a library with internet access. Finally after one month we can read our emails and be back in touch with our friends.
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