You can explore the second largest barrier reef in the world, discover one of the most fascinating jungles and rain forests, or visit the ruins of an ancient Mayan city. The snorkeling and diving off of Belize and the north shore islands of Honduras is second to none. The voyage down Central America, through the Panama Canal, and up to Belize will provide some of the most exciting and unique Expedition Opportunities available anywhere. Included are exotic locals such as:

Booking passage on one of our exotic expeditions is the easiest and most economical way to experience your life long dream of exploration and adventure. This is an ideal way to actually participate as a crew member in the adventure of a lifetime. Experienced or not, you will receive all the training and support necessary to be an active member of the Expedition. Your Captain has over 250,000 miles of sea experience and has enjoyed great success working with novice crew and experienced sailors alike. Join us for a week or more, for any leg you choose. We will visit some of the most exotic and beautiful destinations in the world.

California to Cabo San Lucas Mexico - 10 Days

Depart California from beautiful Ventura Harbor and sail past the Channel Islands for the run south. Guadalupe Island off Mexico is our first goal. It is well offshore providing a unique refuge for many kinds of marine creatures including seals and sea lions. We expect to see several types of whales and dolphins as we head for the tip of Baja where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific. This passage will take 7 to 8 days. Connections by air can be made through Los Angeles and Cabo San Lucas. Once we have arrived in the town of Cabo San Lucas, you might consider extending your stay in Mexico a few days by staying at one of the fine local international quality hotels. This booking will be based on a flat rate for 10 days.

Cabo San Lucas to Acapulco - 8 Days

Crossing the mouth of the Sea of Cortez there is always the chance of seeing Giant Mantas, Whale Sharks, Blue Whales, and other amazing sea life. Based on your booking preferences, the boat can explore the Islas Marias or stop at Puerto Vallarta. Continuing down the west coast of Mexico we will begin to encounter beautifully colored sea snakes. The boat usually drags a fishing jig while sailing these waters. In the past we have hooked up with tuna of various types, Derado, and even a Marlin or Sailfish. This passage will take 5 to 6 days and we usually tie up at the Acapulco Yacht Club to prepare for the next leg. Connections by air can be made through Acapulco. Again, you might consider extending your stay a few days by staying at one of the local international hotels. This booking will be based on a flat rate for 8 days.

Acapulco to Puerto Madero - 7 Days

From Acapulco we head southeast for the Gulf of Tehuantepec. This is one of the most challenging pieces of water in the world. We will be using satellite photos from the Weather Fax to time our crossing of this gulf. This is an especially good leg for those of you who want some experience preparing for, avoiding, and dealing with heavy weather sailing. This passage will take 3 to 4 days give or take our luck crossing the gulf. Arriving in Puerto Madero for refueling, this will be our exit port from Mexico. Connections by air can be made through Tapachula Mexico. This booking is a flat rate for 7 days.

Puerto Madero to Playa de Coco Costa Rica - 7 Days

From Puerto Madero we sail down the coast of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua to the north west coast of Costa Rica. This passage is about 4 days. Once in Playa de Coco there are many interesting things to do in Costa Rica. If you are leaving the boat at this port or meeting us hear, you may want to plan to explore the country side. Connections by air can be made through San Jose Costa Rica. This booking is a flat rate for 7 days.

Playa de Coco to Golfito - 7 Days

It is hard to leave the little cheese burgers at the great bar on the beach in Coco but on we go to Golfito. Golfito is located in the second large bay or gulf down the coast of Costa Rica in Golfo Dulce. Golfito is in its own sheltered bay inside Golfo Dulce. It is a picturesque tropical location where Chicquita Banana shipped their products from for years. Flocks of Macaw parrots can be seen at times during the day. This passage will take about 2.5 days. Connections by air can be made through San Jose Costa Rica. This booking is a flat rate for 7 days.

Golfito to Panama City -7 Days

Leaving Golfito we are heading mostly east at this point and will soon reach our closest proximity to the equator at about 7 degrees north latitude. The coast of Panama is beautiful and very tropical. We pass by many offshore islands including one that I call Devil's Island. The story of my first encounter with this island is the stuff that movies are made of. Rounding into the Gulf of Panama we head for the several islands up inside the gulf, the Archipiélago de las Perlas. The Pearl Islands include; Isla del Rey, Isla Pedro Gonzalez, Isla San José and five or six additional smaller islands. We usually find a sheltered anchorage at one of these islands to spend the night, heading for Panama City and the Canal Zone the next day. This passage takes 4 days including an overnight anchorage at one of the islands in the Gulf of Panama. This booking is a flat rate for 7 days.

Panama Canal Transit: Panama City to Colon

The passage through the Panama Canal takes only one day. However, in recent years the Panamanians have been running the canal and yachts are only taken through one or two days in each week. Also, it is common to be in a group of yachts with at least one small and slow boat. Since yachts go through as a group, we all wait for the slow boats and often spend the night in Gatun Lake. This is not a bad thing. A night at anchor in a fresh water lake in the middle of one of the most dense tropical jungles in the world is a great experience. The fire flies, bats, and sounds of birds and monkeys calling to each other is an experience you wont get at Universal City. Depending on how the actual canal passage is scheduled, there are many interesting things to do in Panama. Connections by air can be made through Panama City.

Colon to the San Blas Islands

The passage from Colon to the San Blas Islands can be made in one full day. It is much more interesting to take our time traveling up to coast of Caribbean Panama. We will stop in a small bay at Portobelo for the night and anchor under the walls of an original Spanish fort made of stone. Continuing on the next morning we round the point and head due east for the Archipelago de San Blas. These islands are small and low, many of them resembling atolls. In the past, I have made some very good friends of some of the San Blas Indians living on one of these islands. My extended family expects us to spend some time with them. Their particular island has an ideal lagoon on the west end where we will anchor. Connections by air can be made through Panama City.

San Blas Islands to the Bay Islands of Honduras

The passage from the San Blas Islands to the Bay Islands of Honduras takes about 5 days. We will sail through a group of islands belonging to Colombia located about 200 miles off the east coast of Nicaragua. These islands are surrounded by coral reefs and make great snorkeling exploration. We will stop for a night or two depending on weather and general conditions. Sailing on toward the east coast of Central America where the Nicaragua and Honduras boarder is, we again find some very interesting tropical islands with excellent reefs for snorkeling. Depending on how things are going, we will stop for a night or two. Connections by air can be made through Roatan Island, Honduras.

Bay Islands & Belize

The passage from the Bay Islands to Belize is only a 1 day trip. We would expect to spend a couple of days exploring the Bay Islands before making the passage. Once in the area of Belize and the barrier reef we would again spend a couple of days exploring and snorkeling. The Barrier Reef off of Belize is second in size only to the Great Barrier Reef off the east coast of Australia. As for its water and sea life, it is second to none. Belize also offers Mayan ruins, jungles, and Jaguars. A very interesting and exciting place to explore. Connections by air can be made through Belize City, Belize.

Please Note: Rates do not include air fair, ground transportation to the vessel, or shore based expenses. Also, gratuities for your professional crew are not included and are normal and customary. In the tradition of many parts of the world today, a value added tax of 15% will be added to your booking and collected with your final balance. All reservations require a 50% deposit with the balance due a minimum of 90 days prior to your booking dates. Booking days are sailing days or days on the boat in port or at anchor. They are 24 hours, noon to noon.

No refunds: Unforeseen circumstances make expedition details subject to change. Dealing with hardship and inconvenience such as route and schedule changes, and mechanical breakdowns, is a normal part of the adventure during any expedition. In the case of unforeseen cancellation of any leg, due to severe weather, political problems, or complete mechanical breakdown, expedition members will receive credit to be used in the rescheduling of other legs or future expeditions. Prices are subject to change without notice.

Copyright 1997 - 2003 Peregrine Marine

Updated: 8 November 2003