We are approaching Naranjo Cove, the second to the last anchorage prior to a 24hr leg to Balboa Panama. The weather has been spectacular! There is a calming of the entire Bay of Panama and we anticipate rounding Punta Mala with light winds, a stark contrast to the 20 to 25 knot gusty conditions some sailing buddies experienced just a week or so ago. This uber-window is project to last through Tuesday. Last night we had a wonderful transit with the exception of a game of dodge the long lines for an hour or so. We were fortunate to weave our way through a line of squalls and never even got the boat wet. The long slow Pacific swell has even abated to the point I could turn the stabilizers off. Cumulous clouds are building and I hope we are secure at anchor by the time they begin to dissipate in the way they so often do, in a maelstrom of wind, rain and lightning. I hope to snug up close to FANDANGO a wooden sailboat that has been our traveling companion since leaving Patrick, Susan and Jonathan Coonan on Paloma in Golfito. We were sad to say goodbye, but thrilled at the prospect of closing on the canal. Golfito turned out to be wonderful, we really enjoyed it and the surrounding locations. With the YachtPath boat coming in a month there will be another few Nordhavn and other boats converging on the port. The new FishHook Lodge is very nice, if not pricy at $2.00 a foot. I don't know what moorage in Panama is going to be, but I'll need a few days at a dock to prepare for the canal transit. Perhaps if we have a wait of a week or more we will visit the Las Perlas and see where Survivor was filmed. Best wishes to all, I'll post a date and time we expect to transit the locks in case anyone wants to watch me bounce the boat off the lock walls!!! Scott Bulger, Alanui, N40II, Seattle WA Less than 200 miles from the Panama Canal!