My trip... to Central America.
by Jay Donnellan

2-08-2006 Puntarenas, Costa Rica

So many things have happened in three years of travel, that I will need to stick to more of a factual version instead of a flowery detail of events.

Right now, I’m sitting in the restaurant by the edge of the river in Puntarenas, Costa Rica. My boat “Reflection” is anchored in front, along with 10 or 12 others. Reflection is an old, (1966), sailboat... 35 feet long... ketch rig. She awaits parts for a new engine from Panama. New sails and repairs have already been made after hitting the tails of two large hurricanes this year. Not a fun time. Sailing solo is great , with much time for thinking, writing and learning to open up to this amazing universe we all call home. But, solo in the throws of such an awesome strength generated by a hurricane is overwhelming. These two have almost killed my desire for future solo sailing... but not quite. Many injuries took place both to my boat and person. Torn, ripped sails.. A blown motor.. So much water inside I lost many things like cameras, books and electronics. The last storm was 6 days.. Three without food or sleep.. An infected ankle.. Ripped knuckles, a torn shoulder and neck... but one hell of a good experience.. And in a strange, distorted way... one hell of a good time. So enough about these little problems.

My trip was both by choice and by necessity.

Life in Malibu, California was good. Good money, a little ranch in the mountains, wife, horses, a studio and great friends. But as time would have it.. The relationship was stalled out for both of us... no blame.

On day... I became sick with a strange problem caused by getting the dust from rats and poisons in my eyes and mouth... A week or two later.. I developed seizures.. Strong and regular. The work ended.. The money was gone to hospitals and doctors.. And the ranch was sold. Little did I know that this was to be the biggest blessing in my life to date.

As my wife and I sat as friends at the table, paying off everything with the money from this sale... we both saw we had just enough to start over. She asked what I was going to do, I replied.. Well, I think I want to live on a boat for awhile and see some things I’ve missed.

So, that’s what happened. Being to sick to sail from California, I bought a boat in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.. And made the gruelling drive.

After six months of healing, I was looking for a place to play music and found a nice little club owned by an ex studio owner from Northern California and started to sit in. This led to forming a band with three great Mexican players and we called ourselves “Ballena”.. Which means Whale. A time later, I was blessed with a beautiful, smart and sexy Mexican girl friend, Silvia, and this part of the trip lasted for 14 months with my boat anchored outside the small town of La Cruz. Only friends, fun, healing and playing heart stomping, rock and roll... see... already better. Lesson... Do what you want and need to do in this life... for yourself.. And those around you will benefit.

My wife found a great guy she’s very in love with almost right away.. I had all my frustrations curbed by my lovely senorita and felt alive again. All that I miss from the states are family and friends.. E mail is great for this with a occasional trip back. Healing for me continues... although now, three years later... It still plagues me.. But much less.

The boat has been great for this. Learning balance and strength again.. Lesson here... Fight hard when it’s called for and be thankful for every moment life gives you.

In the spring of 2005, it was time to go. Time to sail.. I called my son Jarret, and he flew down to start the journey for one month... we sailed down the Mexican coast stopping everywhere of interest. Finding a great blues club in Zejuatenejo we burned blues for two weeks before continuing south. Jarret returned home and I continued the next 1800 miles solo.

Endless sun and beautiful days.. Dolphin always with the boat.. Sea turtles.. Making good friends with other sailors.. Playing music...losing weight.. Gaining strength and healing.

I visited two local “Brujo’s” ( Indian witch doctors) one in Mexico and one recently in Costa Rica... Maybe some help.. Not sure, except the experiences required wonderful trips into the rain forests to find these guys and also living within the native cultures for a little while.. Nothing but great. My learning has expanded ten fold... What once was perceived as a problem.. has now become a blessing.

My passage through a notoriously dangerous 400 mile region between Mexico and Guatemala was flawless. The dangerous winds just didn’t blow. Smooth as glass.

Later, off Guatemala, squalls and lightning storms were experienced and coming into El Salvador, I missed the first hurricane of the season by one night.. Or about 60 miles.

Spent good times in El Salvador.. More boats and more friends ... up a huge river about 15 miles inland from the ocean.. Here I met my good friend Jim Bach on the boat “Zephra”. He was to show up again later.. BTW, no one should be afraid of Mexico or Central America... It is filled with lovely, warm people .. As curious about you as you are about them. Sure, a few bad apples, just like New York or London or Paris.... Just life.

Continuing on in the night off Nicaragua, my radar alarm sounded warning.. When I looked, I saw the sky covered with storm ahead.. Zooming out 16 miles, it was still covered... Oh, shit!

The first hurricane tail was about to hit.. I got the main sail down and changed into storm clothing.. The air turns cold first...and if it’s bad.. The rain hits before the wind... it did. In two more minutes, a wind and rain hit so great , that the two sails remaining were ripped to shreds in seconds.. Next, my rain clothes blew up from the inside out like the Pillsbury dough boy and the seams all ripped out... I must of looked like a bad John Travolta Disco movie with my costume dancing under the strobe light lightning bolts.. Anyway, a couple hour of this and the motor blew up.. But then the storm subsided too.. So I made for land, dropped the anchor and slept for twelve hours.. After, I limped the last 20 miles to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua with the one remaining sail.

San Juan is a pleasant little town lined with beach front restaurants and a big painted sign ...”Welcome to Nicaragua”. This was my home for three months while I searched out an engine that didn’t exist in Nicaragua. But, I played solo music in town every week to a packed house.. My pay.. A good meal and friends. The weather was changing for worse and the anchorage becoming unsafe.. As time passed, I new a run for Costa Rica was in order.. The wrong season and a bad hurricane year.. I carefully checked all available weather information picking a time window that looked good for 6 or 7 days.. With sail alone, Reflection and I headed south.

12 hours out to sea.. About 25 miles off shore.. We hit the big hurricane that went to New Orleans.. Six days of Mike Tyson.. Round after round. After six days, I was through... emotionally and physically. Reflection was torn up again and we headed in to a large gulf in Costa Rica and to the town of Puntarenas... where I am now.

Border between Costa Rica and Panama

After mending for a couple months, we have started work on engine repair, and thanks to all.. Good friends, strangers , angels and luck... I now have an engine almost in the boat, other repairs have been made.. A sweet and beautiful , young Costa Rican girl friend, Leilany..and new friends.. Yet another place to call home. I make my spending money by playing Black Jack at night in the local casino... all that Las Vegas training is paying off.. The CD is finished and selling well.. My health a bit better every day and so much life and world to look forward to.. Like they say... every cloud has a silver lining... Just go for it, would be my advice to anyone who is interested in living.. Not just waiting or working... but living. I plan to keep recording and playing music and one day Ill find to right place to settle down... until then.. This is just great! If anyone wants more details, write me.

Love to all, JD

Leilany

Check out the cd recorded on the boat.