Storage Wars
(Sorry no photos - we’re underway with limited bandwidth. Hey, at least I can get a blog out!)
The last time I did a major reprovision, I had all the time in the world. The van was at my disposal, there were grocery stores of almost every familiar variety available within a couple of hours drive. Jeremy’s boat projects were largely exterior, so we weren’t competing for space down below.
I hadn’t quite remembered how tough it is when none of the above is true. The last time I did a major re-stock away from home was in Trinidad or Venezuela 30 years ago; even then, though, I think we had a leisurely schedule.
Not so much in Panama.
As I write at least the first part of this blog, it’s been exactly one week since we got word that my French Polynesia long stay visa was approved. Exactly 5 days since we dropped anchor back at La Playita anchorage outside of Panama City. Exactly 6 hours since we cleared out of Panama.
We’ve had 4 days to provision the boat. To the brim. In a place we’re not familiar with, in stores we’re not familiar with, using Uber to go everywhere. It’s been a little challenging.
It probably hasn’t helped the anxiety level that people keep telling us you need to BUY. ALL. THE. THINGS. YOU. MIGHT. POSSIBLY. NEED. because it’s super expensive in French Polynesia.
I’m quite sure that’s true. I’m also quite sure that we cannot take everything we will possibly need for the next year or longer. Don’t tell me to buy white vinegar at the PriceSmart in Panama; let me know if I can find it at all in the islands we’re headed for. Alerting me to the fact that black beans are unobtainable in FP? Priceless information, thank you very much. Love, your black bean loving friend.
Our days have been busy. Ubers here are very reasonably priced, though outrageous when compared to the cost of a bus. Unfortunately our time has been so tight as to largely preclude the use of public transport.
Sunday: Laundry and diesel run in the morning, Super99 in the afternoon. Can a batch of chicken on return to boat.
Monday: Neri market in the morning, drop off passport at French embassy at 1:30, Riba Smith in the afternoon. Can a batch of chicken on return to boat. Prep channa masala; can batch of channa masala starting at 8:30 pm.
Tuesday: Rey at Via Espana in the morning. Can batch of pineapple pork in the afternoon.
Wednesday: Bus to Super99 in the morning. Pick up passport at 2:45. Uber to Rey at Paseo Albrook in the afternoon. Uber to meet friends for dinner at 5:45.
Thursday: drop off propane tank, dinghy to fill diesel and gasoline. Meet agent at immigration office at 10:30 for check out. Lunch out. Afternoon stowing things, then laundry.
Friday: Rey at Paseo Albrook and Neri market for last provisions plus all fresh goods. Fill up water tanks. Pick up propane tank. Stow all the goods. Dinner on Faith.
Saturday: last garbage and water run, stow dinghy, haul anchor.
Our friend John, on the catamaran Faith, says “I don’t want to go shopping. I want to go buying!” If you see it, you buy it. Apparently this is a lesson I need to keep learning.
There are many options for grocery stores here, but the major ones people talk about are Riba Smith, Rey, and Super99. We’d bought a good amount of coffee (but not the full amount, since we were tapped out on bag space and carrying capacity) at the Super99 and really liked the prices. They had wine too, though not the kind of rum we’d decided on. Overall? It felt like the best option of the stores we’d seen, at least before we hit the Rey at Paseo Albrook. Back we went.
Only to find the coffee we wanted was totally sold out. Empty shelves.
We didn’t go home empty handed, but that coffee remained a glaring un-checked-off item on the list.
Coffee is one of the things we’re prioritizing for space. We’ve heard that coffee is both undrinkable and insanely expensive in French Polynesia, and coffee is one of our deep joys in the morning. A half pound bag of (excellent) run-of-the-mill Panamanian coffee costs a whopping $2.65 here. Seems to make sense to us to stock up.
We’ve both been reorganizing like fiends. Jeremy has torn the lazarette apart at least 3 times, reloading gear and finding more spots to tuck the important rum and wine stash. My focus has been the main salon lockers and especially the galley area, digging deep into the pantry and even using the small rolling pin as a smasher to coax yet another bag of coffee into the space. Both of us are doing our very best to inventory as we go along. It’s surprisingly easy to neglect to write down every detail.
We’re underway now, about 16 hours into our 4000 mile passage. If I forgot something, it’s too late. Lockers are full to bulging, reloaded with canned and dry goods. The fridge is primarily cheese storage space, though there’s fresh meat and failed canning attempts vying for space too. What was once a booze shelf, the bookshelf space on the starboard side, is jammed with 4 different plastic baskets stuffed with fresh vegetables and some fruit. Before too long, we’ll have empty spaces, and the list of items to restock will begin growing once again.
And the main need for storage will be for garbage.