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After returning from New Zealand and seeing approximately 60,000,000 sheep we had a strong desire to cleanse our bodies with a long ocean voyage. We started talking with all the known sources of rides: Internet crew listings, skippers running professional boats, sail lofts, and brokers. There were a few bites: one for a ride from Mexico to Tahiti, and other from the Chesapeake to Bermuda. Both were on half-boats, but we were desperate for a ride. We were going over some details of the construction of our boat with David Renouf, the representative for Catana Yachts of Yachtfinders / Windseakers of San Diego, and we mentioned that we were looking for a ride. He immediately suggested that a new commissioned Catana 431 was looking for crew for a trip from Puerto Rico to Panama and then on to Costa Rica. The Catana 431 named "Thanks Larry" was under construction when we visited the factory last November.  A half dozen emails with the owner and we were booking ticket for Puerto Rico.

Conveniently, we will arrive in Puerto Rico just in time for the "Heineken International Cup" and then depart for Panama aboard "Thanks Larry". After passing through the Panama Canal we will make our way up the coast toward Puerto Quespos Costa Rica. Not scheduled to leave till April 18 we will no doubt spend our time hang out in Costa Rica and somehow we make our way from Quespos to San Jose Costa Rica about halfway across the country and then board "Copa Airlines" a Panamanian airline headed back to Puerto Rico with a brief stop in Panama. After night in Puerto Rico we continue on to US Virgin Islands for the 27th Annual International Rolex Cup Regatta. We hope to ingratiate ourselves with a boat there and round out the nautical experience. If that weren't perfect enough, a friend from work lives in St. Thomas and we will stay with him for a bit. This seems like a perfect time to get my dive certification.