Tibs on Tour

Bartolome & Pinnacle Rock

2010-04-22T16:31:00.000-07:00

This is an island created by a volcano and is well worth getting up at 03.30am to get there.
Swimming Iguanas, Penguins, Sea Lions, Sharks and massive schools of colourful fish made the snorkelling incredible. The views from the rim of the volcano across the islands was breathtaking.
Add to all of this a golden sandy beach with Sea Lions as lifeguards!

Spot the Stonefish.

2010-04-22T16:24:00.000-07:00

Diving in the Gapapagos is truly amazing! It's worth the strong currents, cold water and 7mm wetsuits.....honest!
We swam with Hammerheads, Rays, White & Black tip sharks, sea lions, countless turtles and this one. Kerry nearly used it as a hand=hold against the strong currents.

Charles Darwin Institute

2010-04-22T16:15:00.000-07:00

Today we visited the Charles Darwin Institute to check-out the Galapagos Tortoises.
They are HUGE and really cute (Fran's words, not mine!) There's one called Lonesome George who is the last of his species it's a bit sad but they may still find a mate for him.

Puerto Ayora, Isla Santa Cruz

2010-04-17T16:52:00.000-07:00

This place is far better than we imagined from the guide books. There's just about everything you need, fuel is available and I managed to get spares for the boat!! It has a real Spanish feel about the place. The folks are friendly, great restaurants and bars.....we saw a few of those last night!! The harbour can be a bit rolly but is pretty.

Land ahoy!!

2010-04-17T16:06:00.000-07:00

Land Ho on Day 9, we could smell land and see it once the clouds lifted.
Heading to Santa Cruz to check-in. It looks really beautiful now the sun is shining.

The Equator

2010-04-17T16:02:00.000-07:00

Nearing the equator we were all getting excited, King Neptunes prayer was ready and the crew dressed up for the occasion. We crossed at 6.28pm and began the ritual. A prayer and Champagne (Most of which went into the sea for King Neptune)
Not much different to the Northern Hemisphere really, just the water goes down the plus-hole a different way!!
The ritual was a blast and we think that King Neptune was appeased with the Champagne.

En-route to the Galapagos

2010-04-17T15:59:00.000-07:00

Not many fish in this part of the Pacific but on Day 7 we caught 2 Yellowfin Tuna, the first one Stu dropped back into the sea but the second was a little bigger and VERY tasty.....yum.

The Pacific at last.

2010-04-17T15:50:00.000-07:00

After 4 or 5 days in Balboa Yacht Club we had done our last bits of shopping and were finally ready to head the 1000Nm to the Galapagos Islands. The first day we had a Northerly wind and made 150Nm, after that we were reduced to less than 100Nm each day. On the 6th day we had a visitor in the form of a booby bird which we later named Betty. She stayed for a couple of days, preening herself on the pulpit and leaving the odd deposit for us to clear up after she flew off! It was interesting that she didn't seem in the least bit afraid of us.

My word....what a big one!!

2010-04-17T15:43:00.001-07:00

Next day on to the "downhill" set of locks at Miraflores. We were the first boat in and had a HUGE container ship follow us into the lock......a bit scary. We all got dressed-up for the entry to the Pacific and our line handlers, Michelle & Heather did a fine job. The transit of the Panama Canal was truly amazing.

Panama Canal Transit

2010-04-17T15:32:00.000-07:00

We arrived safely at Colon, the Atlantic side of the Canal and arranged for our transit for the 1st April, everything went fine and smoothly. After loading up enough provisions to feed the extras in Ben Hur for a month we were on our way!!

We met our line handlers at Shelter Bay (one had most of his fingers missing!) and the pilot boarded in the flats just before Gatun Locks. This set of locks raises us by about 80ft and we were lucky to be centre-lock behind a freighter. Fran & Kerry were line handlers whilst Heather and Michelle lent a hand where needed. After the locks we tied-up in Gatun Lake alongside a huge buoy.

Goodbye to good friends

2010-04-17T15:20:00.000-07:00

The leaving party lasted for the best part of a week. We had made many good friends in Bocas, some of whom will remain friends forever. It was hard to leave but the TOT beckoned. Heather, Kerry and Michelle were there for our final party at The Cantinawhere Dylan and Darien put on a special fire-dance to Aboriginal Techno for us......It was amazing.

Leaving Panama March 2010

2010-04-17T15:07:00.000-07:00

We had a great time in Panama, secluded beaches, quiet anchorages un-spoilt reefs and snorkelling spots; a completely different atmosphere from the rest of the Caribbean. The Zapatilla Cays are a very special spot that we will never forget. Many great times were has at Starfish Beach and Red Frog was spectacular with its huge beach and excellent surf break.

TWO IF BY SEA

2008-11-14T14:31:00.000-08:00

Welcome to TIBS your very special catamaran. She is fully equipped for Diving, Fishing, Surfing, Exploring or just lazing around in the deserted anchorages of this unique area.

3 Queen size cabins all with A/C, private heads and shower make TIBS a pleasure to cruise on.

Fran your Chef will produce fresh cooked meals of the highest quality with a truly international flavor.

Stu your Captain will be happy to let you take the helm of TIBS, take you diving or surfing and even filet the fish you catch.

We try to be as environmentally friendly as possible, solar panels make a lot of the power we use, we produce our own water which we then filter again and serve from a spigot after being refrigerated so we use no plastic bottles on board. All of our refrigeration systems are highly efficient and use minimal power which means less generator noise and pollution.

We have a 9.8Hp engine on the dinghy which allows you the freedom to explore the lagoons on your own.

The Audio-visual set-up on TIBS is spectacular, there's a 100" projection DVD player with surround sound for movies in the evenings, Wii games console with Wii Fit and a formidable DVD collection. We have around 5000 Songs on the computer and you can bring your own music or favorite DVDs

YOU WILL WANT FOR NOTHING DURING YOUR STAY ABOARD TIBS

Fishing from Two if by Sea

2008-11-12T10:37:00.000-08:00

Imagine being able to sail outside the islands and catch a Yellowfin Tuna or Wahoo. On TIBS we have some of the best equipment available: Ugly-Stick rods and Penn International Reels along with a small 'fighting-chair' to complete the whole fishing experience.

Once your fish is landed Stu will clean and fillet it then Fran will prepare a fresh fish meal of your choice. Nothing can compare with Tuna thats only an hour or two out of the water.

In the lagoons it's possible to fish for snook, bone fish and Tarpon but this is usually done with a guide (They know all the best places) We also carry Okuma light rods and Shimano spinning reels for lighter fishing.