Comfortable Cruising: Around North and Central America

by Liza Copeland

In Comfortable Cruising the Copelands take a 15-month sabbatical in their 38′ sailing vessel Bagheera to cruise to eleven countries around North and Central America, and as in Just and Still Cruising their travels give a unique insight into the varied cultures, history, sights, wildlife, diving and cruising opportunities the diverse regions offers. Appendices provide detailed information on route-planning and weather, travel and cruising tips and a glossary. A further chapter details modifications, changes and equipment added to the Copelands’ boat and why. Taylored to family agendas, this voyage provided a flexible, culturally appealing voyage within easy reach of the Copeland’s home in Vancouver, Canada. With no oceans crossed trips could be flexible, were mostly daysails and offered many opportunities to travel inland. After exploring their home waters of dramatic B.C., they headed down the U.S. coast, before entering lively Central America, visiting the Pacific coasts of Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Panama. Again they enjoyed the Panama Canal transit, this time transiting from West to East, which brought them for the first time to the Western Caribbean. A visit to the sandy islands of the San Blas islands with their vibrant Kuna Indians was irresistible, before heading north to the the Bay islands of Hondurus, the jungle gorge Rio Dulce and inland to Guatemala’s old cities, Mayan ruins and colourful markets. The barrier reef with its atolls in Belize gave outstanding diving. The U.S. eastern seaboard, with its many historical sights and museums along the waterway, were informative and the seafood varied and delicious. After gorging on lobster in Maine, then being surrounded by whales in the Bay of Fundy they arrived back in Canada in pretty Nova Scotia. In Comfortable Cruising the Copelands take a 15-month sabbatical in their 38′ sailing vessel Bagheera to cruise to eleven countries around North and Central America, and again their travels give a unique insight into the varied cultures, history, sights, wildlife, diving and cruising opportunities the diverse regions offers. Appendices provide detailed information on route-planning and weather, travel and cruising tips and a glossary. A further chapter details modifications, changes and equipment added to the Copelands’ boat and why. Taylored to family agendas, this voyage provided a flexible, culturally appealing voyage within easy reach of the Copeland’s home in Vancouver, Canada. With no oceans crossed trips could be flexible, were mostly daysails and offered many opportunities to travel inland. After exploring their home waters of dramatic B.C., they headed down the U.S. coast, before entering lively Central America, visiting the Pacific coasts of Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Panama. Again they enjoyed the Panama Canal transit, this time transiting from West to East, which brought them for the first time to the Western Caribbean. A visit to the sandy islands of the San Blas islands with their vibrant Kuna Indians was irresistible, before heading north to the the Bay islands of Hondurus, the jungle gorge Rio Dulce and inland to Guatemala’s old cities, Mayan ruins and colourful markets. The barrier reef with its atolls in Belize gave outstanding diving. The U.S. eastern seaboard, with its many historical sights and museums along the waterway, were informative and the seafood varied and delicious. After gorging on lobster in Maine, then being surrounded by whales in the Bay of Fundy they arrived back in Canada in pretty Nova Scotia. Liza gives armchair sailors an opportunity to savour the delights of an extended cruise in North and Central America, and real boaters a mass of useful and intriguing information in a most enjoyable package.Nigel Calder – best-selling author including Boat Owner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual and Nigel Calder’s Cruising Handbook

312 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2003