Location: Panama City, Panama
I would like to apologise to the whole crew of Argo for waking them up 30 minutes early to the sound of a JBL speaker blasting Mike Sherm. As skipper, it was my responsibility to do so, making sure that everyone was up and ready for breakfast on time. Especially considering it was a shore day, I do believe my actions were justified, and it was absolutely necessary that everyone be up at 6:30, as opposed to the usual 7:00 am wake-up. Truthfully, however, my actions were somewhat selfish. It just so happened to be south of Panama City, a little reef break called Isla Chepillo was going off. 3-4 foot swell, offshore winds until noon, and a favorable morning tide, it was critical that my surf buddy, Avery, and I made it there as soon as possible, hence the early wake-up… For over a month, Avery and I have been craving to surf. When the opportunity presented itself, we were quick to take the chance to surf the best right-hand wave in Panama (according to local surf legend Mikey M, who we talked to on the phone last nightthanks Meg for hooking us up).
At 7:45 sharp, after breakfast cleanup, Avery and I were the first on shore to pick up our board rentals. From then on, our adventure to reach Chepillo began. A few crocodiles, and a lot of help from very kind locals and very committed Uber drivers, we finally made it there around 9:30 am. And there it was, Mikey Ms promised right, oh mama, it was beautiful. Peeling along a point break in the distance, a stunning, glassy wave greeted our eyes. We rushed into the water with our boards, paddled out, and spent three hours enjoying some of the best waves we had ever surfed. On the drive back, as I looked out at the passing jungle, my exhaustion from hours of paddling was overcome by a satisfaction I had not felt in a while. I knew that what I had just experienced was likely something I would never be able to replicate. I was not, however, sad that the experience was over; all I could feel was an overwhelming sense of fulfillment for having lived through something as cool as that. I knew that I had made the absolute most out of my shore day, and I knew I would be leaving Panama with a memory that would stick with me forever. That is the importance of shore days aboard Argo, and why waking up 30 minutes early to Mike Sherm may not have been so bad afterall. Shore days are our chance to explore and live out our own experiences while abroad, and make the most of an opportunity not many people are lucky enough to experience. I am beyond grateful for the memories that I made ashore today, and I can assure everyone that I will never forget the day I surfed the best right in Panama.
Thank you, Mikey M. We couldnt have done it without you.