Bocas Del Toro

 

 

chart plotter shows the way

      Well here we are in Bocas Del Toro, an archipelago on the north coast of Panama, a little over a hundred miles west of the Panama Canal.  The navigation is a pure no-brainer:  just follow the coast, about five to ten miles out, and you're there!  The entire way, we saw not a hint of humanity, not even a ship or an airplane. 

Skipper Robert

       

            It took about nine hours from our last stop at Isla Escudo.  As before, it was pretty much dead into the wind the whole way.  We raised up the sails to help a little, but the engine had to do most of the work.  Little rain squalls came and went the whole way.  As a squall approached, the wind would "freshen" up significantly.  The sails could then do more of the work, but the heeling angle would get rather steep. 

entrance from the sea into the main channel

We anchored near this village

      Heading northwest, we rounded the tip of Isla Bastimento, entered the main channel, and ducked into a little cove to drop anchor.  There were maybe a half-dozen other yachts anchored there.  Back at Escudo, there was no good shelter from the swells, so Milagro just rolled and rolled and rolled constantly.  Here, however, the water was calm as could be.  We were near a small village, dotted with small huts, stately homes, lodging facilities, and other trappings of civilization. 

water taxi

      Water taxis sped by at all hours.  At night, loud music emanated from shore.  At daybreak, onshore roosters would start up their crowing.

marina up ahead

      The next day, Skipper Robert made contact with some of his sailing buddies.  They were all at the Red Frog Marina, just a couple of miles from our location.  Some were docked in the marina, others were anchored out.  So we weighed anchor and moved.  Upon arrival, we also anchored out, again with maybe a half-dozen other yachts, at a tranquil, quiet, splendid cove near the marina.

from left:  Robert, Jane, Goga, Alex, Stewart

      We dinghied into the marina, and then Robert's old friends became my new friends.  The plan was for us all to walk the paved path thru the jungle, out to the beach on the Caribbean side, where there was a beach bar fully equipped to quench our thirsts. 

pathway thru the jungle

      Like everything I've experienced here in Panama, the jungle path and the beach bar exceeded my wildest expectations.  We walked thru this amazing mangrove forest with crazy beautiful plants and loudly singing birds all around.  The end of the path turned to sand, and there we were on a picture-perfect beach, with open, covered structures around to serve your every need.  The ocean water was as clear as bath water.

mangrove swamp

       It seemed this whole area was a resort, with an attached marina.  There were tourists and other visitors all around, enjoying this magnificent Caribbean vacation spot.  The group of us pulled up a table and imbibed on some drinks.

Pretty beach girls here

looking toward beach from water's edge

       I mentioned that there were other tourists there, and that included some very pretty beach girls.  As our group drank and visited, the beach girls were all around, you know, just walking, visiting, talking, drinking, enjoying the beach.  Just a normal, ordinary, ho-hum day for them.  Nothing special about them.  With one tiny exception, I suppose: their attire, or shall I say, the lack thereof (unless you consider the microscopic threads they wore to be "attire").  But that seemed to be the Required Uniform for the gals, so, whatever.

Delos

     At the marina, there were lots of huge, gorgeous, luxurious yachts.  Our friends Stewart and Jane's boat was a magnificent 55 ft Amel ketch.  Also among the boats at the marina was one big surprise:  sailing vessel Delos.  This couple has been traveling around the world for over ten years, and document all their adventures on their YouTube channel.  Joan and I are avid fans!  But the crew was not aboard; I was told they are in Sweden.  Don't know when they plan to return.  Anyway, I left them a note, which included how to contact me.

Listen to the Sailors' Net right here!

      At 7:45 each morning, the Sailors' Net comes on VHF channel 68.  It includes news, weather, buy/sell/swap/borrow items, questions & answers, and all sorts of useful stuff for sailors in the area.  All the boats "check in", and if you've recently arrived (as we were on day one), then you give everybody a quicky introduction over the air.  Way cool!

when the weather clears, you can see the mountains on the mainland

      Every day it rains.  Most nights, it rains too, which means we gotta get out of bed and close hatches.  Kind of a pain.  But Robert has created a good rainwater catching system with lots of empty jugs, so we always have all the fresh water we need.  I'm always able to take a fresh water shower before bed.

sunset at anchorage, from atop Milagro's cabin top

      As the sun sets each day, I like to sit high up on the cabin top, and just take it all in.  Wow.  What an amazing place.  More adventures to follow.  Stay tuned!

Kazea, from England.  She was sketching people on the beach.

Red Frog Resort & Marina was named after this guy.  You could hear them, in great numbers, with their "Oyt?" chirp