 |
| The Floating Bar |
 |
| Voltage Regulator |
Well here we are again in the South Bocas
Marina anchorage, just outside of Bocus Town.
We are temporarily stuck here while we resolve an electrical
problem. A few days ago, the high
voltage alarm went off. The source of
the problem was traced to a failure of a part called the voltage regulator.
 |
| Stewey, skipper of Matador |
To diagnose the problem, we consulted
with Stewey, skipper of sailing vessel Matador.
This guy is a real piece of work, I tell you. Originally from New Zealand, he's a solo
sailor who's been sailing everywhere for over fifteen years. He's a happy-go-lucky party animal who
guzzles beer in obscene quantities. But
when it comes to boat problems, especially if it involves electronics, he is THE
go-to guy.
We've been struggling with this issue for
days and still having problems. Only if
we can confidently conclude that we won't get stuck out in the middle of the
Caribbean Sea with dead batteries, then we'll head out of here soon. We'll stay a day at Zapatilla, then another
day at Escudo, then ride the westerlies all the way back to the Canal and
Shelter Bay Marina, so I can catch my flight back home. Otherwise, I'll need to find another option to
get to Panama City. Not too terribly inconvenient,
but I sure will miss that one-hundred-and-thirty mile down-wind, down-current
sail.
 |
| Laura, owner of The Floating Bar |
IN THE MEANTIME, we're checking out local
entertainment venues, and at the top of the list is The Floating Bar, just a
stone's throw from where we're anchored.
Here it comes, so repeat with me:
This is "one happening place!"
Yeah, yeah, I know, you've heard it before, but what can I say - there's
a LOT of super "happening places" here in Panama! EVERYBODY goes to The Floating Bar - yachties,
vacationers staying in town, local residents, families with kids, you name it. What an awesome place to make new friends, meet
old friends, hoist some brewskies, eat some tacos, people-watch, etc. The standard attire is a swimsuit, and
everybody gets in the water at some point.
You need a boat to get there, but there's plenty of "parking"
for all the dinghies and some water taxis.
 |
| jumping from the upper deck |
The other night, they hosted a special
event called the Bioluminescent Orgy. It
seems that, one or two nights after the full moon, an hour after sunset, millions
of these creatures called glow worms, in some sort of reproductive ritual, light
up down deep then float up to the surface.
(One mom on the sailors' net inquired whether this "orgy" was
kid-friendly; others assured her that the orgy participants were the critters
in the water, not the humans watching them.)
 |
| everyone watching the glow worms |
It was quite a spectacle when the worms
started their thing. It sort of looked
like a reflection of stars in the water - but no, it was overcast, and there
were no stars above. Many bar patrons
hopped in the water with dive masks for a real front-row seat. (My apologies for the lack of photos. I attempted it, but photographing this sort of
low-light event is way beyond my skills.)
The Floating Bar opens at noon and does
not stay open very late; it's NOT one of those all-night-long places. So when the staff is done for the day, they
put "Closing Time" on the music audio system and crank it up REALLY
LOUD. Everybody gets the message.
In preparation for our (hopeful) departure
from Bocas del Toro, Robert and I made one final big provisioning run downtown. It truly is an amazing town - tourists and
locals out on the street, walking or biking, few motor vehicles, lots of
commotion, vendors hawking their wares. There
are lots and lots of stores, and you really can buy almost anything, and at
great prices. (Unlike an American
supermarket, however, the aisles are narrow and crowded.) It's surprisingly clean. Local police patrol on bike and on foot. Clearly, they want tourists to feel safe
here.
 |
| waterfront gasoline station |
We had to buy some gasoline, and that
required a search via dinghy, riding along the waterfront, jerry cans
aboard. The vendor we finally found runs
his "gas station" out of this little hut on the water, and spoke no
English. There were no gas pumps. He would go in back, then come out with a
bucket of gasoline and a huge funnel, and pour it in your tank or container.
 |
| kayakers also pass by |
The really fun part of this adventure is
the way we meet up with friends, everywhere we go. At the supermarket, at the local watering
hole, dinghying thru the anchorage, anywhere.
The Sailors' Net on the VHF radio is also a wonderful way to meet people. One guy really liked my astronomy and stargazing
trivia questions. He was anchored
nearby, and actually SWAM over (with fins and snorkel) to say Hi!
 |
| waterfront homes in Bocas Town |
After dark, there is a cacophony of birds
and other noisy creatures in the jungle behind the nearby mangroves. Some animal makes this "whoop"
sound, going on and on for over an hour. Robert and I concluded that it's probably some
type of frog.
 |
| humongous sailing yacht at marina |
Stay tuned to find out whether
I get to sail back to the Canal, or what.
 |
| girls at The Floating Bar. Just ignore the skimpy swimsuits, as I do. |
No comments:
Post a Comment