Visitors

Heather (Dave’s daughter aka Hedy) and her friend Kyler came to visit us in Panama the last week of June, so lots of pictures in this posting.  We managed to get a few more chores done before they arrived.


Dave installing a water filter
under the sink



Heron on the dock

Dave untangling 500+ feet of braided line

 Hedy traveled from Boston and Kyler traveled from Washington D.C.  They met up in Panama City and spent the night at a hostel before taking the local flight (Air Panama) to Bocas.  Dave and I picked them up at the airport on Thursday just before lunch.  It was rainy (drizzling) when they arrived and the rain steadily got worse during the day.



Hedy and Kyler arrive at the marina

We had lunch on the boat and then Dave and the girls went into town to do some provisioning.  The rain got so bad they bought rain slickers while they were in town so that they wouldn’t get soaked.  We had dinner at a resort near the marina (nothing to write home about and we probably won’t eat there again).



Hedy and Kyler wearing their rain
slickers in the water taxi headed to town

 

 

 

 

Friday morning it was still raining but we decided to go to Bluff Beach Resort on Isla Colon to walk the beach, have lunch and swim in the pool.  After lunch the rain stopped so we went for a swim in the surf.



Dave, Hedy and Kyler, Bluff Beach



Hedy and Kyler, Bluff Beach



Kyler in the surf at Bluff Beach

 

Dave body surfing, Bluff Beach

 

 

 

 

Saturday we eased out of the marina about 9:00 a.m. and cruised about 20 miles to Bluefields Lagoon.  The day was sunny and warm with no rain.  We anchored in the lagoon and as soon as we were settled some of the local people paddled out in their cayucos (wooden canoes) to ask for things, to offer us lobster and to visit.    We talked with them, had lunch and launched the dinghy to go to the beach.   There is a local dock where you can tie the dinghy and a path across the peninsula to the beach on the windward side.  We docked the dinghy and were told that we had to pay $5 per person and that Edwin would guide us along the path to the beach.  Edwin is 14 and speaks very little English, but Kyler is fluent in Spanish so she got to be the translator/teacher for the rest of us.  The beach was beautiful and the area we stopped at was protected by a reef, with enough waves to do some body surfing.  Edwin swam with us and really enjoyed using one of our masks.  For a break, he took us to the local “bar” to buy some beer.  They sold only beer and nothing else, and the local police force, guns included, was standing outside enjoying some cold ones when we walked up.  We bought a few beers, went back to the beach to drink them and then packed up and headed back across the path to the dinghy dock and then to the boat.



Edwin, Kyler and Hedy on the path to
the beach, Bluefields

Hedy and Kyler on the beach, Bluefields



Edwin climbing a palm tree
Bluefields



Dave, B and Hedy on the path
returning from the beach, Bluefields

When we arrived back at the boat a group of ladies paddled their cayucos out to where we were anchored to ask if we had anything to give them (clothes, cookies, food, etc.).  We talked to them for a while and gave them a list of English words for family members (aunt, uncle, cousin, etc.) and a box of milk before they finally went along their way.  Very few people along the shores of the Bluefield Lagoon have electricity and we were the only boat anchored in the lagoon so it was a Saturday night event for them to paddle out and see what we had to offer. 

Sunrise Sunday morning, Bluefield Lagoon

Zapatilla Cay

Sunday we moved about 8 miles and anchored off of the Zapatilla Cayes.  Both cays are uninhabited and are part of the Bastimentos National Marine Park.  We anchored fairly close to the beach and took the dinghy into shore to hang out and to do some swimming and snorkeling.  We went back out to the boat mid-afternoon; Kyler and Hedy did some fishing off of the swim platform and we had a nice happy hour.



Kyler fishing off the swim platform
Zapatilla Cay

 

Happy hour on the bow, Zapatilla Cay

Kyler, Dave and B on the path
to Red Frog Beach

Monday we cruised thru the Crawl Cay passage and “The Gap” to the lagoon near Red Frog Marina.  Because Crawl Cay has a lot of shoals and The Gap is very narrow, I rode on the bow most of the way to monitor water depths.  The voyage was calm and picturesque and we got through with no issues.  We anchored in the lagoon, launched the dinghy, talked to the guy on a sailboat nearby and headed to the island to visit Red Frog Beach.  A path through the jungle led to the beach.  About half-way there is a small pond with baby caimans in it so we stopped for a few pictures.  The weather cooperated and was sunny and warm so we did some body surfing, laid on the beach and Hedy and Kyler went searching for the red frogs that are known to live on the island.  They didn’t see any but had a good time looking.  That night the girls cooked us a gourmet supper, seared tuna and asparagus.

Hedy and Kyler, looking for red frogs
Red Frog Beach



Baby caiman in the pond
Red Frog Beach

Tuesday was our day to go back to the marina since Hedy and Kyler were booked to fly out on Wednesday, but… we had one more beach to visit before we went back.  We cruised to Starfish Beach, on the west side of Isla Colon for one last anchor out, snorkel and lunch.  On the way, a group of dolphins swam and played in our wake.  We arrived at Starfish Beach and were able to anchor very close to the beach which allowed us to swim ashore instead of launching the dinghy.  We investigated the restaurants and decided to start with a pina colada at one place and then move to another for lunch.  Then, it was back to the marina for showers followed by a trip to town for some shopping and a light dinner.


Dolphin playing in our wake
cruising to Starfish Beach



Starfish on Starfish Beach

Hedy and Kyler drinking pina coladas, Starfish Beach

 

Hedy and Kyler souvenir shopping
Bocas del Toro 

 Wednesday, the last day for the girls in Bocas, we hiked around Carenero Island, did some swimming and stopped at a nearby hostel for one last pina colada before heading to the airport.


Hedy training to be a surfer
Aqua Lounge, Isla Carenero



Kyler training to be a surfer
Aqua Lounge, Isla Carenero

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the girls left, Dave and I went back to doing everyday things, boat chores, laundry, swabbing the decks, etc.