San Blas Islands, Panama City & Bocas Del Toro, Panama

It is the end of another beautiful day in paradise.  The water is still, and as clear as crystal, and as the sun sets, we are back on board our catamaran after another day of swimming, snorkelling and island hopping, in search of a coconut cocktail.  Instead we settle for sundowners on board our own boat as no one is willing to take cops and we have no dollars with us!

Cleos Angel!

Our voyage started a few days ago when the eight of us boarded Cleo's Angel, our catamaran, with our german captain Frank, his wife Claudia and his deck hand Horizon.  There were 2 canadians, Matt and Rob, 2 Australians, Steve and Morgan and 2 other english Adam and Bethany and Nicola and I.  So after we had all been to immigration to collect our passports, we finally set sail, bidding our last farewells to South America as we gradually saw the horizon, and Columbia, disappear from view.  After dinner we were all feeling really drowsy, probably from the effects of the sea sick tablets we were taking.  So as I was on first watch at 10pm I went to our little cabin Nicola and I were sharing and had a sleep.  At 10pm Horizon woke me up and I started my first shift on watch.  This consisted of spending an hour looking out to sea about every 5 minutes and then keeping an eye on the GPS to make sure we were on track, if we started to move off track then we just needed to press a button left or right to get us back on course.

Leaving Cartagena, Columbia!

Getting aboard on little Cleo!

Last glimpse of Columbia!

It was quite light as we were nearing the full moon, and lightning was flashing every now and again just to add to the effect of the caribbean night sky!  As we rolled over the waves, making our way towards Panama and the San Blas Islands, on the look out for pirates and anything else that might cause us grief, a great peace settled upon me as I bonded as one with the great ocean, entrusting her with our safety, and eventually when I lay back down, she gently rocked me into a deep slumber.

Catch of the day!!

On the second day of our trip we spent the whole time at sea, making the most of the time just relaxing, reading sunbathing and sleeping until it was our time to keep watch again.  While we were all chilling out, Captain Frank had a line in the water and horizon was ready if we had a bite!!!  We did not have to wait long!!  A whizzing noise broke the silence and we all jumped up to have a look at the catch of the  day!!  Wow!!!  We caught a Wahoo apparently!!  Horizon had it cut up and filleted before we knew it!

Wahoo for dinner!!

Dinnertime!

That evening after a delicious feast of fish for dinner, we played some cards and then I rested again until it was my turn to keep watch at 1am!!  The hour passed so fast and before I knew it I was back in bed sleeping like a baby, that was until I was awakened to the sound of a storm starting up!!  I grabbed the skylight window above our bed and pulled it shut, just in time as the rain came pelting down.  All I remember thinking as I watched the storm rage outside was that I was so happy it was not my watch!!!  Apparently it was Steve's and the poor guy was soaked through!!!

San Blas!

Shark-eaten fish!!!

lobster!!

As morning came the sun was trying to break through, to our first sight of Panama and the San Blas Islands.  Horizon was back out there with the line again, hoping for another catch.  The whirring of the line soon brought us all running, excited to see todays catch!  It was big!!  No, not so big…as it was reeled in, it soon became clear why there was the confusion on the size of the fish…as Horizon pulled a half eaten fish out!!!  It looks like a shark beat us to it!!!  Horizon prepared what was left so there was no waste.  By about 11am we had dropped anchor and were sitting on deck in the middle of an island paradise!!!  We jumped off and snorkelled on a reef filled with so many fish, full of colour and life!!!  I felt like I had emerged to another world, like an alien I explored, fascinated by all the sights I was seeing around me, trying to identify all the different types of fish and coral!  One of the most amazing things we saw was the giant manta rays, buried in the sand, until we disturbed them enough to get them to move.  Then we followed them as they sought a new place to rest!  The first one I saw was bigger than me from head to tail!!!  Such graceful, beautiful creatures.  We also saw turtles swimming around the boat as we chilled out in the afternoon sun!  Boats would come up to us throughout the day selling fresh fish and lobsters.  Captain frank bought 2 lobsters and prepared them then and there.  I could not watch as he cut them open alive and pulled off the tails ready to eat.

Diving down to the manta ray!

Manta Ray!

First port of call, San Blas!

As the day came to a close we all had our 90 second shower and freshened up ready for dinner and a few games of cards.  We were all so glad there was no watch now we had anchored up and could get a full nights sleep.  We stayed up playing and chatting into the early hours before hitting the sack, exhausted from a day in the sun and sea!

The following morning after we finished breakfast and some of the guys enjoyed a last swim here, we headed out to the next set of islands to explore and snorkel.  After lunch Horizon took us out on the dinghy boat to some of the islands.  The first one we got to had some local indigenous people on there, dressed in traditional wear. We tried to get some coconut cocktails but they would not take our cop and we had no dollars with us, so we took some pictures and re boarded our dinghy to visit the island we had seen from the boat with just a single palm tree on it.

It was such a cute little desert island.  We got some gorgeous pictures and then went off for a snorkel.  The reef surrounding the island dropped down into the deep and the snorkelling was so beautiful swimming along the reef exploring all the crevices!!!  After a few more group pictures we headed back to the catamaran for dinner once again and to watch the sun go down.  Enjoying sundowners of bushwalkers which Captain Frank made us and which tasted very good….too good!!!  Tonight was a full moon and it was so low and big with the reflection shining up the water like gold. The perfect evening for our last night on board finished up with a last few games of cards!

The next morning we made our way to Panama city.  A small boat picked us up at 8am and then we arrived on land a while later to be transported by 4x4 jeep to the city, which was a rough ride on a windy, hilly road for about 2 hours.  We arrived around midday and the total journey was about $50!!  We were already over budget and seemed expensive but nothing else for it but to pay.  The lady who drove us was very helpful and gave us a lot of tips on the city and places to go and how to get there etc which was nice of her, and her english was superb!!

Chicken bus!

Lock gates closed!

Lock gates opening!  Water levels dropped!

Caribbean side!

Pacific side!

I had decided to do the Panama Canal which was the main thing I wanted to see, so the next day we made our way there on the chicken bus with all the locals.  It really was amazing to see and when you realise the history behind the building of it.  Around 22,000 people died of yellow fever and malaria building this 77km long canal, which was finally completed in 1914.  Without this Panama might never have got its independence.

Final gates opening to the pacific coast!

As we were there a rainbow appeared across the pacific side making it very picturesque.  We spent our time there watching the miraflores locks opening and closing to let the ships pass through. This is the biggest lock on the canal and despite that it still only takes 2 minutes to open its gates, as the electric locomotives, known as mules guide the ships through.  One cargo ship passing through was billed $100,000!!

After an hour or so we headed back to the city.  We said our goodbyes to Bethany and Adam until we would meet with them in Bocas and then we had dinner and watched Dodgeball on the movie channel.

The following day I just stayed at the hostel and caught up with emails and my blog which I am writing now as I have got so behind with it.  Tonight we are getting the overnight bus to Bocas Del Toro for some beach time.

Bocas Del Toro was cloudy and rainy when we arrived and stayed like that for most of the time we were there.  Apart from a night out on the town on Saturday, I stayed at the hostel for the rest of the time as am feeling sick and exhausted and feel I really need some space right now.  I booked for 2 nights and then left with Adam and Bethany on the early morning shuttle and headed for Costa Rica.  Nicola and I said our last farewells for a while and have decided to part ways for the rest of this trip, as I think we both want different things and need some time out.  We will meet in Mexico City for our flight to LA in August.  Until then I am looking forward to starting my new adventure, first stop with Costa Rica!