Limerence Update #32
Panama Pacific Coast
Las Perlas Islands 8d24.158N - 79d04.808W
Air Temperature 88d Water Temperature 82d
October 18, 2001
The country of Panama is shaped like the letter S on its side, with the Canal roughly in
the middle. The Canal runs east and west, and surprisingly is east of Florida! One can
draw a straight line from the Canal up through the Carolinas in the United States.
We are discovering the true cruising sailor's life, as it has been nearly six weeks since
we have been in a restaurant, grocery store, or laundromat. We have prepared almost 100
meals in our small galley, and had to solve many routine mechanical problems on Limerence.
It has been an adjustment to wash sheets, towels and laundry in a large bucket with
our precious water and hang them to dry on the lifelines. We have had to learn to be
totally independent on our small sailboat away from all the conveniences of civilization!
Since we crossed the border into Panama, we have been cruising in the company of two other
boats, Jerry and Barb on Kumbaya, and Bruce and Lonnie on the motor vessel Double Dragon.
It worked out that our schedules were similar, and we have thoroughly enjoyed the
camaraderie of buddy boating. We plan, navigate, brainstorm, socialize, share
provisions, explore the land, snorkel, and generally support one another. We feel
fortunate to be cruising with friends. On stormy nights it is especially comforting to
look out and see a friend's anchor light in the bay.
Jerry and Barb
Bruce and Lonnie
There are a string of remote islands along the Pacific
Coast of Panama that we have explored as we make our way to the Canal Zone. The
islands of Parida, Secas, and Contreras are all similar and lie 4-5 sailing hours from
each other. They are small groups of islands, islets, and clumps of rocks! The islands are
covered with thick forest that can appear like the American northwest. Usually palms line
the small rocky beaches and the water is clear. Our most remarkable snorkeling was on
Contreras Island where we saw thousands of tropical fish, eels, and coral formations.
Hiking on the islands has to happen at low tide as the beaches disappear every six hours
when the tide comes in.
We have seen few people - only local fishermen. Sometimes they approach our boat and offer
to trade for lobster, crab, fish, or shellfish. Often they also have limes, papaya,
ginger, a few eggs, and bananas. They like coffee, beer, cooking oil, matches, crackers,
sweets, shirts and caps. The Panamanian fishermen are very polite, friendly, and reserve.
After island hopping we stopped on the mainland in Bahia Honda. It is so remote that there
are no roads leading out of the area. There is a small village of perhaps 100 people that
we visited. As we dinghied to shore there were small children swimming naked among the
dugout canoes, and the villagers paused to watch us as we approached. This was the most
isolated native village we have seen. They had a small one-room tienda with three shelves
on the wall. The only groceries they had to offer were canned powdered milk, rice,
crackers, laundry powder, and some canned sodas. The only vegetables we found were onions.
Forget eggs, bread, butter, milk, or fruit. The people were very polite and showed us
their small town of about 15 buildings including a school and police station. A pay
telephone stood incongruously on the dirt road.
We left Bahia Honda and made a 28 hour passage around Punta Mala into the shipping zone
about 50 miles south of the Canal. We were fortunate to have two sunny days in a row, and
a starry night. The Canal Zone is treacherous with a 2-3 knot countercurrent to slow our
progress, and many behemoth ships to track as they passed by us. We watched our radar like
hawks as we monitored 20 ships in the dark night, and had to change our course twice to
give-way to the huge carriers. We were motorsailing toward the Las Perlas Islands
northeast and some 39 miles south of the Canal. By dawn we were safely out of the shipping
lanes, and dropped anchor in the Perlas just after noon.
Our plan is to enjoy the Perlas Islands for a week or so, then make our way to the Canal
Zone to the Flamenco anchorage outside of Balboa. We need to provision the boat, tidy up
the laundry, check out having some work done on Limerence, and plan our transit of the
Canal around the first of the year. We want to return to the Las Perlas Islands for at
least four weeks in November-December, after enjoying civilization - RESTAURANTS!
We are sending this update to our Webmaster, Drew Decker, through our e-mail system on our
SSB radio. Drew then posts the news on our website. We are fortunate to be able to
communicate directly from our boat with family and friends. We are also able to receive
CNN news broadcasts most evenings.
Wishing you fair winds friends,
Captain Doug and Judy
More Travel Logs
Home |
