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John and I continued to enjoy our walks around Red Frog. We both love walking the Red Frog beach especially in the early morning as there are so few folks about.

The lane to Polo Beach had been blocked off, supposedly to stop golf carts, but we just walked through the mud and onward to the beach.

We ventured as far as Polo Beach and even met Polo. The walk was quite warm, as normal, but we cooled off with a refreshing swim once at the far end of Polo Beach. It was lovely, not a soul about and the scenery is always amazing.

Lunches were enjoyed at Macho Mamas, after a walk along the beach.

Many other times climbing to the heights of Red Frog via the pathways, its lovely and shaded and never anyone about.

A treat is spying a large troop of monkeys. We still find it challenging spotting sloths in the trees. The yellow grasshoppers are fewer now, all these kept us busy on our daily morning walks.

At anchor

However the time had come to leave Red Frog Marina and head out to explore anchorages. We said our – see you laters to our marina friends and motored off to the Red Frog anchorage.

I should mention that there has been little wind in the area since we have been here, so sailing isn’t really an option, yet.

The Isla Colon anchorages

Anchoring in the south anchorage off the Bocas town meant we could stock up on essentials. However the anchorage is like a freeway of water taxis, they zoom right through the anchorage, so, we did our shopping and left the next morning. Next time we go to town we will anchor in the north anchorage.

The holding in both anchorages is not the best and as said the water taxis fly right through, even at night without any lights. These anchorages are just for getting supplies. 

Dolphin Bay, 

also known as Laguna Bocatorito is a lagoon between the Island of Cristobal and a peninsular with an irregular shape extending from mainland Panama. The lagoon extends for about 4 miles, is surrounded by mangroves which in turn, attract an abundance of small fish and crustaceans which makes it a perfect habitat for dolphins.

These dolphins are the Bottlenose variety, and are unique as they share a particular genetic trait. 

We anchored the first night at the eastern part between several mangrove cays. It was very peaceful with only a few water taxis passing, nothing like the dozens in the Bocas anchorage. And, yes, we did spot many Dolphins. 

For our next several nights we were anchored in the southern part of the huge Dolphin lagoon. On our way across we were followed by several Dolphins that played at racing Aeeshah off the bow as we motored along. 

In the anchorage it was incredibly peaceful with virtually no water traffic. The waters were normally dead calm, affording amazing reflections.

Each day we would set off to explore the shoreline. Slowly cruising in the dinghy past the small indigenous Ngabe settlements, waving to the friendly children.

Enjoying the peaceful surroundings, looking for birds, crocodiles, dolphins enjoying the scenery.

Greenacres caoco farm tour:

Near where we were anchored was the Greenacres Caoco Farm. We called the number posted and arranged a visit. It was halloween and when we arrived there were decoration hanging all around ….

The property is lovely, the gardens are beautifully kept, the forested area with the large Almendro trees was left in its natural state to encourage the growth of these majestic trees.

The owner Gary, and his helper Elmer showed us around. Gary introduced us to many edible local plants all of which tasted surprisingly good. The names of which I do not remember.

He helps the locals with sustainable local plant farming by planting and encouraging them to grow and eat the local plants and not rely on what the town stores offer for sale by way of Western foods. (That are generally not nutritious)

 Gary also has a replanting of forest trees program where he supplies the saplings of the Almendro tree to reforest where these trees have been felled. These particular trees are the main life givers of the jungle. Many, many animals, insects, and plants rely on them for homes. And as we know all life is inter connected.

Gary showed us his Caoco trees and the fruit. We sampled the pulp, plus he had us crunch the beans. Previously I had always spat the beans out, but amazingly they tasted quite nice, however I still prefer the pulp.

There are differing types of the plant which produce differing colored pods and each produces a differing flavor. He showed us that in the discarded bean pods, where there was water held due to the rain, were little green frogs hiding away. he said these ones were the same as the the red frogs, but had developed their own special color trait.

And of course there are sloths hanging from the branches of the trees.

Gary’s Cacoa bean set up is very basic. There is the drying rack where each month the newest batch of beans are set to dry in the sunshine.

There are his homemade machines all in a small shed where his entire production takes place. 

It was a lovely walk back to his home through the lush gardens.

At the house there were a selection of treats for us to sample, chocolate tea, nibs, chocolate with coconut and with a ginger peanut butter mix, plus 2 different chocolate cream rum shots to enjoy.

Gary also has a few Green parts that he has rescued. I asked to see them and so we went to where they are kept. These were babies when he found or got them. Ideally he would like to rehabilitate them to the wild.

Both John and I felt slightly buzzed from the pure chocolate, a very nice feeling. I rated the visit to Green Acres as excellent.

Celebrations in Bocas del Toro

November is full of holidays/ celebrations in Panama and especially Bocas. These are celebrations of history, heritage and independence.

The main way the locals in Bocas celebrate is by having drumming and rhythmic band competitions plus marches and Fiestas Patrias. Unfortunately the weather was uncooperative for some of these days, so we never got to see many.

However, one morning we did see the speeches at the start of a parade. Everyone was dressed up in their uniforms waiting to start. Apparently it is an honor to be part of the march, only the special are chosen or earn the privilege.

The best in the class at school, the honor students, the important are chosen, but everyone wants to so the completion is fierce all through the year. And they practice all year. The rest of the folks are spectators who stand and cheer them on. On the final day they have an epic parade, which we missed due to rain, but despite this we could hear the bands all the way from the Red Frog anchorage. 

Hiking Isla Carenero

It was my birthday and when asked what I wanted, I stated, 1stly not cooking for a whole day, and secondly a good walk somewhere new. So a plan was laid, breakfast at JJs, walk around Isla Carenero, light street food for lunch and a Mediterranean take out dinner.

Breakfast at JJs was as usual excellent! I just love their Breakfast sandwich. From there we went and caught/got a water taxi to: 

Carenero Island

Carenero Island (in Spanish: Isla Carenero) is a long and forested island located just a few hundred meters east of Isla Colón. The name of the island comes from the nautical term careening, which means to lean a ship on its side for repairing or scraping its hull.

There are no roads on the island, just tracks mainly leading from one place to the next or around the fringe of Carenero. We got a water taxi from Bocas town on Isla Colon to a dock along the south shore. And basically set off in the easterly direction.

It proved to be a lovely walk. The path runs alone the shoreline which is lined with palm trees and mainly sandy beach. The day was a bit over cast when we started and as usual we were accompanied by a couple of local dogs. 

On the inside we could see thick mangrove swampy area which also had massive trees with huge roots twisting and winding all over the swamp. I found these trees and roots quite fascinating.

Plus there were hundreds of crabs and hermit crabs scurrying along getting on with their daily business. 

Often water ways drained from the swampy inland to the beach and we climbed along logs or rustic walkways. At the eastern end there was a look out point and the option to cut the walk short by heading along a path across the swamp, we chose to carry on.

The next part of the trail along the northern shore became rougher with several slopes to scramble up, roots to climb through and cliffs to climb down, but all easily done. Still looking out across the water the views were lovely especially as the day brightened up.

Further along we passed a few newish homes obviously foreign owned as they had privacy signs, gates, fences and barbed wire. One had even tried to block the path with barbed wire and a feeble fence.

From there around to the western shore the path lead in front of pretty homes and lodges, leading all the way to the small settlement where the locals live.

We were a bit disappointed by the trash around the settlement, everywhere trash had been dropped and left.

Back along the southern shore the views were stunning as the sun was out fully from behind the clouds and the morning was now hot. We waited at the dock and got a passing water taxi back to town.

Back at the boat we were going to move to a deeper anchorage away from the town when we discovered we had lost the depth, speed and direction instruments. hummm! It had to have been the lightening the night before. Very disappointing as we had just replaced to old set with this new one. And it meant we had to return to the Red Frog anchorage where we had recorded depth soundings.

So just like that my Birthday was over. However, John has subsequently put the old electronics back in and we have our depth, wind and direction again

Hospital Point and hiked on Isla Solarte

From the Red Frog anchorage we took the dinghy across to Hospital Point and hiked on Isla Solarte aka Nancy cay.

When we arrived we found that there is no dock just the trees at the beach to leave the dinghy tied to. Nobody was about and we found that the buildings are in a private grounds area.

Never mind we set off to find the old cemetery. This whole area was used by the United Food Company from 1899-1920 for their banana plantation workers. However a blight killed off most of the bananas they were growing and several workers died from Yellow Fever and Malaria, thus the cemetery.

After following a few different paths we found the cemetery under some very large shady trees, a lonely place indeed. We decided to continue on the same path as it headed down island and it proved to be just wonderful.

Most of the way we were accompanied by 2 sweet little dogs who found us. The path wove uphill through  forested slopes, downhill through muddy areas, past a few distant local homes where chickens ran from us.

The trees were huge, keeping us shaded the whole way. We finally reached a fork in the path both directions leading downhill towards opposite shores and decided we should head back.

We had been along this path for over an hour and really needed to get back and check our dinghy. It was just as wonderful heading back. All was fine we said goodbye to the dogs and dinghied back along the shoreline.

The shoreline was quite lovely too with shallow reefs and the forested island behind.

I really feel that for me the over all theme of this past month has been reflection, in so many aspects of the month there has been reflection, of my life, on beliefs, of others and in the daily views around me.