Dorado!!!!

July 22, 2011 Pacific to Atlantic Oceans and a country in between

I am not sure I can even keep track of the full account of today’s activities. It was a busy day for sure, and fun filled too.
Last night was not the most restful since we were 3 to a bed, or sleeping on floors in downtown Panama City. 12 persons in all in the 2 bedroom condo. However, it was the ultimate sleep over, youth hostel-like. So with only about 5 hours, we were awake at 5 am this morning. We were leaving P City today, so we had to do a complete pack out, and loaded the vans with all of our belongings including clothes, surfboards and snorkeling gear.
Our concerted effort was rewarded as we hit the road at 6 am, and proceeded to the El Rey super Mercado in Diablo for today’s boat provisions. We stocked up on bananas, mangoes, cantaloupe, ginnups, empanadas, cereal and cerveza for today’s Pacific boat ride.
We met Captain Andrew E at the Diablo Spinning Club which is just outside of the Port of Balboa to launch the Tin Kitty, his aluminum catamaran power boat which is a perfect dive and fishing boat. The Policia Nacional ensured that all of the boat’s passengers were registered, we loaded and launched the boat and were off!!
Today started as a beautiful Panama day, with minimal swell as we proceeded out the Pacific mouth of the Panama Canal, under the Bridge of the Americas, and past La Boca, Rebecca’s childhood home.
Andrew and Reb were a streaming tour guide for all the sights along the Panama Canal between Balboa and the tip of the Causeway.
Once past the Causeway, our Captain opened up the Tin Kitty, and we headed due South for the Perlas Archepeligo chain, about 22 miles from our launch sight. The Tin Kitty is a smooth boat, and glided easily over the nearly non existent swell of the Pacific.
About halfway to Isla Contadora, Andrew stopped for us to cast some trolling lines into the water, and within minutes two rods bent nearly in half. The fight was on for Ryan and Zac as they exertedly reeled in their lines to determine the catch. Both had hooked Bonita within mere seconds of each other! Ryan was a happy camper to catch his fish, despite being a non-keeper.
We wrapped up that trolling session, and continued Southbound for the Contadora area, which is the island that the TV show Survivor Panama was filmed. Even though, I state was, there is currently a Russian version which is being filmed there starting this week.
Just outside the cove from Contadora, Captain Andy pulled alongside a beautiful little deserted island which was perfect for our group. There was a white sand beach with crystal clear sapphire water lapping at the sand, and rocks all around the beach area for snorkeling. As the group embarked for some world class snorkeling, Andy said he was going to fish some more. As an afterthought, I jumped aboard knowing I would enjoy his company, and perhaps cast a line.
Man, was I happy I did. We got our lines overboard, and were engaged in some pilot to pilot speak, and the starboard rod bent hard. Andy is a Pan Canal pilot!
He directed me to start reeling in the catch. As I began to reel, the line slackened, the fish jumped, and the Captain yelled out, “Dorado, and he’s a big one!”
I continued the fight, and was fearful that the fish had thrown the hook, as the line slackened. However, the big fish was swimming towards the boat as I reeled in the line. After a few more jumps which the gamefish cleared the water on, and some full exertion on the reel, Andy hooked the gaff into the catch. It was a beautiful fish, about 3 feet long, and about 20 pounds, which was filleted almost immediately.
We had just about run out of fishing time, so we returned to the snorkeling beach to retrieve the remainder of our group. What a great Panama fishing experience, one I will not forget easily, and one which kept me smiling for the rest of the day.
We lunched at the Contadora resort, with some questionable customer service, and some really questionable food prices, but oh well, were on vacation.
Our lunch ran a little longer than expected, and once complete, it was time to sadly head back to the Spinning Club.
On the way back, we could see the thunderstorms brewing in the area, and it looked like we would be racing against one to the shore. We lost that race, as Capt. Andrew nobly poured on the gas, and deviated where necessary, however, we were overcome by the storm. That contrasted perfectly with this morning’s ride out to the islands, as we powered through choppy swells, driving wind, and pelting rain. That was about the time Ryan woke up, as he was asleep for most of the ride home, as a result of the “diesel drones”
Once back at the Spinning Club, we gave our thanks and mucho gratitude to our Captain, and reloaded the two maxi vans with our full complement of sporting gear, and headed back down the road.
Our next journey for the day was to get on the old Canal Zone road passing the towns of Diablo, Los Rios, Pariso, and the Pedro Miguel locks as we headed towards Colon on the Atlantic side. Our ultimate destination would be Isla Grande, on the Atlantic Ocean.
We made pretty good time as we got out of the Canal Zone on the highways, but then the turn off the highway towards Portobelo was mostly 2 lane roads which quickly became less sparse, but very exciting due to the constant turns, speed bumps, pedestrians, and peros running out onto the road. It was about this time that the day started feeling long, but it was energizing to hit the Carribean coast of the Atlantic, and transit through towns with a distinctly Caribbean feel, sporting a Rasta vibe and brightly colored abodes.
Finally we passed through Porotobelo, a very old port town from the Spanish colonial era, and hit the end of the road for the boat access point to Isla Grande.
Isla Grande lies about ½ mile off the coast from the mainland, and its only access is by panga boat. We paid the locals to watch our cars, and set off for another ocean boat ride in another ocean.
This is where the journey gets a bit sketchy, and my safety meter was in the red zone. Since it was dark by this time, we loaded up two panga boats with our 12 passengers, and accompanying sporting gear and set off seaward into the night. Isla Grande lies about ½ mile off the coast of the mainland, and we proceeded in overloaded boats through a certain ground swell in the dark of night towards the island.
Even as we got closer to shore, the driver had to divert closer to shore to avoid the waves breaking in our path between our location and our hotel, Sister Moon. We finally made it to shore inside the break, and passed the crucifix of the Cristo Negro which has been erected in the ocean.
Following our “bucket brigade” of gear, and shoreline walk in the black Caribbean night, we arrived at the hotel, built into the hillside overlooking the surf break of Isla Grande. We are here for 4 nights, which may be just the amount of time it takes to unwind from the harrowing drive to get to this place.