Navigation training on the Tin Kitty

July 21, 2011
Today was day 2 of the 2011 Panama Pladventcher. We woke up to the sounds of beeping horns in downtown Panama City, our first urban overnight experience in Panama. We got an pretty early start, loaded up our beach gear, and were off to the beach. Although it felt like herding cats, we actually got on the road in a reasonable amount of time, although that still put us in rush hour traffic in the PC metropolis.
As Rebecca continued to demonstrate her navigation prowess, we wove our way through the Latin zigs and zags, and finally made our way to the Bridge of Americas, where the traffic subsided as we headed West out of town, and the morning commuters made their way East in the opposite direction to the city.
Our destination was Playa Teta, Rebecca’s childhood beach, and we stopped on the way for a quick breakfast at a roadside café, loading up on empanadas and other pastries.
As we passed through Coronado, we searched and found the bus stand marked Punta Barco, which is our landmark for the dirt road which leads to “Tits Beach”
After parking the maxi van, the last leg of our trek was a walking path descending to the beach, and crossing over the winding Rio Teta as it makes its final plunge into the ocean. Each time we visit this beach, the view is completely different as the river meanders and winds in a constantly changing path through the sand, and carving out a 4 to 5 foot canyon which we cross to get to the warm waters of the Pacific.
The waves today were a bit disappointing, however, it sure feels very nice to be in the pristine waters of the Pacific as the minimal swell rolls in crashing on the beach.
As I float out on my board, and observe my family playing on the beach, I am reminded of the David Byrne lyric which states “Turns like a wheel inside a wheel” As a child, I remember summers spent on the shores of Lake Michigan, and playing on the sand dunes in my father’s home town of Muskegon. I remember the joys of playing with my own brother and sister, on the giant sand dunes and running through the adjoining forest on the “Indian trails” And, here my own kids are exploring the shores of the Pacific coast, Rebecca’s childhood haunt, playing in the river, in the sand caves, chasing the crabs, and iguanas. Turns like a wheel inside a wheel.
The trip down Memory Lane continued when we also took a side excursion into Gorgona for the kids to jump into the tide pools which Rebecca loved lounging in last April. More congrejo hunts also ensued.
On the way home we stopped at the local super Mercado El Rey for provisions for tomorrow’s boat ride, stocking up on fruit, water, empenadsa, Maria cookies, Crunchie bars, and breakfast items.
Once we made the hour and a half journey back to Panama city, we met the rest of our party, the Ezgoods and the Grazers. Fictional names for internet security.
Hellos being made, we loaded up our 12 pax maxi van to maxi capacity, and went to Napoli’s for a fine dining experience, then a tour through the Old Canal Zone with tourguide Rebecca.