Wizard Beach

A great surf spot we have frequented is Wizard Beach.  Always curious to find out the names of places we did a bit of digging to determine the origin of this spot.  As the story goes, the beach is named after a Caribbean shaman who lived along the dark jungle of this desolate beach.  He was from the islands, and had migrated to Panama, but being a Shaman, he brought his island traditions with him.  He dressed in ragged shorts, was always barefoot and smeared mud all over his chest.  He always sought out the shadows of his dark corner in the jungle.

As a shaman, the island inhabitants of Bastimentos were typically scared of his peculiar behavior.  During certain times of the year, he would not only be adorned in mud, but would have a chicken footed shaped smear of blood on his forehead.  However, this islander had healing powers, so the sick villagers could always seek him out for curious jungle remedies that the shaman would prepare by gumming the leaves in his toothless mouth, and applying them to the affected villager.  There were always sickly looking chickens which followed this wizard like chicks follow a hen.  Even the island villagers knew about the strange rituals that he would practice using these chickens and their parts.

It always seemed that whenever the shaman was in the area that the winds would shift from one direction to another often indiscriminately, and there were unusual fog and smoke banks that appeared with no apparent reason. 

Many years ago, the village experienced some tragic occurences, and without any explanation of the reason for the tragedies, the villagers stormed the shaman's lair.  When they arrived at his usual campsite, he was gone, and though his fire still smoldered, and a smoky fog bank shrouded the area, he was not to be ever found again. 

Curiously, his chickens still live on the beach, and over the years have become even more sickly, having inbred for generations, and mutated to an aggressive fowl.  They have torn up the vegetation which lies along the sandy beach, and anyone walking on the beach will be chased into the jungle or into the water by the flock of these mystical birds.   Also, without explanation at certain times the villagers have observed smoke and fog coming from the North point of Wizard's beach.

It is for this reason, that whenever surfing at Wizard's beach, it is absolutely recommended to come by boat, and never go on the beach.  Though many believe the Wizard is gone, his legend remains, and a beach has been named after him which has been a favorite surf spot for us.