Another successful trip to Panama! We stayed at Danny Reyes house last night, which was ironically our last night (in Panama). It would not be complete without that last visit to Napoli's pizza, where we met the Richard Grimison family. We were up at 5 this morning, and off to Tocumen airport. Not a single glitch non revving to MCO, and we had a row for the 3 of us.
In Cocoa Beach this afternoon, we helped the Outrigger Club paddle a couple of their boats from the Yacht Club to the beach at Jetty Park. Scott Roche is running a regatta tomorrow, and there will be a boat with some Zonian calico paddlers providing propulsion: Pat Grimison, Alan Dekle, and Brian Robinson.
We all went out tonight to Roberto's and then to the 4th Street Filling Station. A really nice evening.
Friday, June 7, 2019
Rachel Before and After
2012
2019
At the restaurant named Don Chaco's on the road to Coronado, Rachel gets a humongous smoothie
Rachel before and after
2012
2019
Alex Reyes home where he has quite a collection of old Canal Zone memorabilia. This pillar is below his house, and the 2019 shot was taken during an actual recording session for Shorty and Slim which was going on during our visit to his family.
Surfing at Coronado Point
I was able to catch some waves with Rachel at a favorite spot of the Zonians from back in the day. Coronado Point is a peeling right wave that can go on for seemingly forever with the right swell. This day it was waist high plus, and had the usual peeling wave. Rachel paddled into and caught several waves as did I. The "old guys" seemed to be in competition with some little local shredders who were catching every wave. Richard had a good solution to this when one of the kids asked him for wax. He devised a "wax for waves" scenario wherein if he gave the kid some wax, Richard would get some waves that the young shredder would forego. "Waves for Wax"
At the place also called Playa Serena.
Wednesday, June 5, 2019
June 6 (2019) random pics
Departing Bocas
Rachel and I in Palmar
Rachel at Little Hawaii, near Playa Palmar
June 6 narrative
Woke up really early to catch a 6 am panga to Carranera Point. Don Choy didn’t show up, but there was another panga at the ready, so we hopped in with him. We motored directly to Carranera point where the swell had just barely started to fill in, but the surf was rideable. We caught a bunch of waves on the outside point, and the inside section, and both were over shallow reef. Even though the surf was not spectacular, it was amazing being out in the early morning light in oily glass water, fun little waves as the sounds of the jungle drifted offshore, and the sounds of thunder resonated from miles away. Also of particular interest was the gin clear water, and being mesmerized by looking straight down as you surf across the face of a wave.
After we wrapped up that fun little sesh, we got our “check in the block” for an Atlantic surf session.
We caught our panga ride back to Bocas Town, and met the family at La Pirata for a quick breakfast since we had a 1010 flight to catch.
I broke off one of my side fins in the reef and that required a bit of negotiation from the surf shop. The day before I had given the surf shop attendant a t shirt from Tom Neilson’s Cocoa Beach shop.
We settled on 10 bucks for the fin, very reasonable.
We made the several block walk to the aeropuerto, and boarded our plane to Albrook. John Thurber picked us up, and we hit El Rey before making the drive up to the beach, as Matthew had rented a luxury home on AirBnB.
Rebecca reminisced about her fun times in high school, as “Land Down Under” dredged up memories of growing up in Panama while we crossed the ridge of the Tula Vieja on the Autopista.
At the beach, Richard immediately rallied us to rent boards in Palmar as the surf was firing. It really was, and I caught a couple GREAT waves in the heavy Pacific surf. The locals were really cool and it seemed like they were cheering me on as the Viejo in the line up.
Also surfed Little Hawaii, and fulfilled the bucket list item to surf two oceans in the same day.
After we wrapped up that fun little sesh, we got our “check in the block” for an Atlantic surf session.
We caught our panga ride back to Bocas Town, and met the family at La Pirata for a quick breakfast since we had a 1010 flight to catch.
I broke off one of my side fins in the reef and that required a bit of negotiation from the surf shop. The day before I had given the surf shop attendant a t shirt from Tom Neilson’s Cocoa Beach shop.
We settled on 10 bucks for the fin, very reasonable.
We made the several block walk to the aeropuerto, and boarded our plane to Albrook. John Thurber picked us up, and we hit El Rey before making the drive up to the beach, as Matthew had rented a luxury home on AirBnB.
Rebecca reminisced about her fun times in high school, as “Land Down Under” dredged up memories of growing up in Panama while we crossed the ridge of the Tula Vieja on the Autopista.
At the beach, Richard immediately rallied us to rent boards in Palmar as the surf was firing. It really was, and I caught a couple GREAT waves in the heavy Pacific surf. The locals were really cool and it seemed like they were cheering me on as the Viejo in the line up.
Also surfed Little Hawaii, and fulfilled the bucket list item to surf two oceans in the same day.
The evening fare, cooked up on the grill. Filte’ that would make Bill Fahy proud
June 6, its all about the surf
PM surf session in the Pacific Ocean. Punta Palmar and “Little Hawaii”
Bucket list item——check
1 day
2 Surf sessions
2 Oceans
Only in Panama
June 5, Bocas
We woke up to do a boat ride with Don Choy as the kids were shopping and eating breakfast. We went to a lot of the local surf spots Bluffs, Paunch, etc, and continued to observe flat surf. Like none. So off to Red Frog beach we went. Of course, not my fave, but the resort was pretty cool with an infinity pool, nice beach, nice lunch and some nice service. We bought a day pass, and that included the ferry ride to Bastamientos, and the shuttle to the ocean side of the island. The kids had a memorable experience as we rode the “Jurassic Park” type transport truck on the trail to the other side, a dog came running our way, passing the truck all observed it had a half eaten iguana in its mouth. They related that story to all who would listen, and the memory is etched on each of the kids brain. We tried for an early dinner but just made it for an 8 pm turtle hike on Bluffs Beach. Our guide was Nina, and we didn’t end up spotting any turtles walking for a few miles on Bluffs under the guide of her red head lamp. The stars were most spectacular though, and it made for a great workout. And, in reference to surf, we rented boards from EDM; Escuela Del Mar. The surf shop across the street from us at the Tropical Suites. Hoping and hopeful for surf in the morning. We have a plan for a bucket list item. Surf two oceans in one day.
Another “welcome to Bocas” airport shot
The gang ready for transport to Red Frog Beach resort
Red Frog Beach Infinity pol and the fam
June 4, 2019 Bocas
Another very full day in Bocas del Toro. We had met our old panga driver, Don Choy on the dock and had set up a snorkel trip. He took us to Coral Cay which words cannot describe. The color explosion was spectacular, seeing fish of all tropical types, orange, yellow and purple sponges, so many different types of coral and all in the bath warm waters of the Caribbean. On the way back from Coral Cay, we saw some dolphin playing in the area around “Sloth Island” and we also spotted a sloth on the island of its namesake. Don Choy did not let us down. For lunch we hit an old favorite place, essentially over the water on the shores of Carranera Island. Returning to the Tropical Suites, happily snorkeled out, some of us went to the Dive Center called La Buga and hung out in the water and at the bar. This evening we went to a restaurant we had been to years ago called Ultimo Refugio. I attempted to get a fishing charter for the next day with Don Choys brother, Gabrielle, and met them both at 9, but to no avail. You may be wondering why I havent mentioned surf, which is my favorite Bocas activity, and the reason is that there is none: flat. It is forecast to come up though. Crossing our fingers.
The primary form of Bocas transportation: Panga
In the water at La Buga
Pic of the girl as relaxing in the afternoon.
Panama Trip 2019 June 3
Our “little family”
Rachel boards the Fokker
I flew down to Panama on a Copa non rev ticket after finishing 6 days of flying for SWA. Rachel and Rebecca had already been in Panama for several days doing fun stuff in the Canal Zone area. Once I got to PTY, I took a cab to Danny Reyes home for a brief stay before the girls, and Monica had returned from church, they quickly packed up and we headed to Albrook Airfield for our Air Panama flight to Bocas.
Arriving in Bocas the flight is low over the water, the runway appears on the side windows then you touch down. The end of the runway literally extends into town, which made for an easy walk to our hotel at the Tropical Suites. As soon as we checked in, we arranged for a panga, which is the boat that was our primary mode of transportation in the Archipeligo to go to a close by snorkeling spot. It was close and it was better than I had remembered from my last visit, which we went diving on. We noticed that the tourist crowd was a little limited on this off season time frame, and the locals say even more so than usual this year. Dinner at Bocarts, fusion of some type. A long day travelling from Cocoa Beach to Bocas, and amazed that in the span of 12 hours, I could leave home and be in the warm Caribbean waters snorkeling on a coral reef.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)