Tranquilo Bay

Thanksgiving 2007

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-11-20T11:07:29-05:00

As we prepare for the Thanksgiving Holidays of 2008 I thought it would be fun to review some of the excursions we went on last year at this time.

Big Kids

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-11-18T16:48:34-05:00

Patrick has a spot under Scott’s bed for his crib when he is ready to move out of his parent’s room after he grows up a bit more.

La Luna = The Moon

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-11-13T10:52:12-05:00

We were getting ready for dinner last night when Jim realized the light was great to take some good photos of the moon.

Swim turtle swim

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-11-10T11:25:06-05:00

Super cool to watch them go through the process to determine how many made it and if there were any eggs that didn’t hatch.

Happy Fifth Birthday Tres

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-11-04T11:22:18-05:00

Well because the YZ 250 is the greatest dirt bike around and all little boys must choose the colors of their birthday cakes based upon the color of their favorite motorcycle.

Happy Halloween!

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-10-31T09:30:00-05:00

I wasn’t sure I was going to have time as we approached Halloween so I made sure the costumes were completed at the beginning of the month.

The Path Less Traveled - Bocas del Toro

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-11-07T12:00:00-05:00

Hiking in Bocas del Toro

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-10-29T16:38:57-05:00

Fish On!

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-10-27T15:20:36-05:00

I was thinking about these guests over the weekend as they are all University of Texas Alumni and with the Longhorns playing football as well as they are these days I was thinking about the other people I know who would be so proud of them!

Native Children

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-10-24T10:08:54-05:00

One of the neat things that we really like about many of our excursions is the way that our guests have an opportunity to interact with some of the local children.

Baby Sloth

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-10-21T09:27:56-05:00

He knows how much we like to photograph the wildlife which surrounds us so he brought it over to the main building on a stick so that we could see it and photograph it.

Field Trip

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-10-16T12:17:15-05:00

Tres, Scott, Gina, Jay, Jim and Jim’s older brother went on a field trip a couple of weeks ago.

Fishing in Bocas del Toro

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-10-13T09:41:59-05:00

PJ Viola Filling Out

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-10-08T10:31:20-05:00

His doctor decided that he was doing so well at that time that he could make the trip home and go back to Panama City to get his shots when necessary.

Sitting Pretty in Central America

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-10-06T16:50:15-05:00

My brother emailed me last week to let me know that we had been included in an article in Continental’s in flight magazine.

Updated Tranquilo Bay Website

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-09-30T09:55:06-05:00

I just wanted to point out that we have updated several of the pages on the website to include videos where appropriate.

New fishing websites

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-09-26T16:54:44-05:00

So if we get any new photos that help with the content of the sites we will be sure to send them along.

Origin of the word: Banana

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-09-24T11:02:28-05:00

We find ourselves reading and/or researching different things that affect us down here in the tropics so I decided that it might be a good idea to share some of the information we find as these little tidbits are interesting in their own right even if you don't live close to the equator.

Bocas del Toro Beaches

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-09-19T09:41:55-05:00

Sea Turtles

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-09-10T16:35:47-05:00

They graciously provided us with a few of the photos they have taken over the term of their tenure here in Bocas.

Happy 6th Birthday Scott!

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-09-06T07:36:19-05:00

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Facility Tour

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-09-03T11:34:14-05:00

Here is another one of the vidoes I put together which gives you an idea of what the boat ride out to Tranquilo Bay is like as well as giving you a feel for walking around our grounds and into one of our cabanas.

PJ Viola Update

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-09-01T15:47:58-05:00

All of us here in Bocas, including Jay and Scott, are counting the days until Patrick gets to come home to us here.

Snorkeling the Bocas del Toro Archipelago

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-08-26T16:59:05-05:00

PJ Viola

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-08-24T10:18:28-05:00

We do not anticipate any problems, however to be on the safe side the Neonatologist/Pediatrician has asked that PJ stick around Panama City for a while.

Shucking a Coconut

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-08-20T17:30:56-05:00

Punta Valiente Video

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-08-15T10:04:15-05:00

Updated Photo Galleries

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-07-31T11:54:44-05:00

We have broken down some of the larger categories into sub categories so that you can see an example of the diversity that we have down here in plant and animal life.

Fun on the Internet

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-07-28T12:14:03-05:00

I was reading one of the blogs I check out on a regular basis and she had a link to a website called Wordle www.wordle.net.

Tex and Fula

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-07-27T09:27:21-05:00

They were too young to bring back to Bocas at that time, but we told the man who had the dogs that we were interested in getting a couple of them - one girl and one boy.

New set of photo galleries

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-07-25T08:48:32-05:00

This way you can get a feel for what goes on around here each month.

Nuri

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-07-02T19:45:53-05:00

She makes all of the delicious food which we eat here on a daily basis.

James

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-07-23T19:44:49-05:00

He spends one half of his year in the USA or traveling and the other half of the year or so he spends here in Panama and traveling throughout Latin America.

Yohany

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-07-07T19:44:09-05:00

She is working her way into other roles as she learns more and has more experience.

Lucy

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-07-11T18:56:45-05:00

She works in a variety of roles here at Tranquilo Bay.

Mario

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-07-18T18:55:33-05:00

He works on the grounds and helps out with the excursions from time to time.

Dionicio

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-07-21T18:55:02-05:00

He works on the grounds around Tranquilo Bay.

Enrique

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-07-14T18:54:23-05:00

Enrique captains the boat for us and he also just completed WFR training.

July

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-07-15T18:53:55-05:00

He works out on the grounds, goes with guests on nearby excursions.

Leo

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-07-05T18:52:56-05:00

He works in the kitchen with his sister Nuri as well as out and about around the grounds here.

Leydi

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-07-09T18:50:44-05:00

She has been with us for over a year and a half.

Photographers

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-06-29T13:00:00-05:00

Brandon and Rob came to visit to take our pictures for the INC Magazine article.

Eel

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-06-27T18:38:20-05:00

This coral head is on the side of the dock so we check it out each time we are down there to see if Mr.

Raptors

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-06-12T18:36:48-05:00

It is so hard to get a good photo of these big birds in flight where you can actually make out the bird rather than just a dark spot in the sky.

Moth

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-06-10T12:00:00-05:00

Just another one of the inhabitants here in the jungle.

Tranquilo Bay in Sport Diver

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-05-19T17:02:33-05:00

In the June issue of Sport Diver there are a variety of articles on where to go expat.

Parting Shot

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-05-30T17:03:00-05:00

They are an inspiration to all of us - we want to be doing what they are doing when we have the same amount of experience in life.

Kayaking with Mel & Rosemary

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-05-25T17:01:13-05:00

Here is a photo Jim grabbed of Mel while he was kayaking near the Changuinola River towards the end of their trip.

Jay at Punta Valiente

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-05-28T16:57:47-05:00

We try to engage a different guide each time so that we learn something new and the entire village benefits from our visits.

Ain't love grand?

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-05-23T16:42:56-05:00

They travel all around the world so we were honored that they spent one of their weeks here.

Bugs again

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-05-21T16:37:39-05:00

Here are some of Jim's insect shots from this Spring.

Punta Valiente

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-05-17T16:28:45-05:00

This little girl insisted on wearing our guest's hat and sunglasses.

mangroves in the rain

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-12-22T17:43:00-05:00

We paddled a short distance from the dock in an arsenal of sit-on-top kayaks and soaked up a little tropical rain along with the flora and fauna.

all to ourselves

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-12-20T17:40:38-05:00

After paddling out and realizing there was no way I was going to chance hurting myself or my board I made my way back to the boat, grabbed a sponge (aka body board) and got back in the lineup.

another day in paradise

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-12-19T17:39:31-05:00

To quell our thirst we shot out to the Zapatilla Cayes in hopes that the outside breaks would be a bit larger and allow us some rides.

banana boat

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-12-18T17:37:08-05:00

Such growth brought progress to the area, so much so, that the town of Bocas (on Isla Colon) hosted consulates from countries such as Germany, France, England and the United States.

in search of a clean wave

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-12-17T17:34:58-05:00

We set out with high hopes of finding some waves on the front side of Bastimentos Island but as we rounded Old Point we were greeted with a strong west wind that had us guessing about our destination.

storm of color

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-12-01T17:24:37-05:00

This how the day went and it was hard to imagine ever wanting to leave but as the shadows crept closer and the sun let its grip go we knew it was time, there is always tomorrow.

education and enlightenment

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-11-30T17:19:44-05:00

The next course of events were almost as inspiring, I had no idea the process it takes to get the Cacao bean to the point of consumption that we all know and love, that wonderful thing called chocolate.

base camp or temporary office?

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-10-10T17:18:31-05:00

The leeward side of the island was calm; we paddled through several schools of feeding Bar Jacks, who appeared to have fresh glass minnows on their lunch menu.

bar fight with my father in law

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-07-25T17:09:47-05:00

He has a victory picture with his 80-pound Tarpon, proof to the world he showed two young bucks how it is done, but I don’t think he will be stepping back into another Panama Tarpon brawl anytime soon.

searching for a silver king with Mo

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-07-20T17:00:09-05:00

While leaving with the bite still on, we watched with envy as the Pelicans, Brown Boobies, and Magnificent Frigates dove into patches of nervous bait, wishing we weren’t too tired to battle another Tarpon.

accidents happen

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-07-19T16:56:25-05:00

We had set out to explore the Rio Mananti which is on the map, however, within a kilometer of that river were three small river mouths converging in one bay.

bahia honda kayak

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-07-07T16:50:56-05:00

There are at least three different species of mangrove on this creek bank and some of the specimens are at the top of their size limit.

punta valiente hike

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-07-06T16:47:08-05:00

In the village we visited the school, where the children were happy to have there photos taken and we then traded a couple of bags of ice for some bread fruit and plantains.

sea turtle study and tagging

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-05-24T16:43:10-05:00

Jim took him back to the Zapatilla Cayes where he was studying the turtles and was fortunate enough to participate in the data collection and tagging process for a group of three turtles.

it has been a great week

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-04-20T16:37:09-05:00

Last year we thought we had an incredible week of fishing, this year each day was better and better.

volunteer repair work @ bastimentos national marine park

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-08-10T17:56:16-05:00

With permission from Hernandez Bonilla, ANAM’s Chief Park Engineer (which makes him the head of all protected areas here in Bocas del Toro for Panamas equivalent of the EPA), and coordination efforts from park employees, Blanford Constantino, Samuel Jimenez and Richard Hinz the date was set to make the repairs.

Boys will be boys - times 2

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-05-02T12:00:00-05:00

He was removed from his mayonnaise jar home only for a few photos and then he was returned several days later to Punta Valiente with the next group.

Kayaking near the Changuinola River

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-05-13T12:00:00-05:00

Kayaking along the rivermouths - you will encounter a variety of things.

Red Frogs

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-05-09T12:00:00-05:00

A graduate student from Michigan is studying our frogs and a variety of their characteristics here at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.

Bugs

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-05-07T12:00:00-05:00

For those of you who have met Jim you know that he has a thing for taking pictures of bugs, insects and all things in the jungle and the sea.

Boys will be boys

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-04-30T11:32:12-05:00

Well he was constantly on the look out and he found this boa and brought it back for us to put in our aquarium for a few months.

Green and Black Frogs

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-04-28T11:16:45-05:00

Here are a couple of pictures of the green and black Dendrobates we see on the mainland at Green Acres Farm which is the home of Cerutti and Family Chocolate.

Paradise the Hard Way

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-04-26T17:35:04-05:00

I am going to try and post some of the photos from the past few months over time in order to give you a feel of what it is like to be here.

Wow!

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-04-24T09:49:01-05:00

I thought that some people might be interested in getting a better grasp on what it took to build this place so we put together a new section of the website that goes through the story year by year.

What happens when...

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-03-17T15:48:05-05:00

What happens when you take one very funny retired high school government teacher, one of his fraternity brothers, one of his former students, all of their spouses and a few of the kids and toss them into the Panamanian jungle on an island in the middle of the Caribbean Sea?

Smile

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-02-29T11:21:45-05:00

It was interesting to watch the process and watch how our employees took part in the photo shoot.

Exciting, Exhilarating & Exhausting

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-02-19T10:28:03-05:00

However, the upside of what we are learning and how it is getting easier each day for us and for our employees is that we are building a business that we believe will stand for a long time.

Heaven on Earth

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-02-12T15:59:00-05:00

However, when we get to watch other people enjoy themselves doing all of the different activities we have to offer while immersing themselves in nature it is so rewarding.

Behind every...

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-02-03T10:21:26-05:00

It is quite a gift to be able to look upon what it has become and is continuing to develop into - almost as one watches a child grow.

Opportunity

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-01-27T11:15:38-05:00

It may be as simple as wait 30 minutes and the skies will clear or a bit more complicated where we have an excursion where everyone will have a good time rain or shine.

Blogging

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-01-17T16:30:12-05:00

Don't get me wrong, I still like to read books and magazines, but I can't load up on them these days like I could when we lived in Houston, Texas.

Take Aways

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-01-04T16:54:24-05:00

So I thought it would be interesting to give a brief list of ONE thing that I took away from each group of our guests over the last few weeks (I obviously took away much more than one thing from each family and each person for that matter but to list all of them might become tedious for those of you reading this)

New Year's Eve

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-12-31T10:28:05-05:00

I think the best way to summarize my thoughts is to say that when I think about the year 2007 it brings a smile to my face :)

Kid Friendly

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-01-23T11:12:45-05:00

This morning I was trying to help a former guest find another place in Panama to visit next year as he and his family want to return to stay with us, but they also want to explore a few different parts of the beautiful little country.

Fresh Baked Goods

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2008-01-14T11:11:00-05:00

It is a good thing that our property is so large and includes so many sets of stairs as it helps all of us to have an excuse to eat dessert!

Holiday Greetings from Tranquilo Bay

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-12-12T09:12:36-05:00

We all wake up each day thankful for the opportunity we have here to live, run a business, raise our families and spend time with each of our guests = and we get to do all of this in paradise.

Time Flies

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-12-17T20:54:44-05:00

We have been blessed with a great number of clients who give us copies of all of their amazing photos and then Jim has taken thousands of photos as well.

Today

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-12-21T20:54:05-05:00

That book is of course about learning how to deal with people leaving and being alone and what you can do to manage the time until they come back.

Divertido

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-12-26T20:53:23-05:00

We have a set menu that we post each morning (we do all of our menu planning in advance based upon guest input regarding food preferences and allergies prior to arrival) so that we have the day to make changes if necessary.

Ouch!

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-12-06T20:52:37-05:00

The hematoma that is blossoming along my lower back and the stiffness associated with my tensing up as I fell will serve as gentle reminders to me not to be so dumb for some time to come.

Personal Space

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-12-01T20:52:02-05:00

On the other hand, so many people have so much space these days that they may decide that what they want is personal service and privacy but that they do not need large amounts of space to fill such requirements.

Content

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-11-27T20:51:19-05:00

Fortunately for us we have so many different perspectives presented to us by our diverse clientele that we have people offer suggestions that one might not have thought of on one’s own.

We aim to please

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-11-24T08:50:31-05:00

Collecting my thoughts, I am, believe it or not, at a loss for words - but the main point is we had a great time, there are a lot of great places - the trick is to find both great places with great people - we found that at Tranquilo Bay....and that will be a very hard combo to replicate - and I may just want to stay with a good thing.

To think or not to think

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-11-14T20:49:43-05:00

We post the menu each morning so that you have an opportunity to advise us if you do not want to eat what we have scheduled for the evening.

Breathe Deeply

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-11-11T20:48:29-05:00

I would like to renew my practice so that I might benefit from it and so that I might share it with my children.

Sacrifice for rain

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-11-07T20:48:02-05:00

I wore my rain jacket and the only part of me which was covered by the rain jacket which ended up wet was the center of my t-shirt where the rain jacket’s zipper rested.

Who is cooking now?

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-11-03T20:46:51-05:00

Our cook is kind enough to teach many of the different things she makes to her helper so that the helper can take on additional responsibility and fill in for the cook at certain meals.

Spring Break 2007 - revisited, originally posted on Blogspot

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-10-31T20:46:04-05:00

This vacation was different than they normally take and so they asked a lot of questions in advance to make sure they were getting exactly what they wanted in their vacation.

Water

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-10-27T20:45:11-05:00

But it is the kind of thing that you really do not stop and think about most of the time in a developed nation.

Dining options

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-10-24T20:44:31-05:00

One person may notice fine details that others didn’t expressly remember but once they details are brought to the forefront then they become a part of the experience for the whole group.

Popcorn on the porch

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-10-21T20:43:39-05:00

I also learned there was an exact way one was to carry the bowl of popcorn and how to select the finest pieces when you decided upon the next bite.

Global Warming

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-10-18T20:42:44-05:00

Across the globe, there are people and places which are feeling the effects of global warming today and are learning what further problems we will have in the future if we don’t do something about it.

What will you do?

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-10-14T20:41:58-05:00

There are those who believe you must be crazy to throw away a perfectly good life in the city: a great job, a car, a nice house, etc.

Can I do this?

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-10-10T20:41:09-05:00

I will admit that losing my Blackberry was difficult in the beginning, but now the thought of giving of my flip flops to go back to corporate America is laughable.

Celebrate the unique

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-10-07T20:40:19-05:00

We have attempted to build an eco adventure lodge which allows others to do the same even if only for a brief period of time.

Bad day in paradise

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-10-03T20:39:33-05:00

Do you try to turn things around as quickly as possible so that you do not have to deal with the sunken gut feeling any longer than absolutely necessary?

What do you miss the most?

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-09-29T20:38:29-05:00

There are the less obvious things: Target, Whole Foods and the occasional opportunity for a night away from home – you know a date with my husband.

Fast Forward - March 2007

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-09-25T20:37:46-05:00

So now we have a beautiful eight month old daughter who is a dual citizen of both the USA and Panama., a precious bilingual three year old son and a wonderful life.

2005 - Operations Begin

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-09-21T20:36:32-05:00

We determined that we would need a radio tower over 100 feet tall to clear the tallest trees on Isla Bastimentos in the line of sight from the radio tower on Isla Colon.

2004 - Together at last

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-09-17T20:35:47-05:00

We begin to really see the light at the end of the tunnel however as we get closer it feels like someone pushes the light just out of reach.

2003 - Main lodge building construction

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-09-13T20:34:37-05:00

I move into a garage apartment at my in-law’s house as we think that it will be necessary to move out of Jay’s house soon after the baby is born so it is much easier to move pre baby rather than after the baby is born.

2002 - Building an eco adventure lodge

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-09-09T20:33:36-05:00

As they are sitting outside using a light would attract bugs so they learn all kinds of new skills which may be completed in complete darkness.

2001 - time flies

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-09-04T20:32:32-05:00

I do a lot of yoga, work quite a bit, have lots of migraines, discuss things with family and friends over a few adult beverages and tear out pages from magazines for the house that I will have some day.

Environmental Impact Study

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-08-31T20:31:36-05:00

The things that make construction and ultimately operations a bit of a challenge are the things that make Panama and for that matter, most of Latin America, a great place to vacation - no one is concerned about time here.

Taming the jungle

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-08-27T20:30:58-05:00

The lodge’s location is out of reach of cell phones without an external antennae so all calls were made to and from Bocas Town until such time as the guys acquired and installed an antennae.

And so it begins

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-08-24T20:26:56-05:00

The peninsula was a ways out of town so it wouldn’t have any utilities from town, but it had gorgeous views, and put us much closer to the parts of the archipelago we would explore with our guests on our eco excursions.

It all began with a dream

renee@tranquilobay.com — 2007-08-21T20:22:26-05:00

Panama had so much to offer: land at a reasonable price, currency on par with the US Dollar, an infrastructure much better than other Central American countries, a biological wonderland, an extensive national park system, it was beneath the hurricane belt, its people seemed to be so welcoming and a fair number of them spoke English.