mangroves in the rain
December 22, 2007 Filed in: Trip Reports
Area: Close to Tranquilo Bay
Activity: Kayaking & Snorkeling
Weather: Rainy
A great excursion close to Tranquilo Bay is kayaking your way through a series of canals naturally etched in the mangrove forests. When the weather is less than cooperative, this is a nice way to get out and still be within reach of the creature comforts. 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. To me, the rain just enhances the experience and it also reminds you that it is not called the rainforest for nothing. In these enchanted canals you get to see a plethora of wildlife, who don’t take shelter because of the rain but rather go about their daily business. One can see animals such as white faced capuchins, an assortment of birds ranging from Osprey to Kingfishers, upside down jellyfish and of course all types of tropical fish. We donned snorkel and mask and took to the water since we were already wet and swam the edges of the mangrove lagoons. They are rich and diverse, teaming with life and allow for vast amounts of time to be spent searching their marvels. Mangroves in the rain shed a little light on what could be just a rainy day.
Activity: Kayaking & Snorkeling
Weather: Rainy
A great excursion close to Tranquilo Bay is kayaking your way through a series of canals naturally etched in the mangrove forests. When the weather is less than cooperative, this is a nice way to get out and still be within reach of the creature comforts. 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. To me, the rain just enhances the experience and it also reminds you that it is not called the rainforest for nothing. In these enchanted canals you get to see a plethora of wildlife, who don’t take shelter because of the rain but rather go about their daily business. One can see animals such as white faced capuchins, an assortment of birds ranging from Osprey to Kingfishers, upside down jellyfish and of course all types of tropical fish. We donned snorkel and mask and took to the water since we were already wet and swam the edges of the mangrove lagoons. They are rich and diverse, teaming with life and allow for vast amounts of time to be spent searching their marvels. Mangroves in the rain shed a little light on what could be just a rainy day.
storm of color
December 01, 2007 Filed in: Trip Reports
Area: Zapatilla Cayes, Bocas del Toro,
Panama
Activities: Walking, Swimming, Beachcombing, Relaxing
Weather: Gorgeous!
The sky has turned to blue. In this part of the world, rain takes on a different meaning and you begin to become accustomed to it especially as it is the start of the of one of the wetter times of year. Today however the sky has opened and with it my idea of just how picture perfect the view in front of me really is. Blues and greens in every shade known to the human eye, it is a storm of color replacing the thunder and rain of the last few days. After some eggs, toast, jam and strong coffee we were off to soak up the day. A boat, some ocean kayaks and snorkel gear and we were off to explore the turquoise waters of the Zapatilla Cayes that reside in the Bastimentos National Marine Park. After a short walk around the island to survey our surroundings we decided it was time to cool off. So we went for a swim – over and over again. 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.
Activities: Walking, Swimming, Beachcombing, Relaxing
Weather: Gorgeous!
The sky has turned to blue. In this part of the world, rain takes on a different meaning and you begin to become accustomed to it especially as it is the start of the of one of the wetter times of year. Today however the sky has opened and with it my idea of just how picture perfect the view in front of me really is. Blues and greens in every shade known to the human eye, it is a storm of color replacing the thunder and rain of the last few days. After some eggs, toast, jam and strong coffee we were off to soak up the day. A boat, some ocean kayaks and snorkel gear and we were off to explore the turquoise waters of the Zapatilla Cayes that reside in the Bastimentos National Marine Park. After a short walk around the island to survey our surroundings we decided it was time to cool off. So we went for a swim – over and over again. 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
November 30, 2007 Filed in: Trip Reports
Area: Bocas del Toro, Panama (Mainland
Panama)
Activities: Chocolate Farm Tour & Chance Ocelot Sighting
Weather: Sunny and Windy
After a very filling breakfast of Pixbae Pancakes (made from scratch) it was decided that our morning excursion was going to be a visit to a chocolate farm on the mainland called Green Acres. This beautiful farm is owned by Dave and Linda Cerutti who came to Panama from San Diego almost ten years ago. The boat ride out was breezy and allowed us to shake off some of the heat that persistently resides close to the shores of these lowland Caribbean islands.
After our arrival and introduction we were treated to something special, something that could not be planned. Dave had apparently saved an Ocelot as a cub from a life of imprisonment in a nearby town. He had seen it in a cage and offered to buy the cat so she could be set free. Now she lives in the jungle however, she occasionally comes for a visit to the farm. This relationship you have to see to believe. So, there we were getting ready for our tour, when out of the foliage comes this magnificent animal strolling towards us in a very nonchalant manner. We were all awestruck and frozen because it was not expected nor could one ever be ready for such an approach. I just about passed out when it started rubbing and licking my leg. After an explanation from Dave and Linda we let our guard down and enjoyed the company of this truly wild animal.
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. This was truly a day filled with education and enlightenment, the kind you only get by traveling through this mystic and mysterious part of the world.
Activities: Chocolate Farm Tour & Chance Ocelot Sighting
Weather: Sunny and Windy
After a very filling breakfast of Pixbae Pancakes (made from scratch) it was decided that our morning excursion was going to be a visit to a chocolate farm on the mainland called Green Acres. This beautiful farm is owned by Dave and Linda Cerutti who came to Panama from San Diego almost ten years ago. The boat ride out was breezy and allowed us to shake off some of the heat that persistently resides close to the shores of these lowland Caribbean islands.
After our arrival and introduction we were treated to something special, something that could not be planned. Dave had apparently saved an Ocelot as a cub from a life of imprisonment in a nearby town. He had seen it in a cage and offered to buy the cat so she could be set free. Now she lives in the jungle however, she occasionally comes for a visit to the farm. This relationship you have to see to believe. So, there we were getting ready for our tour, when out of the foliage comes this magnificent animal strolling towards us in a very nonchalant manner. We were all awestruck and frozen because it was not expected nor could one ever be ready for such an approach. I just about passed out when it started rubbing and licking my leg. After an explanation from Dave and Linda we let our guard down and enjoyed the company of this truly wild animal.
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. This was truly a day filled with education and enlightenment, the kind you only get by traveling through this mystic and mysterious part of the world.
base camp or temporary office?
October 10, 2007 Filed in: Trip Reports
Area: Zapatilla Cay, Bocas del Toro,
Panama
Activities: Snorkel, kayak, swim
Weather: Sunny and clear and glassy seas
Sunrise this morning was incredible and the Caribbean’s surface was like a mirror. I could see my reflection in the water while driving 30 Mph over its surface, beautiful. The air was crisp and the Talamanca Mountains were crystal clear, backed by white streaks across a blue sky. Neil and Sue arrived in Bocas del Toro on the morning flight at 8:00 AM; their flight must have been beautiful. Their mission was to escape fall in Birmingham, England, and enjoy a week of adventure in Panama. I am sure they were admiring the clear panoramic view of Panama’s mountains and beaches during their flight. I would have been scanning the oceans surface for schools of tuna, or whale sharks.
We arrived to Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge at about 9:45 AM and Neil and Sue were ready to “get on with it”. We had our lunches prepared and packed for the beach, and then loaded the boat with kayaks and snorkel gear. We made it to Zapatilla Cay, a small island in Bastimentos National Marine Park, about 10:30 AM.
We unpacked the boat and set up our temporary office for the day. Three chairs and two igloo coolers, under just about any shade tree, makes a great office. Once base camp was fully operational, we wasted no time getting in the water to snorkel. Neil and Sue instantly fell in love with the water temperature. We chose to snorkel a wall section just off the Eastern tip of the Island. The visibility wasn’t perfect, but the fish were sure cooperating. We saw several big schools of snapper, and one of the biggest yellow tail snapper I have ever seen. There were blue schools of doctor and surgeonfish, neon blue spotted yellow tailed damsels, purple and gold Spanish hogfish, parrot fish, angelfish, butterfly fish, and wrasses. It was a great swim.
Snorkeling for about an hour and a half can work up an appetite, so we returned to the office to eat lunch. On the beach picnic menu today was a roast beef sandwich with mozzarella cheese, lettuce and tomato on fresh baked olive focacia bread followed by homemade peanut butter cookies. From under our carefully chosen shade tree, we ate our lunch while looking across the beach and over the turquoise hued Caribbean, to the Talamanca Mountains in the distance.
Feeling rejuvenated, we decided to circumnavigate Zapatilla Cay by kayak. 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. A few hungry hound fish also decide to jump in on the buffet. We saw brown pelicans, black hawks, kingfishers, magnificent frigates, terns, and humming birds feeding on the blooming sea grapes. The almond trees were also in bloom and attracting birds of all sorts. On the windward side of the Island we paddled further out over the coral reef shelf and watched schools of brilliantly colored tropical fish scurry for the safety of the ledge.
Our return to base camp, to tap the igloo for some ice cold drinks, was just in time. For the next two hours we just sat in the water and watched an electrical storm brew in the mountains far away. The lightning bolts were spectacular and a rainbow aura of the full color spectrum blew off the tops of the highest clouds. What a befitting ending to an incredible day.
Activities: Snorkel, kayak, swim
Weather: Sunny and clear and glassy seas
Sunrise this morning was incredible and the Caribbean’s surface was like a mirror. I could see my reflection in the water while driving 30 Mph over its surface, beautiful. The air was crisp and the Talamanca Mountains were crystal clear, backed by white streaks across a blue sky. Neil and Sue arrived in Bocas del Toro on the morning flight at 8:00 AM; their flight must have been beautiful. Their mission was to escape fall in Birmingham, England, and enjoy a week of adventure in Panama. I am sure they were admiring the clear panoramic view of Panama’s mountains and beaches during their flight. I would have been scanning the oceans surface for schools of tuna, or whale sharks.
We arrived to Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge at about 9:45 AM and Neil and Sue were ready to “get on with it”. We had our lunches prepared and packed for the beach, and then loaded the boat with kayaks and snorkel gear. We made it to Zapatilla Cay, a small island in Bastimentos National Marine Park, about 10:30 AM.
We unpacked the boat and set up our temporary office for the day. Three chairs and two igloo coolers, under just about any shade tree, makes a great office. Once base camp was fully operational, we wasted no time getting in the water to snorkel. Neil and Sue instantly fell in love with the water temperature. We chose to snorkel a wall section just off the Eastern tip of the Island. The visibility wasn’t perfect, but the fish were sure cooperating. We saw several big schools of snapper, and one of the biggest yellow tail snapper I have ever seen. There were blue schools of doctor and surgeonfish, neon blue spotted yellow tailed damsels, purple and gold Spanish hogfish, parrot fish, angelfish, butterfly fish, and wrasses. It was a great swim.
Snorkeling for about an hour and a half can work up an appetite, so we returned to the office to eat lunch. On the beach picnic menu today was a roast beef sandwich with mozzarella cheese, lettuce and tomato on fresh baked olive focacia bread followed by homemade peanut butter cookies. From under our carefully chosen shade tree, we ate our lunch while looking across the beach and over the turquoise hued Caribbean, to the Talamanca Mountains in the distance.
Feeling rejuvenated, we decided to circumnavigate Zapatilla Cay by kayak. 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. A few hungry hound fish also decide to jump in on the buffet. We saw brown pelicans, black hawks, kingfishers, magnificent frigates, terns, and humming birds feeding on the blooming sea grapes. The almond trees were also in bloom and attracting birds of all sorts. On the windward side of the Island we paddled further out over the coral reef shelf and watched schools of brilliantly colored tropical fish scurry for the safety of the ledge.
Our return to base camp, to tap the igloo for some ice cold drinks, was just in time. For the next two hours we just sat in the water and watched an electrical storm brew in the mountains far away. The lightning bolts were spectacular and a rainbow aura of the full color spectrum blew off the tops of the highest clouds. What a befitting ending to an incredible day.
volunteer repair work @ bastimentos national marine park
August 10, 2007 Filed in: Trip Reports
Tranquilo Bay volunteered to do some dock repair work at Bastimentos National Marine Park. In recent months, in two different places, trees had fallen across the elevated wooden walking trail named Sendero Interprativo El Boque Detras del Arrecife on Zapatilla Key (translated as forest path within the coral reef). 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.
Our employees, Enrique Robinson, July Robinson and Adalberto Baker gathered up the necessary tools to fix the broken walkways and we set off in one of our boats for the Zapatilla Cayes. Upon arrival at the park we were met by Samuel and Richard. Samuel went about his regular duties of collecting park entrance fees and Richard accompanied the volunteers and helped with the repairs.
The first damaged spot was the worst. Four posts had been driven over a foot down into the soil by the weight of a fallen tree. Two car jacks had to be used to return them to the correct level. The lumber that was used to make the walkway is called Nespero. This is a particularly hard wood and much time was spent just pulling nails out of it and putting new ones in. About six nails were bent to each one that got put in. The first repair was finished at about 12:30 pm.
No one had expected the job to take so long and we still had another spot to fix. Coconut milk and coconut meat served as lunch.
The second damaged area was not as bad. Only two posts had been pushed down by a second fallen tree. The pulling and driving of nails was still a problem, but in the end the walkway was returned to its original state.
The crew packed up and headed back to Tranquilo Bay at about 4 pm.
Mr. Bonilla was coming out the following day to meet with his employees and have a look at the repairs.
accidents happen
July 19, 2007 Filed in: Trip Reports
Excursion: Rio Mananti
Exploration
Area: Rio Mananti, Bocas del Toro, Panama
Weather: Clear skies sunny and warm
This is David Moseley’s fourth trip to Tranquilo Bay; hence we have learned that he has an insatiable appetite for two things, exploration and fishing. When you put the two together, he seems to be in another world, but then again, maybe this time he was.
The archipelago of Bocas del Toro is one strange place. After 8 years of exploration one would expect a sense of normalcy to set in, well, it never has. Not for me, and not for David, who has visited a unique and different area on each of his explorations in Bocas del Toro. He always asks, “Where does it all end? Well David, perhaps it never does, I am still looking for the answer.
Today we (me, David, Jay & our friend John) went up a river that was not on the map. The discovery was a complete accident, but this is precisely how we have made some of our most unique discoveries.
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. This was characteristic of the area we were looking for and therefore temporarily fooled us.
What a great surprise, the scenery was stunning. There were huge stands of White, Black, and Red Mangroves whose roots entered the river from its banks to soak up the brackish water. Just after the mouth, the little river was completely enclosed by canopy. Multiple species of hardwood trees, palms, bamboos, bromeliads, orchids, and vines engulfed all space.
The wildlife was incredible, we immediately spotted three species of Kingfishers, multiple species of Herons and Cranes, and later a Collared Aracari. We saw a huge Green Basilisk lizard fall into the river from a tree branch and proceeded to “walk on water” all the way to the riverbank. His transition from water to land was seamless.
After just a few kilometers we came upon a Ngobe Bugle Indian woman fishing from her cayuco, a type of hand made dugout canoe crafted from a single tree. She had ten or so fish, representing several different species of beautiful Cichlids. She also informed us that we were up the Rio Koy, not the Rio Mananti.
Anyhow, not a bad accident if you ask me. One thing is for certain, we will be going back to the Rio Koy.
It is difficult to find the Rio Mananti because its mouth is a maze of multiple entrances, all well guarded by large sand and soft bottom flats. One had better know the local tides, and we were there on a rise allowing us to safely backtrack for several hours. After navigating some awfully skinny water for several kilometers, we just couldn’t find a way in. After disturbing multiple pods of bait, we decided that was enough searching, and that it was time to fish.
David Moseley a.k.a. “Mo”, owns a website called Wadefishing.com, and I want to let you know that he travels prepared to do just that anywhere he goes. After outfitting our crew with the latest in wade fishing technology, we hit the flats.
For about an hour we waded the sand bars and soft bottom flats in front of the various river mouths. There were huge schools of bait in the water, and right off the bat Jay thinks he sees a Tarpon. He couldn’t really pursue, because he had the boat tied off to his waist and was towing it along while he fished. The fish was fining and made its way over to John, but he was just out of range, and never got the fish to turn. We were casting these sweet Shimano bait casting set ups that Mo brought with all different kinds of baits. We threw plastics, crank baits, and top water plugs. We spooked several fish while wading, but never made a positive identification. We landed a couple of nice Jack Crevalle.
While fishing, we spotted a cayuco going in through a little obscure cut we had not yet tried, we quickly hopped in the boat to follow, knowing that sometimes a little local knowledge is the only way. Finally, and without getting stuck, we made our way into one of the branches of the Rio Mananti. With the help of a family, who was farming a small piece of land on the riverbank, we drove around exploring a few of the river forks and found the main branch.
With the sun low in the sky, we decided to save that adventure for Mo’s next trip to Panama, and asked ourselves again, where does it all end?
Area: Rio Mananti, Bocas del Toro, Panama
Weather: Clear skies sunny and warm
This is David Moseley’s fourth trip to Tranquilo Bay; hence we have learned that he has an insatiable appetite for two things, exploration and fishing. When you put the two together, he seems to be in another world, but then again, maybe this time he was.
The archipelago of Bocas del Toro is one strange place. After 8 years of exploration one would expect a sense of normalcy to set in, well, it never has. Not for me, and not for David, who has visited a unique and different area on each of his explorations in Bocas del Toro. He always asks, “Where does it all end? Well David, perhaps it never does, I am still looking for the answer.
Today we (me, David, Jay & our friend John) went up a river that was not on the map. The discovery was a complete accident, but this is precisely how we have made some of our most unique discoveries.
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. This was characteristic of the area we were looking for and therefore temporarily fooled us.
What a great surprise, the scenery was stunning. There were huge stands of White, Black, and Red Mangroves whose roots entered the river from its banks to soak up the brackish water. Just after the mouth, the little river was completely enclosed by canopy. Multiple species of hardwood trees, palms, bamboos, bromeliads, orchids, and vines engulfed all space.
The wildlife was incredible, we immediately spotted three species of Kingfishers, multiple species of Herons and Cranes, and later a Collared Aracari. We saw a huge Green Basilisk lizard fall into the river from a tree branch and proceeded to “walk on water” all the way to the riverbank. His transition from water to land was seamless.
After just a few kilometers we came upon a Ngobe Bugle Indian woman fishing from her cayuco, a type of hand made dugout canoe crafted from a single tree. She had ten or so fish, representing several different species of beautiful Cichlids. She also informed us that we were up the Rio Koy, not the Rio Mananti.
Anyhow, not a bad accident if you ask me. One thing is for certain, we will be going back to the Rio Koy.
It is difficult to find the Rio Mananti because its mouth is a maze of multiple entrances, all well guarded by large sand and soft bottom flats. One had better know the local tides, and we were there on a rise allowing us to safely backtrack for several hours. After navigating some awfully skinny water for several kilometers, we just couldn’t find a way in. After disturbing multiple pods of bait, we decided that was enough searching, and that it was time to fish.
David Moseley a.k.a. “Mo”, owns a website called Wadefishing.com, and I want to let you know that he travels prepared to do just that anywhere he goes. After outfitting our crew with the latest in wade fishing technology, we hit the flats.
For about an hour we waded the sand bars and soft bottom flats in front of the various river mouths. There were huge schools of bait in the water, and right off the bat Jay thinks he sees a Tarpon. He couldn’t really pursue, because he had the boat tied off to his waist and was towing it along while he fished. The fish was fining and made its way over to John, but he was just out of range, and never got the fish to turn. We were casting these sweet Shimano bait casting set ups that Mo brought with all different kinds of baits. We threw plastics, crank baits, and top water plugs. We spooked several fish while wading, but never made a positive identification. We landed a couple of nice Jack Crevalle.
While fishing, we spotted a cayuco going in through a little obscure cut we had not yet tried, we quickly hopped in the boat to follow, knowing that sometimes a little local knowledge is the only way. Finally, and without getting stuck, we made our way into one of the branches of the Rio Mananti. With the help of a family, who was farming a small piece of land on the riverbank, we drove around exploring a few of the river forks and found the main branch.
With the sun low in the sky, we decided to save that adventure for Mo’s next trip to Panama, and asked ourselves again, where does it all end?
bahia honda kayak
July 07, 2007 Filed in: Trip Reports
Today I accompanied Joel and Lauren from Boston on a
kayak trip to paddle Bahia Honda Creek. The weather was
overcast and cool, with a couple of little showers
throughout the day. Just as we entered the mangrove
entrance at the mouth of the creek, we were swooped on
by two different species of kingfisher birds. 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. The canopy forms as red, black, and
white mangroves converge overhead forming a bridge for
animals to pass over the creek. We stopped and watched
a mother 3-toed sloth cross directly above us as her
baby clung to her belly. We also spotted several
speckled caiman and took some great photos. After our
paddle, it was off to see some Caligo butterflies at La
Loma. During a short hike at La Loma, we spotted
another sloth carrying a baby, several lizards and some
amphibians. Joel and Lauren just couldn’t get enough,
so when we returned home, we hiked for another hour and
a half at Tranquilo Bay. The birding was excellent, we
encountered gold collared manakins, tityras, pale
vented pigeons, Montezuma oropendolas, lineated
woodpeckers, red lored amazons, and blue headed
parrots. Lauren practiced her macro photography and
took some nice shots of poison dart frogs, leaf cutter
ants, and a beautiful cicada. Believe it or not, Joel
and Lauren still had enough energy to go take a swim,
but then again, it was their last day.
punta valiente hike
July 06, 2007 Filed in: Trip Reports
We made a trip to Punta Valiente, which is located in
the Nogbe Bugle Indian Reservation, with clients Joel
and Lauren. We first visited the small (fifty
inhabitants) Nogbe village named Punta Valiente. 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. The villagers were very grateful for the
ice. We then contracted one of the elder villagers,
Constantino, to guide us to the top of a two hundred
meter hill behind the village. The trail we walked
passes through the villages food crops. As we walked
Constantino pointed out all of the vegetation that they
planted. Such things as otoi, dashine, yucca,
plantains(several varieties), cocoa, bananas(several
varieties), bread fruit, coconuts and a variety of
other tropical fruits. At the peak of the hill we were
shown the ruins of an abandoned U.S. Military
radio/lookout tower. The tower was installed during
WW2. Also at the peak our guide cut down some young
coconuts and obliged us to try the water inside to
quench our thirst. This water is referred to as agua de
pipa. It is very refreshing and we all enjoyed taking a
moment to look out at the ocean and see the village
from this vantage point. This excursion took about two
hours and afterwards we got back in the boat and headed
for another even smaller Indian village called
Ensenada. Here we stopped to eat our lunch and make the
short hike across this portion of the peninsula to a
beach. We ate our lunch on the covered porch of the
local grocery store and visited with the locals about
current events in the province. The walk over to the
beach was about fifteen minutes, and well worth it. The
sun came out for us and we enjoyed swimming in the surf
for more than an hour before we returned to the boat
for the forty minute return trip to Tranquilo Bay.
sea turtle study and tagging
May 24, 2007 Filed in: Trip Reports
Doctors Anne & Peter Meylan have been studying the
sea turtle population here in Bocas del Toro for some
time now. Peter spent one night with us here at
Tranquilo Bay. 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.
