Panama.....It`s Not Just About The Canal

Hola. The trip down the Costa Rica coast to Panama begins with a ferry ride from Paquera on the Nicoya Peninsula, across the bay to Puerto Caldera. I’ll take a ferry crossing anytime and this one hour and 10 minute crossing proved to be another great outing for coastal views and bird sightings.

We have been fortunate enough to have sailed numerable times, but without a doubt, smaller ships are our preference. Instead of 3000 to 4000 of loud, obese and inappropriately dressed “travelers” we are a small group of 184 passengers including ourselves. As always, there is still the element of the loud and the ignorant but at least not in terms of the numbers. The advantages are numerous but not limited to the smaller ports of call one can visit and the quality of accommodation and dining one can enjoy. Sure, you don’t have the smoky bright casinos, Broadway show spectacles and musical extravaganzas, but we don’t care as we are usually in bed before 21:30 anyway and up at 06:30 for a workout or a walk around the deck. The guest naturalist and friendly interaction with ship crew and personnel is all the entertainment we need. Where else would you get to share a cab to the local market with the executive chef to pick up some fresh fruit and vegetables or hang out with the Captain on the bridge.

We are treated to remote ports of call where zodiac pontoons are the sole method of disembarkation. Places such as Bahia Drake (where Sir Francis Drake first landed in Costa Rica) Golfo Dulce and Isla de Coiba are places unchartered by the masses and the lack of infrastructure and services makes these destinations far more interesting from both a cultural and environmental standpoint. The remote beaches are always welcome as the fauna, flora and crystal clear waters are a relaxing respite from the hordes and thrill seekers. The weather has been outstanding from the outset but we both agree that the exceedingly warm and humid conditions, in addition to the lack of trade wind breezes, makes our cabin a well anticipated sanctuary.

The Panama Canal is to be a highlight and a bucket list checkmark. Arriving at the port city of Balboa, Panama, the entrance to the canal from the Pacific side is anticipated with great enthusiasm. I was expecting a small town but the metropolis of Panama City peering through the heavy haze is like something out of promotional video. Tall skyscrapers in vast numbers are astonishing to me but I suppose, not surprisingly, considering the importance of this major world waterway. Though the canal plays a major role in the prosperity of the country, international banking, bananas and a free trade zone, second only to Hong Kong also play a key role.

A visit to the Biodiversity Museum brings to the forefront the importance of the Central American rainforests with the seemly unlimited plant and animal resources which are critical to development of new medicines. Unfortunately, many of both the plant and animal species have been lost forever and some are critically threatened. Who knows, perhaps the cure for cancer has been lost due to our own neglect and carelessness.

Touring old Panama City is culturally impressive as the Spanish architecture is protected, and this region has been declared a UNESCO heritage site. The crowds are extremely large as it is Good Friday and many locals in addition to tourists want to visit and tour the Panama Canal Tourist Center.

The principle reason for coming here was to experience the crossing of the Panama Canal in its entirety. We were not to be disappointed with this declared modern engineering wonder of the world. To experience the night time crossing was special. True, I would have preferred to cross during the day but I think the night crossing brought about a special mystique, as we met gigantic container, cargo and LNG ships going from the Atlantic in the north to the Pacific in the south, on the opposite parallel canal. (You’ll have to take my word for it that the canal goes north to south and not east to west or look it up a map) The electric locomotives, shuttling back and forth, keep us centered in the middle of the locks. Aided by the pilot who boarded at the entrance to the canal, he is solely responsible for the crossing. The system which opened in 1914 operates by natural gravity, as the waters from a manmade lake raise and lower the six locks for the 8 hour crossing. The history and engineering marvel make this endeavour is both interesting and impressive.

Well, this entry will conclude our winter 2016 travel adventure. Where to next? Lots of ideas but nothing concrete as of yet. A little down time, but not too long I would imagine, before I get the travel bug again. I’ll keep you posted. We hope you have enjoyed sailing around with us and to all of you, Happy Easter. Pura Vita. Hosta Luego.