Panama Log
Back in the Pacific again!!! It is great to be back.
We had an easy and lucky for us uneventful panama canal passage. I now come to think Panama
is the land of the big ditch and the big paper pushing bureaucracy . Nothing gets done here
without many people, tons of paperwork, fees paid, etc. A prime example would be our visit to the
port captain to clear out of panama. First we provide copies of boat papers, crew list, passports,
etc to an office with two ladies. We fill out a form and they type up one for us. I then pay 12
dollars and think I am done. No we then take that form to another office where we provide copies
of crew list, boat papers, fill out another form and pay 1.50 in fees. That guy then spends lots of
time typing our exit papers then has to go to another room for yet another stamp and basically
after 45 min we are cleared out of the country. Of course then off to immigration via the copy shop
to provide yet another crew list, boat papers, cruising permit, exit papers, etc and now our
passports are stamped out! Sadly that is how just about everything in this country gets done so
nothing is quick except the insane taxi drivers.
So far what we have seen of the country is nice. We have seen sloths in the trees, croc tracks on
the beach, turtle tracks from laying eggs, whales, dolphins, caught many fish, and are currently
awaiting a Tsunami alert for tonight with fingers crossed! The pacific side has lots of sea life
unlike the caribbean side and we are happy to be back.
Coiba national park is well worth the visit if you are a diver! We saw two large frog fish, rays,
jumping rays, beautiful soft corals, low vis, ok vis, cold, warm, current, none, etc. There are sharks
on most dives and more importantly you just never know what you might see on a dive here. It is
sort of an intro to cocos or galapagos. Now the park fees are 20 bucks a person (one time fee)
and the killer is 60 bucks a night for the boat! Ok that hurts, but certainly worth it when you like to
dive. The best diving is at the NW corner by the park office and there are lots of white buoys to tie
a dingy to (too flimsy for tying the big boat to).