It’s been a very hectic few days since our arrival into Panama with lots happening.

Following a long 14 hour flight, a 6 hour connection followed by another 6 hours finally we are in Panama only to find that Copa Air has lost our truck spring. We broke the Fuso Canter front main leaf spring on our last travels, way back in Belize, had it welded, and have driven very cautiously ever since. Back home I had a replacement made now we must wait to see if actually arrives. Not happy !

Sunday afternoon we caught up with our travelling companions John and Elizabeth and wandered around the old city of Panama. Returning to Hotel Agua Miel and still no truck spring...GRRRR.

Monday we awake to a big black spring in the foyer of the hotel. It’s starting to look good, and today is “let’s get the truck day”.

Amy arrives at the prearranged time of 8.45 and the morning is spent running back and forth, between the storage place and Aduana (Customs). Just in time before the lunch break we have our vehicle. All over the back and roof of the vehicle is covered with a light green mould, anywhere that is not painted is surface rust, however inside is looking good. The start battery was considerably down but a quick flick from the solar charged house batteries and the motor was gently coerced into life. Needless to say the afternoon and into the evening was getting things back into place.

Camp was at the Balboa Cruising Yacht Club.

Together with John & Eliz we meet the others that are also container loading on Wednesday. One, a lone young traveller from Canada and a South African couple in a Landcruiser.

Tuesday 23 July:

Now that we have our vehicle out of customs bond and back as a ‘Temporary Import’ , today will be the day to cancel the ‘Temporary Import’ in preparation for exporting the truck to Colombia. That includes vehicle inspections, copious copies of just about every document we have and some we didn’t, then getting all these papers signed off.

In between we tried without success to get our Brazil entry visas ( maybe in Bogota / Colombia) but we did manage to have the front spring fitted. By 3pm all is done !!

Amongst all this John and Elizabeth have also managed to organise a place on a catamaran cursing the Caribbean from Colon on the Atlantic side to Cartagena/Colombia. On the ‘Santana’ we spend 5 days of which 3 are through the beautiful San Blas Islands. All for only $100 more than the airfare!     The last 2 days may...be rough seas!!

See: www.colombiapanamasailing.com

In preparation for loading the containers in Colon tomorrow, we drive to the Atlantic side of the Panama Peninsula.

Cross the Panama Canal at Gautan Locks. We are now camped in the Shelter Bay Cruising Yacht Club grounds. Great spot overlooking the Colon city and the armada of ships waiting to enter the Panama canal.

Camp 285: Shelter Bay Cruising Yacht Club

Cost: Nil

N09* 22.355   W079* 56.900

Today :  150 Kms.  

Wednesday 24th July:

Last night was quiet with only the lapping of the waves. Meeting Amy at the local shopping centre it was again off to Aduana for more copies of everything and signing. This time proving that our trucks are going to leave Panama and thus can be signed out of our passports.

Now the port was 3 more copies of everything and much waiting.

Our actual loading into the container of John’s and my vehicle took less than half an hour yet it took from 10am to 4pm to achieve this.

All the other time was just waiting for an antiquated system that cannot cope with modern times.

Well that was an experience.

200 passengers in a 80 seater bus doing up to 100KPH along country roads. When the twin 6 inch exhaust pipes were not pushing black smoke into the air, the brakes were screaming that piercing screeching noise.

Hay, and then there was the ultra loud local music what pulsed through the bus.

It’s now dark and almost at the end of the bus run we arrive at Puerto Lindo and get off at Anne's place, our accommodation for the next 2 nights before we board our catamaran bound for Colombia.

Anne is big, friendly and welcoming. After a refreshing shower we are invited to the local village for a family meal on the street.

Camp 286: Anne’s Place-Puerto Lindo

Cost: US$50/night incl breakfast

N09* 36.064   W079* 35.274

Today :  50 Kms.  

Trip Total: 96,785  Kms

Thursday 25th July:

Out in the bay we see the ‘Santana’ our catamaran to Colombia.

At night we meet Captain Gisbet and the other 10 young backpacker passengers over a few beers and a prawn dinner.

Friday 26th July:  At 7am we are on the small wharf and transferred to Santana. It’s a 50’ and quite reasonable room for the 15 passengers and 3 crew.

We have a double bed in the open cabin.

The weather starts well, then as we hit open water the chop and swell increase until all on board are feeling quite green.

This continues for about 5 hours until we get close to the San Blas Islands then the waters calm.

The islands are so low to the water. 365 tropical coconut fringed idilic atolls.

Some with just one tree, others big enough for one family burro.

Camp 287: San Blass Islands

Cost: $525/person for 5 days all inclusive Colon to Cartagena

N09* 33.874   W078* 51.669

Today :  80 Kms.  

Trip Total: 96,865  Kms

Sunday 28th July:

The last two days we have been cruising thorough the San Blas Islands.

Stopping during the day from time to time to snorkel the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean

We are also visited by the local indigenous peoples to sell us Lobster, fresh fish and some souvenirs.

The lobsters were $5 to $10 each and delicious !

The Kuna peoples were originally from the Darian Highlands but were forced from their lands by another tribe. This other tribe had discovered the toxic poison from the red frog and became the dominant tribe forcing the Kuna to seek new land.

Settling on these low coral atolls in such beautiful surroundings seams the better option.

Occasionally we catch fish from the trawling lines, shark and a spanish mackerel.

Our final stop is on a very small one tree island for more snorkelling around one of the many ship wrecks that dot this coast line.

At 5pm we leave the calm of the inner reef and cross into open water.

Ahead is 300km open water trip to Cartagena.

This will take some 40 hours.

During travel on Sunday night we are hit by gail force winds that throw the boat constantly.

Monday morning we are still riding the swells but then lessen as the day continues.

During the travel we see no land only a flat horizon in every direction. The 3000metre deep waters are the colour of the finest sapphire.

Arrived into Cartagena at 7am Tuesday morning.

We add a big recommendation for the sailing Panama/Cartagena. On board with Gisbet and his Santana was good plentiful food, clean boat, and a good captain.

www.colombiapanamasailing.com

Camp 288: Hostel Real

Cost: US$25/person