Gunkholing Part 2

We’ve spent some more time sailing amongst the islands and reefs of Bocas Del Toro. Here is some more of what we have seen.

One of our favorite spots is Starfish Beach. Beautiful sand and warm water. Lots of restaurants that will feed you and ply you with drinks. Then charge you to use their washrooms (bano’s)

Across the channel from Starfish Beach is a 5 mile long “river’. Once you drag the dinghy over the sand bar at the entrance you can enjoy a leisurely trip through the jungle. Always keeping in mind that you may meet a crocodile and you are not at the top of the food chain anymore.

In another bay we found Isaac, (pictured here with Marg from our buddy boat Deek n Blews) who runs tours of his farm and the surrounding jungle. In the process we see what they grow and how they live. We met most of his extended family on the tour.

We anchored off of the small village of Old Bank on Bastimentos Island, took the dinghies to shore and walked around.

Bocas Town is the “major” center and we stopped there a few time for a meal out, provisions, parts and garbage disposal. This particular Friday evening the restaurant at the marina had a blues trio playing so we made plans for dinner and music.

We have spent three weeks putting around Bocas Del Toro and its time to move on. We made the 120 mile overnight run from the island chain back towards Colon. We stopped in the Chagres River and then next day proceeded to Puerto Bello.

With a history dating back to the very early European explorers and pirates, Puerto Bello was once an important port and link to goods to and from the west coast of the Americas and Europe. As a result it was a target of various nations and privateers and has the ruins of several forts that were built and attacked over the centuries to prove it.

After drying out we are headed for the San Blas Archipelago.