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March 1, 2010 I ventured into the city alone today, a rarity, to pick up my new passport from the American Embassy. I took a taxi out to the embassy, also a rarity, and after a short wait, I received my passport. We had visited the embassy on our first day in Panama City, while we were checking into the country with a hired taxi. We had hired that taxi at a set price of ten dollars per hour, and he had waited for us outside the embassy while we took care of the forms for my new passport. Today however, I took a standard taxi and it was long gone by the time I exited the embassy, miles away from any bus stop. I really hadn’t figured out beforehand how I was going to get back to the anchorage from the embassy, although I knew it was probably going to be a challenge since it’s out in the middle of nowhere. There was plenty of traffic passing by the entrance to the embassy, so I decided to wait on the road, hoping to find an empty cab. Lots of cabs passed, but each one that passed by was already full. Finally, one stops in front of me. Two passengers are already in the back, but they wanted to do a “collectivo” fare. Meaning, we would all split the fare together. I told them I was happy to go whatever direction they were heading, so long as there was a place I could catch a bus nearby. Not a problem, they were heading to a major street that the buses run down. We made small talk, the usual questions any foreigner would get. Where do you come from, how long you staying, etc. After a couple miles, we arrived at a busy street. The two in back ask the driver how much and he replies, “Dos”. I get my dollar ready and he tells me, “Dos”! “No way”, I tell him. “No gringo prices.” I point to each passenger in the back and then myself. “Uno, uno, uno.” “Dos.” He tells me again as the two in back get out and peer into the window to see how this is going to turn out. “No.”, I repeat and toss my dollar onto the dashboard. “No mas.” and I get out of the cab. The taxi driver shrugs his shoulders, grabs the dollar and pulls away. No screeching of tires, no cursing. Just drove off. I guess he figured if I paid the extra dollar, good for him. If not, fine as well. My two former cab mates look at me sheepishly and smile somewhat awkwardly before turning away. Even the cab drivers try to shake you down in Panama.
March 2, 2010 My thumb is healing well. The range of motion is limited but there is no sign of infection in the wound. I guess I got lucky and missed hitting the bone with the drill bit. Greg told me that it would almost guarantee a wicked infection if I had.
I tap in three new screw holes. This time I use a vise to hold the head instead of my hand. I’m a slow learner, but I do learn. Things go well and we re-install the boom vang. A whole lot of effort (and blood) for a piece of equipment that really only belongs on a racing boat. I’m sure I pissed off a lot of sailors with that last remark, but it is arguably true.
March 5, 2010 Our plan to “get even” with Panama for the immigration scam and the Port Captain over charging us, is to check out early from Panama. We aren’t going to leave for a while yet, but Panama doesn’t need to know that. We figure we are down $90 dollars in scammed cash. By checking out early, we will only pay $29 for the one month cruising permit instead of $69 for the three month permit. We will also avoid paying any additional “anchoring fees” beyond today. Our current anchoring fees are $96 U.S. dollars. However, we avoid paying theses fees with a little “incentive” to the Port Captain; $40 for him to waive the anchoring fee. Paying $40 bucks is better than paying $96. So all told, right now we are a little better than even at plus $6 dollars. Also, we are still here. Each day adds another $3 dollars we avoid increasing the anchoring fee to the Port Captain (or a larger “incentive”) and not paying 66 cents a day for the cruising permit. I know it's petty, but we feel ripped off and have no other recourse, so suck on that Panama. For any cruiser passing through here along the pacific side, I say this: Don’t check into Panama. Get your zarpe destination for the Galapagos. The port authority or the navy is not patrolling the anchorages in Panama City. Nobody will ask you for your visa while on land. It’s just not worth the hassle and your money can be spent elsewhere quite easily here. Give your dollars to the people, not the government. ‘Nuff said.
March 8, 2010 The Embera are one of the indigenous groups that inhabit eastern Panama, primarily the Darién Province along the Pacific coast. They have kept themselves isolated from the Spanish (we won't go into the Christian missionary's impacts here) and today there is an estimated 22,000 living in Panama. Several cruisers organized a visit to the Embera Drua village on the Chagres River and we decided it would be an interesting thing to do.
After a two hour car ride from Panama City, we were met at the river by a few of the tribe members who were waiting to take us to their village in dugout canoes, several miles upstream. The village itself is located in the Chagres National Park, which was created to protect the water supply for the Panama Canal. They are located in the basin that fills Gatun Lake. The lake level is critical for the proper operation of the canal locks. Silt is such an issue with the lake, that the tribe cannot farm their own land, having to purchase food from the nearest town. This is one of the reasons why our visit is very important to the village as it brings in much need money to purchase goods from the outside world.
The river is beautiful and scenic, sights we have sorely missed during our stay in Panama City. We pass two other tribal villages on our way up river; we are heading to the most remote village in this region. The river bed becomes shallow the further upriver we travel and we traverse up narrow channels cleared out by the tribesmen. When we arrive at the village, we are met by a man and a small group of boys playing flutes to welcome us.
The village buildings are built above the ground on raised platforms. This is to protect them from wild animals, like jaguars, while they sleep. No lie. Also, there are two parallel walls for some privacy, but by leaving half of the house open, breezes serve to cool the house and keep insects from congregating. The roofs are made of thatch.
After our initial greeting, we are given a demonstration of how the tribe dies young palm leaves and creates the woven bowls and masks that the village is famous for. Then we are served a simple but flavorful meal of fish and fried plantains. After lunch we are allowed to wander around the village. We choose to use this time to visit the medicine man who lives a ways up the mountain.
A short trek takes us to his garden where he cultivates the herbs that have been used for generations, the knowledge passed down from medicine man to medicine man. Stories are told that he has saved limbs from being amputated and cured impotency and cancer. The eldest medicine man was 86 years old! He certainly didn’t look his age.
Back at the village, a display of traditional dance was given by the men and women. This was followed by a short game of basketball, villagers against the visiting youth group. Home court advantage (a dirt court and bare feet for traction) played a big part in the win by the Embera tribe. Jagua is an important fruit in the life of the Embera people. It is used as a black dye to paint people's skins. The pigment remains embedded in the skin until the external layer is naturally exfoliated, generally lasting between 10 to 12 days. It is indelible dark blue or black, like a two-week tattoo. Both men and women practice body painting with the jagua fruit. Some people cover nearly their full body.
After spending several hours with the tribe it was time to head back to civilization. A great experience and one we will not soon forget.
March 12 - 26, 2010 The rest of our time in Panama City is filled with provision runs, new gear for the boat and hanging out with friends. We do pizza (many times), we go bowling (Jodie B-day with s/v Kate) and to the movies (Alice in Wonderland). Our time in Panama City is growing short (thankfully) and other cruisers are leaving everyday, most bound for the Galapagos Islands. We also attend the Latitude 38 (a sf based sail publication) Pacific Puddle Jump meeting. Lat38 decided at the last minute to come down to Panama with the representative from French Polynesia. As it turns out, we had the largest group attendance this season, beating out San Francisco, San Diego, Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta.
March 27 – 31, 2010 840 Miles. Just 840 miles of open water between Panama and our landfall at San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos. It will be our longest passage to date. Everyone should be familiar with the Galapagos Islands, made famous by Charles Darwin’s visit in 1835. It was here the specialized diversity of life helped plant the seed that led to his Origin of Species published many years later.
By noon the following day, 150 miles out, the wind falls to a light breeze and by sunset it is gone. We are left with puffs of wind from the south and east and motor through the night, continuing southwest. The seas are small at 2-3 feet from the south. The next few days the wind fills in from the southeast and we turn Savannah more westward towards the Galapagos. Each night around 2 or 3 am, the winds die out and Jodie motors us till sunrise when the wind picks back up again. We need around 8 knots to sail effectively and most days the wind is in the 10 – 12 knot range. The going is slow, but constant as we average just over a hundred miles a day.
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