[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BjKNm415aJQ/UVSIaock98I/AAAAAAAAUMA/PPTLIuXAYGs/s144-c-o/P3171896.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage13PanamaBoarderColombiaPacificToBoarderColombiaCaribbean#5860459006231115714″ caption=”The tiny beach in the mangroves, full of no-seeums” type=”image” alt=”P3171896.JPG” ]

Pos: here
Loc: Isla Naranjo Abajo
Acc: tent
Dist: 29,3 km
Start: 6:25 End: 15:00

I was reading my book and eating my dinner last night by the shine of my headlamp, thinking I can only be alone here tonight, when a flash light shone into my tent, and someone was saying “Hola”…two guys were standing outside, obviously wanting to talk. They said something like “being solo…” or such, and I only replied “No hablamos Espanol”, probably unfriendly enough, and as I kept on reading and eating inside my tent, they hovered away again. But my peace and night rest was surely disturbed for a while.

The two guys must have come via boat to the ramp, unheard by me, as I then heard and saw their lights in a boat floating in the bay here and there. Probably just friendly nice fishermen guys wanting to check in on their neighbours, but in the darkness I didn’t really liked to be approached. I think they must have been the same guys breaking through the landslide this afternoon, checking the state of the ramp for tonight. Another small boat came also by, but I eventually kept on reading and fell soon asleep. Nothing happened all night. We were launching both in the morning out to sea at the same time, they came from the other side of the river mouth. A friendly wave, that was it.

The sea was calming down already last afternoon, and the big area from yesterday was this morning still big, but doable. Further along the coast, the sea went  down a little, and I was sensing rightly: where the deep water channels are, is the very high sea here. No breakers on a river bar, but just deep water. The same happened at the canal entrance, bigger seas again. I hurried across the break water entrance, luckily no one bothered me or stopped me. The pilot boat just at the entrance of the northern breakwater was hidden inside, and didn’t see me at all, I assume. And the BIG ships just had a break when I crossed. Good. I also crossed the second entrance a bit further out, still big seas, and my energy level was draining…headwinds were today around 15 knots, a little less than yesterday.

I decided to cross Bahia Los Minas with it’s ugly buildings, and to see if I’d find a beach on one of those two islands at the end. about 30 km today, I decided this is enough in those conditions! I didn’t want to wear myself out again, needing another full day’s break tomorrow…

The pretty white beach came on the first island, and it showed to be tiny, but just about enough for my tent! Fully sheltered, no breeze, and MANY MANY tiniest sand flies! And I just thought now the real Caribbean feeling can start on my own white sandy remote beach with warm water…

But the only thing I could do was to put up tent quickly, get things in without opening the tent too much, have my shower and be gone inside! I had to go out again to cover the tent with my black blanket for additional shade. Still the sweat was running down without moving…but rather sweating than getting bitten outside…

I hope no one will bother me here tonight! I think the worst big water part is over, now I can paddle mostly inside some reef areas. Still the wind will be constantly on my face…I was also passing two shipwrecks today…