[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fXiw_uuIBZ0/UT0RIi2HDNI/AAAAAAAATew/Ifu9BFqRDuw/s144-c/P3061838.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage13PanamaBoarderColombiaPacificToBoarderColombiaCaribbean#5853853929141898450″ caption=”Camp on Isla del Rey” type=”image” alt=”P3061838.JPG” ]

Pos: here
Loc: Isla del Rey
Acc: tent
Dist: 31,7 km
Start: 6:20 End: 16:45

Tomorrow’s estimated landing: Isla Bartolomé

A good night’s sleep on a very unlikely inhabited island, I really saw no sign of people anywhere. Some very old footprints. As it is quite tricky to land a small motorboat here, it is also unlikely I will get unwanted visitors…

My Aeronaval guys did not show up yesterday, although promising, and also today they were unseen. Actually quite nice, as I really feel they are very much surplus here. I appreciate escort and protection when necessary, but not here…

[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mep1EC5W8eo/UT0P6Lu4-lI/AAAAAAAATeA/7ok_7N8XVrA/s144-c/P3061829.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage13PanamaBoarderColombiaPacificToBoarderColombiaCaribbean#5853852582907804242″ caption=”A solo hairy guy” type=”image” alt=”P3061829.JPG” ]

I started through the mixed side wash with no problem, waited the right moment and pushed in. I just had to paddle a bit quickly away from the big breakers on the reef to the left. But no problem. I saw only one lonely fishing boat far out, before I was reaching Isla del Rey at Punta Gorda. Still many jumping mantas or stingrays this morning!

I paddled inside the bigger island Isla Canas, the whole archipelago seem like a very beautiful place! Many beaches everywhere, and most of them even seem to stay a bit dry on high tide! Fortunately the highest spring tide is over, as surely inside the gap I had to paddle eventually against the tide, which turned around 10 am. I made it occasionally a bit easier by paddling in eddies, but in the strongest current I could make barely 3 km/h…better than nothing!

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lMz3d2N8Opk/UT0QhbKM8wI/AAAAAAAATeY/X2zu8R9THFE/s144-c/P3061832.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage13PanamaBoarderColombiaPacificToBoarderColombiaCaribbean#5853853257063789314″ caption=”Between Cane Island and Isla del Rey” type=”image” alt=”P3061832.JPG” ]

There was one larger village inside the island, and a few smaller motorboats went in and out. No one took notice from me! A large ferryboat, a motor catamaran passed by, and inside la Isla del Esprito Santo I saw three sailing boats anchoring. The first three of probably many, here and later in the Caribbean:

[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iW4WgbN6wlQ/UT0Q0uC9SZI/AAAAAAAATeo/PkoM_v7HldY/s144-c/P3061836.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage13PanamaBoarderColombiaPacificToBoarderColombiaCaribbean#5853853588551190930″ caption=”Michael and Ursula from the yacht sykril” type=”image” alt=”P3061836.JPG” ]

As I had time today, planning to paddle only 30 km, which I almost had done so far, I was knocking on the door of the second sailing boat, as on the first one there seemed to by no one home. A North American/ Swedish couple was chatting a bit with me, both looked as if they have been living on their boat on low budget already for many years. What a life!

They also told me the other boats were owned by Germans, and when I looked back, I eventually saw someone on deck. I turned around, and started also a chat, and Michael and Ursula even invited me on board for a drink! Thanks a lot! I got much information about the upcoming islands and about the Panama Canal, and we shared a lot of other stories. Ursula prepared some yummy German “Bratkartoffeln” (Sautéed Potatoes, E), and I was happily digging in! As a doggy bag, I even got a salad, as I had to reject their invitation to stay on board overnight. If I didn’t want to start that early next day to make the best of the good morning tide, I could have agreed…but I also noticed I was not able to intensively chat from 1.30 pm until late night – I am just not used to talk that much any more! 🙂 Thanks to Michael and Ursula for their hospitality this afternoon! I may not be able to visit all sail boats on my way, but one or another chat, mutual dinner and even maybe stay over night will be nice! Just when I left, another sailing boat came into this obviously popular anchorage…

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Nss9s_m66bA/UT0Qm5Mqf9I/AAAAAAAATeg/uov6QUNHdXI/s144-c/P3061835.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage13PanamaBoarderColombiaPacificToBoarderColombiaCaribbean#5853853351026524114″ caption=”Brief stop for a swim on a gravel bank between Cane Island and Isla del Rey” type=”image” alt=”P3061835.JPG” ]

I paddled another five km with the eventually changed tide, and found one of the many white beaches just perfect for me for the night. I paddled not much distance today, but enough with the tide mostly against me!

I will head to the second last island of the archipelago tomorrow, it has no houses, and the last one is private. From there, a direct crossing to Panama City would only be 60 km, but with those strong tides I have to split that leg in two – I will paddle first about 30 km straight to Isla Chepillo, and then along the coast about 45 km to Panama City. A detour of probably 12-15 km, but I simply don’t like to start or arrive at night!