Escudo De Veraguas
31st Dec 2024 - 5th Jan 2025
NYE
As the end of the year fast approached, it was with great sadness we said farewell to LV who had shared in our adventures for the last month. Anchored back in Bocas Town, we said our goodbyes and contemplated where in the world we would next meet, for the last time after the Drheam Cup offshore race in summer, we had said á la perchôine in an obscure French fishing town on the west coast after a slight mishap with a passport. That’s another whole story.
Crossing the ‘Panga highway’ we arrived in Isla Caranero, and set about walking around the the perimeter of the island clockwise. A vibrant and colorful island in the south where most of the population lived, to the north the island was more undisturbed and the east coast featured several popular surf breaks. Whilst there was little surf today the proliferation coconut palms made for an idyllic scene.
Come the evening, we again joined forces with Liv and Ads for dinner at the marina restaurant for a generous Chinese meal before a dinghy race back to the boat for card games and drinks in anticipation of the celebrations in town. Suitably lubricated, we dinghy ashore and sample the lively town, which grew busier with ever passing minute.
Sporadic fireworks grew in frequency until an overwhelming onslaught began at midnight. This roared on for nearly an hour, with the supermarkets, nearly all owned by Chinese families competing for the greatest display. Fireworks were let off adhoc on the streets and we weaved through being cautious of every next step!
Bird Island
Ben’s welcomed his 25th birthday with a late morning sevesa, resplendent in his new Panama hat as we left the anchorage at Bocas Town towards Starfish Beach. Here we prepared the dinghy with snorkeling kit for a 3 mile trip to the oasis of bird island offshore. The island rose steeply from the oceans, and was penetrated by two caves. Overhead white-tailed tropic birds and boobies circled and settled on nests in the foliage. Below the surface the life was just a vibrant with sting rays, and an abundance of reef fish, particularly in the cave and gully cut where the ocean currents rose up from the depths to just a couple of metres. Swimming through the main archway took careful timing between large setts of waves which threatened to lift you up against the razor sharp overhead rocks.
Escudo de Veraguas
Leaving Bocas after a provisioning run, we set our sights on another remote island. It had gained fame by BBC Planet Earth 2’s feature on pygmy three toes sloths that inhabit the island, and have been found to swim between the many small islets off the north coast. Anchoring on the south east corner, we took a dinghy mission around the east coast through crystal clear channels with juvenile turtles cruising beneath us.
Snake and lizard beach
The following day, the cloud cover finally dissipated and colours of Escudo really shone. Charles, Alex and I found a secluded pristine sandy beach to land the dinghy and we snorkeled the nearby reef, which was full of life. On the outskirts trigger fish cruised by and a particularly large moray eel gawped at us from its hole. Returning towards Argonaut, I pushed us to venture further west in search of a cave bay I’d learnt about when researching the island. We didn’t need to go far an soon we were surfing the dinghy ashore.
The geology had was epic and stepping back to the rock wall, I nearly stood upon a coral snake which thankfully slithered into a hole and not my open rucksack.
It was not the only reptile in this idyllic cove. We watched on in bemusement as a lizard let waves wash over it, until with a massive turn of speed it appeared to run on water. With a bit of research, it became clear we had seen Jesus Christ.otherwise know as Basilisks, Jesus Christ Lizards with large rear limbs have the power and agility to run on the surface of the water to evade predators.
Leaving Escudo De Veraguas, I was struck by just how special special this wildlife oasis was and how fortunate we were to visit. One can only hope for it to remain unmolested by mankind other than the few indigenous families who live lightly on the land.
Diving with hammerheads, white tips and an otherworldly underwater experience at Kicker Rock.