Putting down roots
21 March 2011 | Bocas del Toros, Panama
Sunny, Air Temp 90F, Water temp 81F, Wind NE@5-8
After a quick start to the check-in, we finally finished... three days later.
Wednesday we went ashore to get our cruising permit from the Port Captain. That was easy, after paying another $185. Then off to Immigration. Here we were told we needed stamps to be put in our passports, so off to the National Bank for the $10 stamps. Back to Immigration, stamps carefully glued in and stamped again. Then we needed photocopys of our passports and cruising permits and a copy of the crew list and Ships Registration. Passport and cruising permit photocopies were obtained across the street. Back to Immigration... only one more piece of paper needed, a copy of the customs declaration form. But that was back aboard the boat. No need to hurry, tomorrow will be fine. So by Thursday afternoon we were finally checked in.
In the mean time we have been looking around Bocas. It is a small town, about 5,000 people, plus about the same number of backpackers. Lots of restaurants of every description from local food to Indian and Chinese and every price range. We ate a "Mystery Lunch" at a local spot for $4.50 for two. And celebrating our arrival in Panama with Seabird, we went to The Casbah, one of the better ones. An excellent dinner for four with wine was $100.00.
And food supplies are excellent with excellent local fruits and vegetables. On the meat side it can be a bit more problematic, but there are two excellent stores where we have found more options. So the days have been spent buying excellent fruit.
We have also been looking at options for leaving the boat. There are three marinas in the area, only two of which we would consider, and we have visited both. Both are excellent options, so we will have to decide soon to ensure we have a spot, as they are filling up quickly.
After three days in Bocas, we decided it was time for a change. We had reports of a unique restaurant out in one of the nearby lagoons, so we headed out yesterday afternoon. By mid-afternoon we were anchored off Restaurant Ronaca Azul. It is an open-air restaurant that is open Friday night and Sunday afternoon. We arrived and headed in to find it filled with noisy patrons. Although there were only three boats anchored off, and the restaurant is accessible by water only, the crowd was a surprise. As we seated oueselver, a number of people came over and introduced themselves. The crowd turned out to be made up mostly of local ex-pats living in the area. By the time we made our way back to the dinghy at six pm we were the last to leave, with a warm thanks for the visit from Joseph and his wife Louise. They are former cruisers from Austria who have settled in here and started the restaurant for a hobby. Still a hobby, it has become the social center of the area.
Today we will explore some of the nearby spots we heard about yesterday. Then, weather permitting, we'll explore some snorkeling sites in the area.