We dropped anchor somewhere off the coast of Panama, about 60Nm East of Colon. It is so quite here that it can keep you awake at night, and so very green and lush. The water is murky brown, as the rainy season has started, resulting in the rivers pouring already into the oceans. We are anchored off a tiny beach and small peninsula that brings some shelter against the never ending North East swell. Winds are clam and the evening rain has brought the heat down. We have to decide what to do. My flight to Holland with Auke is the 18th. The day before (17Th) we have to be in Panama to arrange a visa for French Polynesia for Heloisa. So that gives us only 10 days starting tomorrow before we have to be back in Shelter Bay marina in Colon to park the boat. The rainy season has started and with that comes West winds at times, strong. We can have a look at the San Blas Islands, another 60Nm further East, however the risk is that by the time we need to sail back West we get st uck with a strong West front, which would cause us to fight upwind 100Nm. We can also stay around here and explore some more beautiful anchorages, such as the one we spend yesterday night, Portobelo, 50Nm to the West. A beautiful bay, surrounded with the remnants of old Spanish forts and the morning howl of the howler monkeys. It was in Portobelo where the Spaniards shipped there silver and gold from Peru and Bolivia to Spain for many years. We will pull some weather files down now, and see if we get some winds to sail in the coming days and make up our mind. There is no lack of great green lush anchorages here, so which ever way we go, we will enjoy it. On top of all this we had birthday cake today as it was my Mother�'s birthday yesterday. A good reason for Heloisa to bake a cake, and in Auke she always find a good help to do that. All well with boat and crew.