In the early days, there were two routes across Panama, leading from the Caribbean to the Pacific. The first by land (mule trails from Peru). The second, a route utilizing the Chagres River. The mouth of the river was protected by the Fort San Lorenzo and the Lajas Reef.
1671, Henry Morgan burned down the Fort and started with 2000 men their trip up the Chagres River in their fleet of canoas to assault Panama City
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The entrance of the Rio Chagres is just 6 miles to the SW of the Colon breakwater at the edge of Fort San Lorenzo. The entrance is rather shallow with 10 ft. of water. The river depths vary between 25 & 60 ft. for the next 5 1/2 miles. One can anchor anywhere in peaceful, perfectly smooth water and be surrounded by jungle and its wildlife.
The jungle river is full of tarpons, jumping like silver rockets and alligators loating along the shoreline. We saw bands of howler and whitefaced monkeys in the trees overhead.
We spoke softly as it seemed that raising your voice would be almost be a sacrilege.
Petra was on all-sense cat alert, always on the lookout for alligators, birds, monkeys etc.
We tried to explore the Indigo Creek which meandered its way for a couple of miles back into the jungle area. Delicate orchids dangled from the trees and we saw a family of small squirrel monkeys.
We spent 2 weeks at the Rio Chagres and we can't imagine a better remote jungle adventure so close to civilization.
There was no other boat anchored in the river, we felt completely and pleasantly alone.
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This is our 2nd Panama transit within 2 weeks. We had a great trip with our friends on "Wadda" and everything went smooth.
Now we can't wait to transit "Kokomo" by end of this year.
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We enjoyed your photos and commentary...but how can I access them for our blog?!?! We have a photo of you 2 on Wadda to send to you
MyM
05/05/2010, Panama Canal
Peter was helping friends from Australia on SV "Caballito de Mar" to transit the Panama Canal and had a great time.
They spend the night at the mooring at the Gatun Lake (N 09 15.636 / W 79 54.220).
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Fort San Fernando, Portobelo
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Columbus called this bay Portobelo when he stumbled in with his ships in November 1502.
70 years later Francis Drake used this port as a base to rob Spanish merchantmen.
The warehouses of Portobelo were filled with gold and silver coming from the Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast by mule trains and then sailed off to Spain.
No wonder the place attracted constant raids by buccaneers, including Henry Morgan in 1668.
The british Admiral Vernon destroyed the Portobelo forts in 1739 and the great commercial fair never returned.
Today Portobelo is a small little town with a smooth anchorage under the remains of Fort San Fernando.
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