Aventura en Barco

Bienvenidos a la isla tranquila. Eventually venturing out of the hotel, we are approached by a couple Panamanian tour boat operators who are strategically waiting outside our hotel, ready to invite us on a tour for $15 per person -- promising several locations until five or six o´clock. Steve felt that this was a good deal. Meanwhile, Dale is getting offers a few feet away for $10 each from a competitor who was hoping we would renege. I guess at that point in the day they are ready to bargain, but we were already committed.
Rushing around isn´t permitted on this isla. Breakfast of vegetarian omelette and chocolate frappe ($3) was followed by feeding the hotel birds a banana. As soon as la senora started peeling the banana they got silly acting and started dancing . Their beaks were jutting out through the cage wires with anticipation. Friendly and chatty, the toucans would take the banana slice in their beaks toss their heads back in order to position the slice at the appropriate angle for allowing it to easily be swallowed whole. Our boat guide is patiently awaiting our slow advance into the day.
Finally we had ourselves and our day packs ready for a half-day guided tour of Bocas del Toro by private boat, snorkeling gear included. Lovely and spacious boat just for the four of us. Our first stop was into a lagoon filled with playful dolphins. I´d have gone swimming with them but they were too busy eating the endless supply of little white jelly fish with red tentacles... so I thought it best not to disturb their efforts.
Next stop was snorkeling in green shallow waters and corals at off the docks off a cafe cabana. Can you say absolutely spoiled rotten? Yeah, that would be the feeling in a nutshell. That is, until the five foot baracuda showed up on the scene to sample the bread we were feeding to the schools of angel fish, green rays and others in a virtual explosion of colors and movement. Senora Baracuda was slow moving, hovering along the bottom and often in the shadows. She frightened me when the wise guy above us tossed his rice plate into the water around us, causing her to rise and come for a bite. Exit water Bruce.
I did return later, but with some residual adrenaline and caution. Note to pack aqua socks. I did and was thankful, as flippers were not provided and coral is not safe to stand on, not to mention the many beaches you (and I) will surely visit along the journy.
Next stop to the Bastimentos reserve, La Playa de la Rana Roja ($1 donation for conservation efforts). Although it wasn´t the season for me to view them, this is a protected beach for turtle breeding. I have an affinity for turtles. Anyone that has visited my home has seen my handcrafted collection of sculpted wooden, stone and pottery turtles from around the world.
Our guide quickly found a small red frog with black poka-dots in the woods. This was about the same time I watched a lizard run across the surface of the pond, upright on its hind legs. It looked rediculous, hilarious, simply make believe. A large german shepard named blue accompanied us from this point of our walk all the way to the ocean´s edge. Steve took out a frisbee from his pack and Blue got in on the action. He chased the frisbee and us. If we didn´t catch it, he would stand on it and growl at us if we tried to take it from him. A little scary at first to have a large, incognito canine showing teeth. I spoke sharply to him in Spanish "ven aqui, Blue", commanding him to come to me. He obeyed, freeing the frisbee. He eventually tired, as Steve was running him up and down the beach. Blue would jump up trying for the frisbee in Steve´s hand, and at one point attempted a nip at Steve´s butt. We were in stitches at this site.
Blue cooled off in the water. We followed suit, switching to frisbee and swimming in the water, as Blue didn´t venture over his head. Dale got us all body surfing. Lorraine hadn´t much experience and was thrilled to try. The waves weren´t quite forceful enough to truly ride, but we didn´t mind. We were laughing and giggling and telling silly stories that our hour zipped past. Our boat guide came to the water´s edge to retrieve us for our last stop, a coral reef for more snorkeling. I didn´t want to leave!! The life on the bottom included starfish, giant pots of fleshy material that was shared by sea anenomes and sea urchins tucked inside of pockets. The simbiotic sharing of space for safety and feeding is remarkable. I enjoyed a colorful floral show that suddenly disappeared if I got too close--blink, retracting themselves into the safety of the coral orifices.
Happily exhausted, hemos visto el ocaso (la baja del sol) en llegando en barco a la lancha.