Perlas Islands

By Aaron

We haven’t had a chance to post for a while since we’ve been so busy getting the boat ready to head to the Galapagos and South Pacific.  It has been a pretty frustrating experience accomplishing this in Panama City, but we’ve persevered and are back out in the Perlas Islands now, waiting for good wind to sail to the Galapagos.  So now that we’re back on island time, I had some time to write this post about our first trip out to the Perlas.

After an awesome 6 hour sail, Isla Contadora was the first stop with the largest town where a few restaurants and tiendas can be found ashore. 

The anchorage off Isla Contadora on the south side is well protected and has a nice beach.

The anchorage is right on the approach for a little airport with a few flights a day, and the planes practically hit VHF antennas on the way in.

On the beach is Restaurante Romantico.  A cute little place that we couldn’t resist after having not eaten out for quite some time.  Before going we checked out reviews, one at www.panamaqmagazine.com/villaromantica_feature/villaromantica_pg2.html stating that “It is likely that there will be ten to twenty yachts anchored nearby during these times.  And they do come ashore adding even more character ,and characters, to your visit.”

Transportation on Isla Contadora is primarily by golf cart. 

We wandered the narrow streets at random and eventually made our way over to the north side of the island.  For whatever reason, the north side is abandoned and would make for a great post-apocalyptic vacation destination for ghosts.

The buildings on the north side may still be there, but the tourists are all gone.

There’s even an abandoned ferry on the beach.  Legend is it showed up one day loaded with passengers and then went up on the beach in a horrible storm.  With the sole means of transportation broken down on the beach, and with no way to escape or resupply the hotels with food, the tourists soon began to live a nightmare version of Gilligan’s Island.  As the coconuts and berries dwindled, the tourists soon turned on themselves.  Soon there was only one cannibal tourist left, and the locals say that he still roams the beach at night looking for new guests to eat.  The other legend has it that they took a different ferry back or flew out from the airport. 

Nobody seems to want the ferry, so I took possession and have it listed for sale on Yachtworld.  Start your cruise in the Perlas Islands!  Just needs some TLC. 

Back on the south side of the island, we got together with the crew of Knee Deep and being that it’s the middle of winter we got to talking about snowmen.  The idea was hatched to build one out of sand.  I scoffed at the idea between sips of beer and said it couldn’t be done.  But the Doolittle dudes got to work.

The finished snowman, complete with scarf and hat, ready to celebrate endless sunny days and fun at the beach.

But it was not to be.  Tropical sand is a fickle medium, and apparently has trouble maintaining structural integrity when molded into snowmen.  After a few brief moments of glory, it toppled over.  It was seriously injured, with both the top and bottom ball showing major wounds and silica hemorrhaging. 

We did all we could to save him, and with the tide quickly rising we didn’t want the middle ball to suffer in the surf.  In the end, Ben did the humane thing. 

Ready for some more remote anchorages, we headed off to Espiritu Santo and Isla Canas.

The anchorage at Espiritu Santo.  The area very much reminded us of Vancouver Island with its rocky shores.  Fewer bears here though!

So at this point it was another three islands conquered.

 

Sometimes we like to sit and enjoy little hole-in-the-wall places.

Coconuts.  Either shuck ‘em or chuck ‘em.

Nicole, fearlessly crossing the chasm of death.

Isla San Jose is the second largest island in the Perlas.  It’s privately owned, and looks like a perfect place for a James Bond nemesis to setup shop.

Nicole thought the black sand accented her toenails very nicely, and I agree.

My toenails however do not look good painted, but this is what happens when to you when you’re minding your own business, taking a nap in the cockpit.  But I’ve got an idea for revenge.  Just need to catch a sea snake first.