Santa Catalina, Panama

Last week Kealy and Desirae needed to leave Costa Rica for their 90 day visa run.  I also needed to leave and was invited to join them on a trip to Panama - a place named Santa Catalina on the coast known for awesome surf.  Our friend Ray joined us and on Saturday morning at 3 am we all headed out.....in the pouring rain.  Usually it takes about 4 hours to get to the border.  About an hour away with the rain still coming down, we came to a stretch of the highway that was flooded out.  After sitting for about half an hour watching the semi trucks trudge thru, we turned around and managed to find a way around thru the African palm groves, crossing a bridge where the water was almost touching the bridge, sliding our way thru mud until we got on the other side of the flooded area.  Crossed the border, 1 taxi and 4 different buses later, we arrived in the dark in Santa Catalina, a very remote coastal town on the Pacific side of Panama.  Within the hour we found ourselves sitting in a quant out doors restaurant eating amazing food. We had arrived.

We had no reservations and found ourselves walking on a very deserted dark road checking out a few places.  Despite being so close to the ocean, the night sky was lit up with stars. Venus was brightly smiling down upon us, my Cassiopeia in clear view.  Desirae had never seen her before but immediately recognized her when I pointed out the direction.  We found a great place right on the ocean in view of the wave we had come for.  A swell was coming and the prediction for great surf looked promising.  All 4 of us shared one room.

The promise of huge surf paid off big time.  In the next 2 days we would all see the biggest waves any of us had ever personally seen.  Unfortunately I had my point and shoot camera but if you look at the surf photos carefully, the little specks you see are actually surfers.

For at least 4 years I have been obsessed with sea glass.  The challenge of finding it on a beach is consuming.  Desirae knew what it was but never really spent any time searching. On this trip, both days, we found more than I have ever collected at one time.  About an hour into my search on the first day, I discovered something else I had never seen.  I'm not sure if it has a name but I am calling it sea tile.  Broken pieces that have been smoothed out like sea glass.  Each piece unique and no other like it.  When I found this, I began collecting both the tile and the glass.  Long story short - I came home with a back pack way, way heavier than when I left.  My plan is to do a mosaic with the tile - not sure exactly what yet - have a few ideas.

The time spent in Santa Catalina was magical.  It was so beautiful and very different from any other place I have visited.  For being so remote, each of the restaurants were unique with great food.  The main road into town and to the edge of the beach was paved - no potholes, beautiful by american standards - all the way there from the nearest town 2 hours away.

It's always interesting how many friends you make in a very short period of time.  In Santa Catalina we met a number of people from Germany - Australia - a wide variety of other places.  Because you are all in the same great place, a bond is formed and the promise of meeting up again is assured by the swapping of e-mail addresses.

As always, the time flew, but the memories will forever be with us.  Good Times - Thanks Kealy, Desirae and Ray!!!!

Pura Vida