Im in Portobello!

The Isthmus of Panama.

I feel like I’ve started my trip across the Pacific. I’m in new water and exploring once again. I’ve been in the Colombia, San Blas, and Isla Granda area for a while now, and it’s time to start changing scenery.

I’m in the Isthmus of Panama, and anchored off the historical town of Portobello.

Here is some pertinent text from Encarta:

The Isthmus of Panama is said to have been discovered by Spanish explorer Rodrigo de Bastidas in 1501, but the first exploration was made in 1502 by Christopher Columbus, who entered what is now Portobelo and established a colony there. The Spanish explorer Vasco NFAF1ez de Balboa crossed the isthmus to discover the Pacific Ocean on September 26, 1513.

Drake, Sir Francis (1540?-96), English navigator and explorer, born near

Tavistock. He served an apprenticeship as a mariner, and in 1567 he was given his first command. His ship, the Judith, was one of a squadron of vessels led by a kinsman of Drake, the English navigator Sir John Hawkins, on a slave- trading voyage in the Gulf of Mexico. All but two ships of the expedition were lost when attacked by a Spanish squadron. In 1570 and 1571 Drake made two profitable trading voyages to the West Indies. In 1572 he commanded two vessels in a marauding expedition against Spanish ports in the Caribbean Sea. During this voyage, Drake first saw the Pacific Ocean; he captured the port of Nombre de Dios on the Isthmus of Panama and destroyed the nearby town of

Portobelo. He returned to England with a cargo of Spanish silver and a reputation as a brilliant privateer. He was sent next to Ireland to help quell the rebellion there from 1573 to 1576.

I’m off to Colon in the morning (I think) I may go to Panama city to pick up some packages from Fedex.

I’ll start getting my paperwork to transit the canal together the following week, YIPPIEEEEE!!!, I’m really psyched.

Peace, Love, and Coconuts.

– Alex