Bocas

Over the free breakfast of pancakes, fruit and coffee, the hostal’s señorita informed me there had been a cancellation, and hence now a vacancy for the nights I had been looking for. Although I had booked elsewhere, that accommodation was significantly more expensive than the one I was staying at. Plus I didn’t need to pack up and move! I jumped at the offer and quickly cancelled the existing bookings. Unfortunately, the hostal’s computer chose that precise moment to freeze and by the time the señorita got it back up running again, someone else had booked the bed on-line. Now I had nothing. I told the señorita I would be happy sleeping on a couch if no further cancellation came up and promptly left to go on a tour I had booked the previous evening.

The tour sounded like a great allrounder for the area, including dolphin and sloth spotting, snorkeling a coral cay, and exploring an uninhabited island surrounded by a national marine park. All in the balmy embrace of tropical bliss. Except for the weather. Right from the beginning, the weather gods decided the sun was a nuisance and did their best to obstruct its work. Apart from a brief respite while we were at the island, it was drizzling most of the day.

We sped off through the archipelago, weaving through channels that passed jungle-like mangrove outcrops, trying to find dolphins. About a dozen boats were already in the area with the same goal when we got to ‘The Spot’. Eventually, one poor dolphin decided to break the surface and all boats immediately pointed their bows in its direction trying to track it down. We did see a few more the short time we were there, however, it was pretty miserable under the slate sky with rain driving in sideways.

Next it was off to see the sloths and again, not much to show for the effort. We found a soggy sloth snoozing in a tree on the edge of a mangrove swamp and another couple dispersed high up in another tree. None of which had any inclination of moving a single waterlogged hair. From there, it was further on to snorkel the coral cay. I thought this too would be a disappointment, but was surprised to find some coral in reasonable nick with fish swimming around. The water was gloriously warm and the rain had eased to a sprinkle.

On to lunch at a little restaurant built out over the water and later we were deposited on a picture postcard stretch of beach with the aquamarine waters of the Caribbean gently lapping at its edges. Here the rain finally eased off and we were able to enjoy this little piece of paradise. Cayos Zapatillas are two pristine tropical islets poking out of the Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos (National Marine Park of Bastimentos Island). A perfect place to decompress in the gloriously warm water and an interesting little spot to explore.

Eventually, we were summoned back on board to continue the tour. And of course, the rain picked up again. Puttering around a shallow sandy-bottomed lagoon bordered by mangrove swamps, we tried peering into the rain-splattered water to sight orange starfish wallowing on the sea floor.

Finally, we were on our way back to Bocas; the boat driver having fun weaving through the mangrove outcrops at a speed to ensure anyone who wasn’t already soaked got with the program. It was a somewhat bedraggled wild woman who wandered back to the hostal in search of a shower and warm, dry clothes. Still no cancellations, but at least I had a bed for one more night.