Panama – Santa Catalina

Scot had told the people at Surf Point that we would want the 2 hotel rooms they had, but we arrived late in the afternoon and they had already rented them to other people. Scot and Juli took the double bed room in the hostel and JT, Scot’s son, had already planned to stay in the dormitory.

I was taken to the other end of town and checked into Wahoo Rock, a little 4 room hotel. Not sure the sheets had been washed and I knew for certain the sink and shower hadn’t been cleaned — the sink was filthy and they shower drain was clogged with hair. There was a great big dead roach on the bathroom floor that stayed put the two days I was there.

I could live with those things (sort of) but the man in the room behind me had a TV that was mounted on the thin wall between our rooms and he had it running full blast all the time. He fell asleep with it blaring and let it play all night. I put in the earplugs I always travel with and could hear the TV through the earplugs. It was lovely.

I was up at 5AM and fortunately the Panaderia across the street opened at 6:30 and I walked over for coffee. The owners were from Franch and Spain and very nice people who chatted with my while I drank my coffee.

I walked down to Santa Catalina Beach on one of the only sunny days I would see while in Panama and walked the beach taking pictures. I had exhausted the available activities in Santa Catalina.

It was so oppressively humid with a lot of mosquitoes and no-see-ums so about the only thing I could do was retreat to my room where at least I would have air conditioning while I read the last Wired magazine that I had brought. I was really kicking myself I had only brought one book.

Scot was definitely on island time and wandered around at 2 in the afternoon. I went back to Surf Point with them where we sat until dinner time when we went to Jammin Pizza for dinner. It’s run by Italians who built a wood burning oven and the pizza was really good. I was dropped back at the Wahoo Rock where I put in earplugs so I could concentrate on reading while the TV played on the wall behind me…

The next day Scot arrived around 1 and the room had opened up at Surf Point so I moved down to where they were staying. Still nothing to do, but at least I had someone to talk with a little — when they weren’t chatting away in Spanish.

However, we made arrangements to dive the next day. Hallelujah! Something to do. The only disturbing thing was the incredible storm that had blown in that afternoon and the idea that I could be out on a little 15 foot panga boat when a storm hit. That wouldn’t be good.

By the way — there were loose horses and dogs running around everywhere.