Timing
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
I found a group of doodlebats filled with "cowboy"
philosophies. I think these philosophies work no matter
if your home is on the range or on an island in the
middle of the Caribbean Sea. This one caught my eye
today:
So true. Here in Bocas del Toro we vacillate between periods of really wanting rain to days where we have had enough. I find that I get a large number of questions about our rainfall.
We are in the middle of the tropical rainforest. Which means that we are in a forest characterized by high rainfall, with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 68 inches to 78 inches. We have an incredible amount of lush vegetation due to this rainfall. It is because of the rain that we have all of the diversity of plant and animal life. We have to respect the rainforest as so many things are still undiscovered here.
The rainy season varies by location in Panama as there are many different micro-climates throughout this tiny country. Historically the rainfall is more prevalent in December and January and July and August. This coincides with our surf seasons. However our weather patterns are changing - as they are everywhere else. We had rain in December, but not enough to put a damper on anyone's vacation. Our rain in January has been minimal in comparison to years past,
So the best answer I can give about our rainfall is that we are in the rainforest but we haven't found the rain keeps people from having a memorable vacation here in Bocas del Toro Panama.
So true. Here in Bocas del Toro we vacillate between periods of really wanting rain to days where we have had enough. I find that I get a large number of questions about our rainfall.
We are in the middle of the tropical rainforest. Which means that we are in a forest characterized by high rainfall, with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 68 inches to 78 inches. We have an incredible amount of lush vegetation due to this rainfall. It is because of the rain that we have all of the diversity of plant and animal life. We have to respect the rainforest as so many things are still undiscovered here.
The rainy season varies by location in Panama as there are many different micro-climates throughout this tiny country. Historically the rainfall is more prevalent in December and January and July and August. This coincides with our surf seasons. However our weather patterns are changing - as they are everywhere else. We had rain in December, but not enough to put a damper on anyone's vacation. Our rain in January has been minimal in comparison to years past,
So the best answer I can give about our rainfall is that we are in the rainforest but we haven't found the rain keeps people from having a memorable vacation here in Bocas del Toro Panama.
Panama Rainforest
Saturday, November 10, 2007
How often do you get to experience silence? I mean
complete lack of city noises: barking dogs, car alarms,
sirens, etc. We experience it here all the time.
The sounds we hear are those of animals, birds and rain. Each morning the parrots fly overhead as they head out for the day. The Majestic Oropendola are also in residence. Each bird has its own special sound that it makes. These sounds are a far better alarm each morning than the buzzing of an alarm clock.
The jungle is alive with sound. Frogs create their own special sound. Plants rustle in the breeze. Lizards swish the leaves of the plants as they scurry about the rain forest floor.
On the days that it rains, we can either experience the soft patter of a drizzle on the metal roof or the drums of a downpour when the rain is crashing down. We can have storms that are so intense that you believe you have never heard anything like it before and then as quickly as it started it stops.
All of these sounds merge into a soundtrack that many people buy to play as white noise to block out the noises of the city. We do not need to purchase the soundtrack – we have it live each and every day.
The sounds we hear are those of animals, birds and rain. Each morning the parrots fly overhead as they head out for the day. The Majestic Oropendola are also in residence. Each bird has its own special sound that it makes. These sounds are a far better alarm each morning than the buzzing of an alarm clock.
The jungle is alive with sound. Frogs create their own special sound. Plants rustle in the breeze. Lizards swish the leaves of the plants as they scurry about the rain forest floor.
On the days that it rains, we can either experience the soft patter of a drizzle on the metal roof or the drums of a downpour when the rain is crashing down. We can have storms that are so intense that you believe you have never heard anything like it before and then as quickly as it started it stops.
All of these sounds merge into a soundtrack that many people buy to play as white noise to block out the noises of the city. We do not need to purchase the soundtrack – we have it live each and every day.
Little known banana facts
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Did you know that the banana might be the world’s first
fruit? Did you know that Malaysia was the first know
banana jungle? Recent archeological evidence in Papua
New Guinea suggests that bananas were grown as far back
as 5000 BC and quite possibly as long ago as 8000 BC.
Did you know that nutritionally the banana is incredibly nourishing and can be eaten at any hour of the day due to its digestive properties? Each banana is full of proteins and the sugar provided within gives a lot of energy for those in need of endurance. Bananas also contain magnesium, selenium, iron, many different vitamins, and are recommended for low salt diets as they are low in sodium.
The banana is America’s number one fruit. Each American consumes an average of 28 pounds of banana a year. The market for bananas is nearly $5 billion per year.
There are nearly 400 varieties of banana plants. Ripe banana plants are sugary and are eaten raw. Plantains are unripe fruits which must be cooked before consumption. Plantains are more like a potato than a ripe banana.
Harvest for bananas begins when the plant is green. A banana that has had the opportunity to ripen on the vine has a much sweeter taste than one which has been harvested green.
Did you know that nutritionally the banana is incredibly nourishing and can be eaten at any hour of the day due to its digestive properties? Each banana is full of proteins and the sugar provided within gives a lot of energy for those in need of endurance. Bananas also contain magnesium, selenium, iron, many different vitamins, and are recommended for low salt diets as they are low in sodium.
The banana is America’s number one fruit. Each American consumes an average of 28 pounds of banana a year. The market for bananas is nearly $5 billion per year.
There are nearly 400 varieties of banana plants. Ripe banana plants are sugary and are eaten raw. Plantains are unripe fruits which must be cooked before consumption. Plantains are more like a potato than a ripe banana.
Harvest for bananas begins when the plant is green. A banana that has had the opportunity to ripen on the vine has a much sweeter taste than one which has been harvested green.
Maritime forest
Monday, October 01, 2007
Many of the Panama islands which make up the
archipelago of Bocas del Toro are surrounded by lush
maritime forests. These mangrove forests are home to
many different sea creatures and plants. It is these
forests which allow so many of the fish and coral to
prosper in our waters.
Traversing amongst these maritime forests in a kayak is an unique experience. You paddle along side of the islands and you feel that you have plenty of room to roam. You can take off into the open ocean if you so choose or you can stick closer to the islands and navigate in a mangrove tunnel.
If you keep your eyes to the different pockets within the mangrove you may spy a cayman or other tropical animal which makes its home on the edge of the ocean and the forest.
You can kayak in a hidden bay towards a group of caves. These caves are home to stalagmites, stalagtites and a large number of bats. Of course the choice to enter into the cave or not is entirely yours, but the paddle to get there is an amazing one.
Some people choose to take a fishing rod with them as they kayak along the mangrove. Casting into the mangroves is a opportunity you do not encounter on a regular basis.
Traversing amongst these maritime forests in a kayak is an unique experience. You paddle along side of the islands and you feel that you have plenty of room to roam. You can take off into the open ocean if you so choose or you can stick closer to the islands and navigate in a mangrove tunnel.
If you keep your eyes to the different pockets within the mangrove you may spy a cayman or other tropical animal which makes its home on the edge of the ocean and the forest.
You can kayak in a hidden bay towards a group of caves. These caves are home to stalagmites, stalagtites and a large number of bats. Of course the choice to enter into the cave or not is entirely yours, but the paddle to get there is an amazing one.
Some people choose to take a fishing rod with them as they kayak along the mangrove. Casting into the mangroves is a opportunity you do not encounter on a regular basis.
Sustainable
Friday, September 28, 2007
Trees do a great deal to help the environment. If we
preserve them and allow them to grow, they prevent
erosion, provide a larger animal habitat and produce
more oxygen. It is imperative that we remember the
importance of the trees here in the rain forest. We all
hear about the different medicines and other beneficial
items which are discovered in the world’s rainforests.
The size of our rainforests is continually diminishing. With continued population growth, the spaces on earth covered with trees will continue to decrease. We need to try to keep the reduction in forest size to a minimum. Thus it is important for all of us to vote with our dollars.
Support business and locales which treasure natural resources and do what they can to ensure the natural resources will be around for future generations. This means that we should all do what we can to learn what it takes to support the environment. Does it mean going 100% green or does it mean supporting those businesses who have the longevity to keep going over time? Eco tourism is difficult to define. How eco can you demand a location be when at home you use large amounts of fossil fuels to support your day to day life? Or is it best to learn what is sustainable and what we can do to slow the reduction in the world’s rainforests?
The size of our rainforests is continually diminishing. With continued population growth, the spaces on earth covered with trees will continue to decrease. We need to try to keep the reduction in forest size to a minimum. Thus it is important for all of us to vote with our dollars.
Support business and locales which treasure natural resources and do what they can to ensure the natural resources will be around for future generations. This means that we should all do what we can to learn what it takes to support the environment. Does it mean going 100% green or does it mean supporting those businesses who have the longevity to keep going over time? Eco tourism is difficult to define. How eco can you demand a location be when at home you use large amounts of fossil fuels to support your day to day life? Or is it best to learn what is sustainable and what we can do to slow the reduction in the world’s rainforests?
Embraced by nature
Monday, September 24, 2007
Once you step off the boat onto the dock at almost any
location here in Bocas del Toro Panama, you know you
are being embraced by nature. You almost feel as if you
are receiving a hug from Mother Nature herself. You are
surrounded by plants and trees which make up the rain
forest. You can almost feel the forest breathing. The
insects and animals make room for you to share their
space, but you never forget that you are a visitor here
in the jungle.
The main reason you know you are in a beautiful foreign territory is because you are enveloped into this space where you are so diminutive in size compared to the trees which make up the rain forest canopy. Many of these plants and animals have been around much longer than you or I.
However at no point do you feel that you are intruding or that you are not welcome. You are in fact being embraced. It is as if you are the recipient of a great big hug from a wonderful new friend. A friend who will always be there for you and asks very little in return. It is important that we look out for our new friend as once we have made her acquaintance we are never the same.
The main reason you know you are in a beautiful foreign territory is because you are enveloped into this space where you are so diminutive in size compared to the trees which make up the rain forest canopy. Many of these plants and animals have been around much longer than you or I.
However at no point do you feel that you are intruding or that you are not welcome. You are in fact being embraced. It is as if you are the recipient of a great big hug from a wonderful new friend. A friend who will always be there for you and asks very little in return. It is important that we look out for our new friend as once we have made her acquaintance we are never the same.
Eco Adventure Excursion
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Here is a sample itinerary for a Four Night / Five Day
Eco Adventure Extension from either Panama City or
Costa Rica.
Day One:
Arrive Bocas del Toro Panama. Afternoon trip to beach
Unspoiled islands protected by the National Park and home only to a park ranger and a couple of seasonal research scientists studying sea turtles
Day Two:
Snorkeling trip throughout the archipelago to different reef formations
Reef encircles many of the islands with oceanic formations consisting of walls, freshwater caves, tunnels, pinnacles, coral spires and towers, groove and spur, ocean impact reef, sandy ledges and shallow protected patch reef.
Day Three:
Sea kayak trip around various islands
Rock cliffs jut abruptly out of the sea, each having its own unique array of geological formations. Some are undercut by ocean waves on one side with a miniature 30-foot beach and shallow water on the other. Others rise piercingly from the sea and have deeper water on all sides.
Day Four:
All day excursion to indigenous village and isolated beach
A dramatic peninsula covered in dense tropical forest and high peaks descends to the ocean from over 700 feet. A 15-minute walk through the jungle leads you to the longest stretch of white sand beaches in Panama.
Day Five:
Mid day departure from Bocas del Toro Panama.
Day One:
Arrive Bocas del Toro Panama. Afternoon trip to beach
Unspoiled islands protected by the National Park and home only to a park ranger and a couple of seasonal research scientists studying sea turtles
Day Two:
Snorkeling trip throughout the archipelago to different reef formations
Reef encircles many of the islands with oceanic formations consisting of walls, freshwater caves, tunnels, pinnacles, coral spires and towers, groove and spur, ocean impact reef, sandy ledges and shallow protected patch reef.
Day Three:
Sea kayak trip around various islands
Rock cliffs jut abruptly out of the sea, each having its own unique array of geological formations. Some are undercut by ocean waves on one side with a miniature 30-foot beach and shallow water on the other. Others rise piercingly from the sea and have deeper water on all sides.
Day Four:
All day excursion to indigenous village and isolated beach
A dramatic peninsula covered in dense tropical forest and high peaks descends to the ocean from over 700 feet. A 15-minute walk through the jungle leads you to the longest stretch of white sand beaches in Panama.
Day Five:
Mid day departure from Bocas del Toro Panama.
Rain in the rainforest
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
As a child I remember singing rain rain go away come
again another day. Here in the rain forest, we have an
appreciation for rain that only comes from
understanding how important it is to the lifecycle for
each plant and animal that exists in the jungle.
Obviously plants need water to grow. To grow as large and as fast as they grow here in the rainforest they need a lot of water. One of the wonderful things about living here is that you can just about stick any plant into the ground and it will grow as long as it gets protected from the various ants that want to eat it. When there is a lack of rainfall the plants feel it. Some of them get burned from the increased exposure to sunlight without water to hydrate them. Others seem to wilt on the vine.
The animals need the plants to be healthy and go through a complete lifecycle so that they produce the different fruits, etc. that the animals eat. They also need water to hydrate themselves.
Each plant and each animal has a different role to play in the healthy existence of the rainforest. As one plant grows taller, another one falls down and then makes room for the next one.
Obviously plants need water to grow. To grow as large and as fast as they grow here in the rainforest they need a lot of water. One of the wonderful things about living here is that you can just about stick any plant into the ground and it will grow as long as it gets protected from the various ants that want to eat it. When there is a lack of rainfall the plants feel it. Some of them get burned from the increased exposure to sunlight without water to hydrate them. Others seem to wilt on the vine.
The animals need the plants to be healthy and go through a complete lifecycle so that they produce the different fruits, etc. that the animals eat. They also need water to hydrate themselves.
Each plant and each animal has a different role to play in the healthy existence of the rainforest. As one plant grows taller, another one falls down and then makes room for the next one.
Rainy Season - what does it really mean?
Sunday, August 19, 2007
We are asked on a regular basis about the amount of
rain we receive here in the rain forest. Well obviously
based upon the name you would think that we get loads
and loads of rain. We do, but it is rare that the rain
keeps us from doing anything for an extended period of
time. What is my definition of an extended period of
time? Several days in a row, all day long – enough time
to make young children crazy and adults on vacation a
bit cranky.
Normally during the rainy season we may have rain at night. Or we might have rain during the morning. Or we might have rain all afternoon. The deal is that rarely during this season do we get all three in one day: rain morning, noon and night. And even if it is raining – the weather is warm here. The rain cools you down on a hike through the jungle or on a kayak trip in the ocean.
What are the benefits of traveling during the rainy season? Fewer people. Your children are on vacation from school so you can schedule your trip as it best fits with your schedule not during a specific period of time when so many other people want to travel. So your international flights are less crowded, you can pick and choose your hotel in Panama City, and you have fewer people to contend with through the country of Panama.
Don’t let the term rainy season worry you – the amount of rain we have had here this summer barely compares to that which has been coming down on the USA. Go ahead -come on and enjoy our Panama beaches and our Panama islands – the water is warm.
Normally during the rainy season we may have rain at night. Or we might have rain during the morning. Or we might have rain all afternoon. The deal is that rarely during this season do we get all three in one day: rain morning, noon and night. And even if it is raining – the weather is warm here. The rain cools you down on a hike through the jungle or on a kayak trip in the ocean.
What are the benefits of traveling during the rainy season? Fewer people. Your children are on vacation from school so you can schedule your trip as it best fits with your schedule not during a specific period of time when so many other people want to travel. So your international flights are less crowded, you can pick and choose your hotel in Panama City, and you have fewer people to contend with through the country of Panama.
Don’t let the term rainy season worry you – the amount of rain we have had here this summer barely compares to that which has been coming down on the USA. Go ahead -come on and enjoy our Panama beaches and our Panama islands – the water is warm.
