Las Islas Perlas - off the Panama Coast 18th to 23rd of April

After spending a day shopping in Panama (Albrook Mall, the biggest shopping mall in South America, 3.5km long!!!), we decided to spend Easter at the Islas las Perlas, which are about 35 nautical miles off the Panama coast. The Islas Perlas consists of a group of about 40 islands (only a few inhabited), which got their name when in 1515 the Spanish robbed a large amount of pearls from indigenous King Toe, defeated the king and enslaved his pearl divers! How mean!
Anyway, we had a lovely time there over Easter. Just relaxing! Except,  good Friday and Easter Saturday half of Panama was at the Las Perlas with their fishing yachts and big cruising motor yachts. It is obviously their long weekend destination. But that was fun too! Lots of Latin music and lots of people. When we woke up in the morning on Good Friday we were alone in the bay and by lunchtime there was about 17 boats around us. Sometimes that close that we had to move a bit.

Over the Easter days we did a bit island hopping to have a look around. The vegetation wasn't as green as in our guide book (very good by the way, 'The Panama Cruising Guide' by Eric Bauhaus) as all of Panama is waiting for the rain season to start. Our Panama guides told us, if it doesn't rain in the next 3 weeks, the canal water level will be too low and the really big ships won't get through any more and they will start loosing money. So a lot of trees were just dead looking. But we had fun: Hermit Crab races, Coconut picking and opening and eating, yummy! Jack had a couple of days water skiing (had a smile from ear to ear!), Lisa skied too and got out first go! And Jack gets out every time now on one ski. Ben and Pete entertained themselves a bit with Wind Surfing, I swam and read a lot and Jack and Lisa also kept on building their 'Mega Pools' at the beaches.

 Jack skiing

  

 Another pretty sunset

 The ladies from Havachat

 The crazy man from Havachat

 Put your hermit crabs down and then: Ready, Set, Go! Which crab makes it first out of the circle?

 Collecting coconuts at the beach

 Trying to get a few more of the trees

 A bit gymnastics

 They are just not coming down! (throwing rocks at them)

 Maybe with a long stick?

 Not working either!

 Climb up? Too high!!

 Now the hard work of opening them....

 Pete windsurfing

 Ben windsurfing

 Building a mega pool (you have to do it as the tide comes in, so in the end the pool gets flooded...)

Oh, almost forgot: The Easter Bunny found his way to us!!! Here are Jack and Lisa at their Easter Hunt:

Back on the 23rd to Balboa Yacht Club to wait for our Parasailor to arrive (was in repair, long story....) We think we might maybe go on a road trip for a few days.

And the rain season has started today.... Its so muggy!!!! More before we leave to Galapagos in a few days.