Ojo de Agua, Panama

Panama Monkeys Video

While driving to Las Tablas one day I was fortunate to have my camera with me and monkeys all over the place.  They were eating the leaves and fruit from some trees hanging over the road.  Here is a video of the monkeys and some of the views along the same drive.

Enjoy!

James Trip Video

My good buddy James came to visit me here in Panama.  Here is a short video I produced of his visit.

Enjoy James, hope to see you soon.

Boca Brava Panama

Boca Brava is a beautiful island scattered area of the Gulf of Chiriqui.

There is great snorkeling, diving, fishing and surfing to be enjoyed, or if only there for one night like the quick trip I took with my good friends Joe and Dominic, cold beer with a beautiful view.

Enjoy the video by clicking on the link at the top.

Running with the Bulls Panama Style!

Oh how I love the annual festival in Pedasi when two angry  bulls are released in the central town park full of party goers.

Watch the video at the link above to get an idea of the fun to be had.  I can not wait till next year, maybe I can get my camera a little closer.

Enjoy!

Graciela in Venao Bikini Contest

Here is a short video (link above) I produced for my good friends Dexter and Graciala.  Dex’s girlfriend Graciela entered the bikini contest held during the weekend of the Quicksilver surf contest.

Enjoy Dex!

I am happy to announce that my girlfriend of two years, Sonia “Pucha” Garcia,  earned her tenth surfing title here in the Republic of Panama.  She placed second in the final contest of the year held in November at Playa Venao securing the women’s title.

Check out the short video of her accepting the trophy.

Pucha Garcia 10X Panamanian Womens Surf Champion

Felicidades mi amor!

Kids Surf Contest in Venao Nov 2009

The Quicksilver contest at Venao this November had a grommet’s division.  I edited a short video of the kids going at it.  My girlfriends son, Kalani, placed second.

Click on the link above.

Enjoy!

Here are some photos from the public boat ramp in the small town of Cañas. This is the nearest boat ramp to Ojo de Agua and one of the most protected ones in the area. There is already one private boat storage and another under construction near the launch. Notice the grass hut in one of the pictures. This is the neighbor next to the completed boat storage. Panama, land of contrasts.

Cañas is a small town located on the mainland near the mouth of the Cañas Estuary. If searching a map, Cañas is just north of the eastern tip of Cañas Island, roughly centered between Playa Venao/Venado and the town of Bucaro. Cañas is a typical small Panamanian town that has a Catholic church, public school, hardware store, a few small tiendas (general store), a few restaurants and plenty of cantinas.

This public boat ramp was recently constructed and is only a few minutes from the property in Ojo de Agua. The Cañas estuary is one of the only protected waterways in this part of Panama. Shielded from the waves of the Pacific Ocean by Isla Cañas, the protected estuary offers a great place to launch. Due to the extreme tidal fluctuations here in Panama, one most launch and retrieve their boat around medium or high tide. Once launched mariners navigate about 40 minutes westward through the mangrove lined estuary which merges with the Tonosi and Viejo rivers near where their mouths spill out into the Pacific Ocean near Bucaro, a small local fishing village located between Tonosi and Guanico.

I also included a photo of the sign announcing that the road is to be repaved from Cañas to Tonosi. Ojo de Agua is two kilometers to the west of Cañas heading towards Tonosi. Those of us that drive this road everyday know that it is one of the worst main roads in the area. I have been hearing for two years that this road is going to be rebuilt. The new road will cut the time down by half to go to Tonosi. Finally! The government has erected the official sign and roadwork has started.

When in the area take a drive through Cañas or catch a boat and visit the island for turtle watching, I may see you there.

Take Care,

Charlie

quebrada: gully, ravine, stream

There are many quebradas around the property, many deeper and larger than others. Too steep to haul out lumber from cut trees and to rocky for cattle to graze, quebradas are some of the rare areas in this heavily deforested part of Panama that are still relatively untouched. Quebradas are diverse ecological pockets where monkeys, iguanas, birds, and other species of local wildlife live. Fortunately, these shady, cool, reprieves from the tropical sun, are public right of ways and legally protected by the Republic of Panama.

The property in Ojo de Agua is bordered on three sides by very deep quebradas. Although I have briefly explored some of these valleys before, I never took the time to really appreciate their natural beauty. Yesterday, I decided to take a break and hike in the bottom of one and snap some photos to share.

Soon, we will start clearing trails through and around the quebradas, offering special areas for owners and guests to exercise, bird watch, hike, meditate and relax. I will keep everyone posted as we make progress. For now I hope everyone enjoys the photos.

Charlie

Distant view of Cañas Island

The pictures featured in this post are from one afternoon late in last years dry season when I drove from Playa Venao to Las Tablas .

El Valle de Tonosi

Instead of going the Pedasi route, I decided to head west from Venao and take the “mountain road” to Las Tablas. Passing by the property in Ojo de Agua, there is a turnoff just before Cacao, a small town between Agua Buena and Tonosi, that leads north through the tiny town of Flores and on to provincial capital Las Tablas.

At the time these photos were taken the road was under repair and the drive was slow and bumpy. Along the way I took advantage of the slow pace and snapped some photos while passing through the small mountain villages of Nuario, La Miel and Valle Rico. The “mountain road” has since been completely repaired and now from Ojo de Agua the drive to Las Tablas is a smooth 45 minutes, about the same time to drive to Pedasi. The views are breathtaking and the weather in these higher altitude regions is considerably cooler and windier, a welcomed change from the warmer humid beach areas where I spend most of my time.

Valle de Tonosi and Buenos Aires

Although the end of the dry season can be extremely dry, notice the color of the hills in the pictures, never the less, the landscape remains stunning.

Cows grazing near Las Tablas

It has been especially rainy today and I am dreaming of those cloudless dry season days. Browsing through my photo archive I found these and thought I would share them. If passing through the area, take this route and enjoy the view.

Charlie

View from Nuario