Las Perlas

After motoring for the entire 1.5-day voyage from Naranjo Cove, the wind finally started to blow - 5 minutes before anchoring! We are now in the group of about 200 islands called Las Perlas. Our first stop was at one called Isla del Rey, which is actually the largest of the Perlas, where we set anchor at 14:00 (N08°13.896' W078°54.186') on the 21st of June. There was only 1 other boat here, a rather large commercial boat.

The island has 2 small villages and several beaches. We noticed an unusual sight - a barge on shore. The tide had gone out and it was high and dry but not before the surf had manoeuvred it crossways to the waves...

We went for a walk the next day by an old airplane runway. Looking down at the beach, it was so different than the other side of the island which was smooth and sandy. The beach area on this side was covered in large rocks and crashing waves.

Later, back at Sea Turtle, we watched as the barge successfully made it off shore and motored away. Just in time, as then it began to rain and continued all throughout the night with thunder and lightning.

On June 23rd, we continued our travels with little wind from behind. So up went the spinnaker, then finished off with the genoa to the anchorage 5 hours later, dropping the hook without even turning on the motor. We anchored at beautiful Isla del Espiritu Santo (N08°25.811' W078°51.347').

There were only 2 other boats here, 1 a catamaran and 1 a trimaran, both being from Germany. We went ashore and walked the sandy beach, trying to find a trail that the German couple had told us about but to no avail. But we did admire the beautiful flowers hanging from the trees along the beach.

Yes, another sandy beach!

Once again, it rained during the evening, confirming it is the rainy season in Panama.