Who says Nargana is boring...?! (eng) 29.2.-2.3.2012
Andromeda
Michael
Thu 1 Mar 2012 19:07
Who says Nargana is boring...?!
Nargana/Corazon de Jesus, San Blas, Panama
29.2.-2.3.2012
After another terrific morning of kiteboarding, we had to leave the beautiful relaxed Eastern Lemmons and headed for Nargana to pick up my parents at the airport.
Since we left in the afternoon on the 28th, we stopped at a lovely little anchorage at Canbombia in the Eastern Narganguandup Cays. However, the following day, it was still very cloudy and a bit coldish, so not a good time to explore the lovely snorkeling areas there. Also, we had a very busy day getting water at Rio Azucar Island (they got a pipeline from the River Azucar from the mainland with lovely fresh and clean river water) and then 2nm more to Nargana.
As it's described in the cruiser's guide, the Kunas here gave up there traditional way of life, they have a big generator and hence electricity, and the evil flicker of the tv can be seen in every hut and shack. And it really is impressive. Sandy streets, a church, a little health clinic, three shops, about 1500 inhabitants, and a satellite dish in every other hut. You can't even get milk, cheese, butter, canned corn and many other things in the shops, but many people here have a flat screen TV! Fascinating.
Since my parent's reservation with Air Panama didn't get through, they're coming a day later - and we have to spend another day in this not so picturesque anchorage. However, we took the dinghy 3miles up the river, flanked by beautiful lush jungle vegetation. There's a hike to a waterfall. The guide book says it takes about 3 hours. And we thought we'd be quicker than the general cruiser, and maybe he even meant 3 hours return. However, after 1.5 hours, we still hadn't reached the waterfall and had to turn around as it was getting a bit late. But the hike was beautiful none the less, with giant trees and fans, dozens of extremely busy termite highways, lovely butterflies and spiders and dwarf little frogs. Hadn't spotted any snake or armadillo though, and I was admittedly just a little bit disappointed - when Michael stopped all the sudden and said "there's a big Leopard ahead". I had focused on the log in front of my to balance across a ravine and was happy to glance up just in time to see it gracefully hopping away on the path and jump into the bushes. Michael said it came along our way when he just came up the ravine, and both of them had been surprised to see someone else ahead. Fortunately, the big feline had decided within a few seconds to turn around and give way, and left us finishing our trip with a magical feeling.
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