Isla Contadora
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Isla
Contadora  Beez is anchored on the mid left above
the airport in the first picture and at the far end of the runway in the second
(little resort this end of the runway).
We are opposite Playa
Cacique (at the
bottom)
Bear’s regular place in
the Romantico
On
one of our walks, we took this picture of the remains of
holiday chalets. Apparently a wealthy Colombian built many holiday lets,
but sadly he died three years ago and derelict is all that is left. A few locals
have taken over some of these properties and as we walked by the cooking aromas
were wonderful. There are half a dozen small hotels and several guest houses
here on the island, used mainly by “get away from it all Panamanians” who use
the ferry which runs most days - the really wealthy fly in on private little
planes but we have seen one Lear Jet and two helicopters, there is also a
charter service from Panama.
Bear finds a once
carefully owned roundabout. The main road, well maintained
and we met a man, his mapping equipment and a happy smile.
History: Contadora was the island where the Spanish gathered to buy the pearls that were harvested from the other islands in the archipelago, hence the name of the island - "The one that counts." The natives collected the pearls of many colours and sizes, bringing them here to be counted and sold. The pearl industry successfully continued for many years until in 1938 when there was a red tide which caused an underwater epidemic killing most of the pearl oysters.
Red tide (a new one on us) is a common name for a phenomenon known as an algal bloom (large concentrations of aquatic microorganisms) when it is caused by a few species of dinoflagellates and the bloom takes on a red or brown colour. Not all algal blooms are harmful. Most blooms, in fact, are beneficial because the tiny plants are food for animals in the ocean. In fact, they are the major source of energy that fuels the ocean food chain. A small percentage of algae, however, produce powerful toxins that can kill fish, shellfish, mammals and birds, and may directly or indirectly cause illness in people. HABs (Harmful Algal Blooms) also include blooms of non-toxic species that have harmful effects on marine ecosystems - when masses of algae die and decompose, the decaying process can deplete oxygen in the water, causing the water to become so low in oxygen that animals either leave the area or die. Humans have reported skin irritation and burning after swimming in a red tide – numpties. The first recorded case was in 1793; occurring in British Columbia, Canada with over a hundred reported deaths and several thousand illnesses. January 2013, a red tide occurred on the West Coast Sea of Sabah in the Malaysian Borneo. Two fatalities have been reported after the victims consumed shellfish that had been contaminated with toxin. January 2013, a red tide bloom happened mainly on Siesta Key, Florida causing a fish kill that had a negative impact on tourists and caused respiratory issues for beach-goers – Something you never see in Clacton or Hastings............Very sad though.
A local
dwelling
Abbey
Road ??? don’t answer that.
The once carefully owned petrol pump - the
newer one doesn’t work either.
Couldn’t
resist this one
One of the two
supermarkets, good for bread and vegetables but you wouldn’t want to do a
monthly shop here. Bear’s favourite is the petrol station ‘out back’. He buys
Baby Beez fuel, tipped from the barrel and measured by filling an old water
bottle, but the system works and they sell ice
cream and crisps.
Not sure what’s going on here
Well
maintained electrics and we watched a bit of
maintenance.
Plenty of One Careful Owners out and about
To give proper balance,
just two of the beautiful homes (of a couple of
dozen) owned by the well heeled of Panama..
The island has a sort of
yester-year feel about it, but it feels just right. In 1980, the exiled Iranian shah, Mohammad Reza
Pahlavi, briefly lived on the island.
The Contadora Peace
Accords, which laid the foundation for
peace in Central
America, were negotiated on this
island during the 1980’s – the members took the name The Contadora
Group.
ALL IN ALL A CUTE LITTLE ISLAND |