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By Buzzy Gordon
From Sea to Sea:
Discovering Panama's Fascinating Waterways
All the big cruise lines do it. Consequently, many passengers do it. But they don't really do it – at least not all the way.
It, of course, is crossing the Panama Canal. And sure, the giant cruise ships and their passengers enter the canal from the Atlantic Ocean, pass through the Gatun Locks and glide into Gatun Lake, the widest part of the 43-mile long canal. But then, as if changing their minds, they turn around and head back through the same locks, eager to return to the Caribbean Sea and its next touristy island destination.
This may be fun for some, but it is no way to get to know Panama's amazing canal or the shores of the waters it connects. For that, you need Panama Marine Adventures' "Journey between the Seas," aboard the luxury catamaran Discovery. (www.pmatours.net)
The Discovery has been plying this new route for only a few months now, but the unique itinerary already appears to be a winner. It alternates weeks cruising northbound and southbound, never straying more than a day's sail from either entrance of the canal. Yet even under these self-imposed constraints, Panama's incredible diversity is on vivid display.
Discovery passengers' floating home for the week comprises just 12 staterooms, for a maximum capacity of 24 guests. As usual on board ship, the rooms are small. But they are comfortable enough for the amount of time spent there; most waking hours on board will be spent on the tastefully furnished main deck, divided into lounge, dining room and bar, which is always open and dispenses unlimited drinks – from rich smoothies to cocktails prepared carefully to individual tastes. "Extremely casual" is the dress code at all times, maximizing comfort even when sitting down to eat.
The food is nearly as plentiful as the drinks. None of the huge buffets the major cruise lines offer, but breakfast is a fresh and tasty all-you-can-eat affair, with eggs and French toast cooked to order. All meals, in fact, are delicious, while dietary restrictions and preferences are honored. Lunches have been too light at times, and the dessert cookies repetitive, but dinners are wonderful, relaxed affairs, with generous portions, fine wines and elaborate desserts.
At all times, the young staff, whether servers or members of the expedition crews, are courteous, friendly and eager to please.
As enjoyable as the time on board is, the highlights of the cruise are the adventures on shore. The Atlantic side brims with history and intellectual satisfaction. The now tiny harbor town of Portobelo (the correct Panamanian spelling), once the gateway for the richest boatloads of gold and silver heading from the New World to the coffers of Spain, nestles in a beautiful bay, where the calm waters lull passengers to sleep, in spite of the serenade of unforgettable growls from the howler monkeys on land. More legends come to life at this UNESCO World Heritage site (together with the neighboring ruins of the fortress of San Lorenzo), in the form of past local exploits of notorious pirates Captain Henry Morgan and Sir Francis Drake. You'll learn about the bizarre "War of Jenkins' Ear" and even why George Washington's plantation was named Mount Vernon.
From there it is up the Chagres River, the natural precursor to the Panama Canal, and the first of several nature hikes in the rainforest. It is here where you might catch the first glimpse of the colorful and implausible keel-billed toucan, the charming and enduring poster bird of Central America's jungles. The Discovery's two zodiac boats will be launched in pursuit of other animal sightings on the banks, the first of many such excursions over the course of the week.
Lining up with the mammoth ships waiting to enter the Panama Canal is certainly the most exciting experience one can have while stuck in a queue. It won’t be long, though, since the Discovery is small enough to share a lock with a much larger ship – such as a Carnival cruise ship loaded with passengers taking your photographs as if you were a memorable memento of their vacation.
Once free of the locks, the Discovery speeds toward Barrio Colorado Island, a nature preserve right in the middle of Panama Canal waters and home to the Smithsonian Institution's Tropical Research Center. A walk through this area could net you a nice long view of a family of spider monkeys. Two certified guides, one for each zodiac, are part of the ship's permanent crew; they make sure you don't miss an awesome sighting, and give entertaining briefings on board ship.
You will be one the rare tourists who can say you slept overnight in the Panama Canal, before heading out into the Pacific and the Pearl Islands. You will see there the reason the CBS TV reality show "Survivor" had two editions in this part of the world: Survivor Panama and Survivor Pearl Islands. The snorkeling is magnificent, and you can even climb aboard the only existing submarine in water that was commissioned during the Civil War!
A highlight for any traveler interested in anthropology, tribal life or native handcrafts is the visit to the village of Embera Indians living on the Mogue River in the Darien Plug – the nickname given to this impenetrable jungle that still remains, after many decades, the only obstacle to completing the Pan American Highway from the top of north American to the bottom of South America. In a sense, therefore, the Journey between the Seas is also a remarkable journey to the end of a continent.
© March 2008 LuxuryWeb Magazine. All rights reserved.
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