Panama floods, mudslide

[TMHeimer]

Anyone have info. on the flood situation in Panama? I see that a big mudslide killed 8 and destroyed 3 homes in Portobelo, cutting the town off from the rest of the country. My week next month is with Panama Divers in Portobelo--I e mailed them but haven't heard anything. Appreciate any info.

 

[cappyjon431]

Most of the deaths/damage/evacuations have occured just outside of Colon and in the town of Chepo. I have not heard of significant damage/problems in Portobelo, but news has been somewhat limited here. We have had significant rainfall here in Bocas del Toro, but no flooding.

 

[gb_williams]

If you haven't already paid for trip, I strongly recommend that you check out Scubapanama, as well. Their rates for both lodging and diving are much lower, you're much closer to the two best restaurants in Portobelo (La Torre and Los Cañones), the lodging is better and you'll be much closer to the dive sites.

Both operators dive the same sites, and if the seas are choppy, there are only two or three sites you can get to. On the weekends, Scubapanama is sending out two or three boats at a time ... all four if they have a class.

Actually, if you can take the time to go to Bocas del Toro, I think you'll find better diving with Bocas Water Sports. I was shocked when I last dove Portobelo in September. While we did get to go out to the wall (calm seas in September) and saw a few critters and fish that I hadn't seen before in Portobelo, it was like all the reef fish (except Lionfish) were on vacation. Where I used to see Parrotfish competing for tastier morsels and lots of Sargeant Majors, Damsels, Butterflys and Angelfish ... there were perhaps two here and swim a ways to find another one over there. I think I saw a total of five or six lobsters and not one crab. (18 months previously, there were many of both, especially at night.) Yet, we were running into as many as five large Lionfish on one rock at the same time.

Our most recent dive trip to Bocas was in January. Lots of fish and critters. In terms of species, there may be more to see in Bocas than Grand Cayman. Much greater variety of dive sites and more of them. And, you won't find a better dive operator in all of Panama than Cappyjon and Bocas Water Sports. His divemasters are the best. You will definitely get the best value with BWS.

 

[TMHeimer]

Thanks gb. My trip next month is already paid for as is the flights. That's my concern about conditions there. Did you see any good big shells down there?

 

[gb_williams]

Did you see any good big shells down there?

I saw a few six-to-ten inch conchs. They were well encrusted. It's illegal to take them unless you're freediving. Because of the overfishing and loss of reef critters and fish (espcially lobster and crab) most of the divemasters are not supportive of taking anything living ... unless you want to spear a few Lionfish, which make excellent eating as I understand.

 

[cappyjon431]

The Panamamanian government actually extended the previous 5 year moratorium on collecting conchs for another 5 years. Not that there is any money to enforce these laws, but our shop actively supports the conch moratorium.

 

[TMHeimer]

Are you guys talking about Queen ("Pink") Conchs? I was thinking more about other stuff like Tritons, Helmets, etc. Are queen Conchs OK if freediving?

 

[cappyjon431]

Are you guys talking about Queen ("Pink") Conchs? I was thinking more about other stuff like Tritons, Helmets, etc. Are queen Conchs OK if freediving?

ARAP, ANAM, And Autoridad de Maritmo (government agencies charged with protecting the environment) have all declared that all forms of caracol (Spanish for conch) are forbidden to be taken from Panamanian waters. It is illegal, but the law is not uniformly enforced. In fact, there are restaurants in the province that have conch on the menu (they will often serve sea turtle as well). With a very limited budget for enforcement, te taking of conch is widespread. I would just be very careful about having conch shells in my luggage--there are fines for possesion of the shells, and it is my understanding that this goes for possesion of shells found on the beaches as well as underwater (because airport security cannot differentiate between the two).

 

[TMHeimer]

Thanks very much for the heads up.

 

[scuba420]

Do you realize also that triton shells are one of the only predators of the dreaded crown of thorns starfish? Taking these shells or supporting the sales of these shells is indirectly helping the destruction of coral reefs....