Zapatilla Cay

 

From Bocas del Toro, an hour-and-a-half boat ride through the Bastimentos National Marine Park takes you to Zapatilla Cay. Panama's first marine park, established in 1988, Bastimentos Marine Park conserves marine and coastal ecosystems, including wetlands, mangroves, coral reefs, white-sand beaches and more than 200 species of tropical fish. Panga boat captains like to cut through the park's watery maze of mangrove islets, and you never can tell when another boat will come splashing around the corner. Sea birds are abundant and the water is usually calm and clear. Along the way, be sure to stop at Crawl Cay to order lunch for the return trip. You don't set foot on land at this open-air restaurant - it's built on stilts with wooden piers connecting the dining area, kitchen and tiny store that sells gasoline and canned goods. A small marine aquarium, more like a watery stockade, gives diners a close-up look at game fish, turtle or conch, depending on recent acquisitions. The hosts are friendly, and the view is as spectacular as the home-style cooking. Some of the best skin diving in Bocas can be found on the ocean side of the marine park, windward from Crawl Cay. The variety of underwater ecosystems, including fan gardens and coral reefs, depends on the location. Choose from a variety of depths and currents that suit your skills and inclination. More intrepid and experienced divers can explore a series of nearby caves, which reside at 40 ft. and require underwater lights. Further boat travel takes you eight kilometers northeast of Crawl Cay to Zapatilla Cay, which is actually two small islands (Cayo Zapatilla Norte & Cayo Zapatilla Sur) just off the coast of Bastimentos; with some imagination the islands appear as small shoes, which gives them their names. Panama's National Environmental Authority (ANAM) manages the Cay. The ANAM center is on the southeastern island, and visitors must pay to disembark. Fees are $10 per person for non-residents and $2 for residents. Visitors are permitted to camp on the islands for $5.00 per night. Upon your arrival, the park guard will provide you with a brochure and a receipt. You might want to come prepared with sunblock and insect repellent to keep the sand fleas at bay. All of the beaches on the island are excellent for swimming, but the main attraction is the 45-minute nature trail that starts out as a wooden platform but soon winds its way through mangrove swamp and other habitats on an marginal trail. Intrepid visitors can complete the circuit through the center of the island and return along the leeward beach. Others may find it more comfortable to backtrack along the elevated platform and walk along the beach toward the point where the nature trail eventually comes out. If you opt for the nature trail, you first pass through a coconut grove into the shady mangrove forest. Soon you reach an old house garden with tropical fruit trees and a brackish water hole that legends say was frequented by pirates and once harbored buried treasure. Pass on to the windward beach, where a strong breeze refreshes and an impressive collection of driftwood litters the sand. Continue along through the mangrove swamp on an marginal trail, watching for trail markers and being careful not to slip in the mud. Here you can spot birds and crabs. Move on through a scrub forest that showcases native plants. The trail exits onto the leeward beach, where an easy walk takes you through a large coconut plantation owned by the Ngöbe-Buglé Indians. Intermittent rays of sunlight, wafting palm fronds, cool sand underfoot and the cathedral effect of the trees cause the thoughtful visitor to pause and contemplate the unique natural beauty of this perfect place. On this part of the walk, you will pass a small native house where the Ngöbe-Buglé stay when they come to harvest coconuts. The house is interesting because of its traditional native construction and nearby medicinal, ornamental and useful plants. The smell of salt air and the sounds of surf may entice you to a refreshing swim before returning to the ANAM center further down the beach. After rejoining your boat, and if the seas are reasonably calm, your captain can take you to the second island to observe the surf, bird rookeries, and island geography. Here sea birds hunt for food and brown pelicans windsurf on the waves. If you want a private beach experience, you can disembark here as well. A day excursion to Zapatilla Cay and back takes you through a cross-section of Caribbean marine ecosystems. Sun, sea birds, beaches, islands, mangrove and salt spray are the makings of this excellent marine adventure. Full day tours to Zapatilla Cay from Bocas depart daily, with afternoon excursions to Red Frog Beach and Hospital Point.                                                          Written by Susan Sharp