The bioluminescent plankton of Bocas del Toro

Bocas de Toro –

We start our day with having a short (first) breakfast and walk to La Buga for our next scuba dives. This time we dive in “Lunchbox”, a wreck of a catamaran and “Casa Verde”. We have chosen “Lunchbox”, because we’ll as well do a night dive there – seeing the divespot at day is a completely different experience though.

This time, Karly is going to dive with us as guide. There is also a Spanish couple with her 6 year old son. We hardly left the dock, and the little fella already unpacked all his Matchbox cars making the deck his playground. Mommy and Daddy have their dives successively with us with while having the other one taking care of junior – also a great example that long-distance travel can work quite well with children . The Dive at “Casa Verde” is really relaxing – lots of fish to see, no current at all – a perfect way to start our day.

“Lunchbox” is really interesting. Many hiding places fish can stay at night. Before ending the dive end we get to see two giant octopus, which are hiding under some coral ledge. Their eyes seem to be about the size of pingpong balls, they must be huge – perhaps they’ll come out at our nightdive…

Again in Bocas Condos we have an extended 2nd breakfast  and a siesta.

While I walk to the Lavanderia to deliver our laundry, Ena looks online for sailboat trips to the surrounding islands. There are 3 offers: 2 on common sailing boats and some sort of party boat trip. You can contact our top pick by email or go directly to the Toro Loco bar. Since we’ve already been there one, we head to the bar. Unfortunately the owner of the boat (who also owns the bar) does not seem to be achievable – so we take a seat and decide to have some drinks first. We have a little chat with “Skinny Pete” and his friends who are sitting on the porch of the bar right at the street and have a country style jam session with the guitars and banjos they brought along. Time goes by, but we have no luck. Same thing with the alternatives: Both won’t leave the harbour tomorrow. Seems we have to come up with an alternative – but we don’t want to do the the typical Frog Beach / Starfish Beach trips… maybe visit Zapatilla instead?

As it is getting late, we have to leave for our nightdive – our drinks are even on the house this time, thanks to a Loco’s employee and friend of Pete. Very, very cool . We say goodbye and get some encouraging words – we will see what will happen tomorrow.

The nightdive is extremely relaxing. “Lunchbox” is full of crabs and lobsters. Several Lionfish sleep at the bow hatch of the sunken catamaran. Throughout the scuba dive we hear sporadic sounds of Toadfish – this “Woop, woop, woop, woop” is very irritating, specially in the dark, as sound moves faster in water than in air, it seems like the Toadfish are located right next to your own ears. However, we do not gat to face them in the night – they are already extremely difficult to locate in daylight.

While returning to the boat, we get to see a huge crab that hiding in a coral-overgrown pipe. Eventually, we get to a sandy place without any coral – we squat, take shallower breaths and turn out our flashlights. As our start adjusting slowly to the darkness (we may have just about 0,5m sight), we start seeing tiny green particles whizzing around us. A quick hand movement, and the numerous small bioluminescent plankton swirls and lights up even brighter – il looks like our hands are smearing through a luminous cloud. A very great scuba dive. It seems I have consumed less air at this dive than during the other ones – perhaps because there was a little current helping us drift to the wreck, but also because I felt much more relaxed.

Back on the dock of La Buga we fill out our logbooks and have a cold beer with Karly and Lucy while having a chat about Bastimentos (where Karly lives), cheap flights back home, good beers, carnival and festivals…

Eventually, we get interrupted by our stomaches strating to growl and we order a Bugita Burger and a baconwrapped Snapper. Ena remains faithful to the Tropical Margerita and I order the specialty cocktail “Hot Lady” (The bartender seems to like to try out new recipies every few days, says Lucy). With each having another cocktail after our meal we enjoy the evening.