After our time in Portobelo, we sail into the Rio Chagres to spend the time waiting for our transit date through the Panama Canal. As soon as we enter the river, the landscape changes. Instead of the rugged cliffs along the coast, we are suddenly surrounded by dense jungle. We drop anchor in a bend of the river and lie perfectly still. There is not another boat in sight.
Here, Mabul does not follow the wind but the current. With the tides, the current reverses about every six hours, turning Mabul in the opposite direction each time. An incredible sense of peace surrounds us. Howler monkeys, Red-fronted Parrots and Collared Aracaris become our morning alarm clocks. At the same time, the Panama Canal is never far away. In the distance, we can hear the large ships and even the deep sounds of the locks. The contrast between dense jungle and one of the world’s busiest waterways could hardly be greater.
We spend almost a week in the Rio Chagres, enjoying this unusual tranquility. Then our transit date draws closer and it is time to move on. We raise the anchor and sail to our last stop on the Atlantic side, before Mabul begins a new chapter with her transit through the Panama Canal.
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