Bocas Information Update - International Relief Assistance

On November 27th, 2008 a Colombian Air Force transport landed on Isla Colon with 7 tons of relief supplies earmarked for Changuinola. The supplies were transferred to smaller aircraft and flown there. Relief agencies announced on public radio that two more planes should arrive in Bocas in the next few days. Also, today (Nov. 29th) 2 U.S. Army Chinook helicopters flew over Bocas on their way to Changuinola with supplies.

Bocas Information Sheet for November 29th, 2008

The latest information from Radio Chiriqui and local/Federal Government agencies:

Land Access to Bocas:

Almirante/David: The Coastal Highway between Almirante/Changuinola and David/Panama City is now OPEN to all vehicles, except tractor trailers! There is one lane in some areas. Buses and some tractor trailers are coming from David to Changuinola, but they must stop and off load in certain areas, then re-load on another bus or truck past the slide.

Changuinola: The Sixaola Bridge is OPEN at this time (border bridge between Costa Rica and Panama). Caution: some roads in Costa Rica near the border may NOT be passable due to flooding. The roads are open between Puerto Viejo and San Jose. Utilities in Changuinola were restored and they are providing tanker trucks of water to outlying towns. I would strongly recommend not going there!

Water taxis:

Due to the lack of fuel some companies are Closed and others have limited service.

"Bocas Marine & Tours" 757-9033 Open, but no scheduled runs.
"Taxi 25" 757-9028 Running to Almirante only when full.
"Jampam" 757-9619 Closed


Internet and Phone Service:

All Internet and cellular services are now working.

Banks and ATM's:

There is one bank on the island which is Banco Nacional. It is located on the road to the airport at the corner of Calle 4 and Ave. E. The bank is open Monday through Friday from 8 AM until 12 noon until further notice, and Saturdays 9-12. This Monday (Dec. 1st) is a holiday and it will be closed. This bank has an ATM outside, which is currently working (as long as the Internet is working). There is another ATM located near the Police Station/Jail on Calle Primera (First Street).

Airlines:

Is restored and are flying (pending weather conditions) to both Bocas and Changuinola. AeroPerlas 757-9341 and Air Panama 757-9842.

*Note: we cannot verify the information given here and cannot be held responsible for this information's validity. This was simply meant as a Public Service to provide information.

Bocas Information Sheet - Mainland Highway Access

Bocas Information for November, 28th, 2008

The latest information from Radio Chiriqui and local/Federal Government agencies:

Land Access to Bocas:

Almirante/David: The Coastal Highway between Almirante/Changuinola and David/Panama City is now OPEN to all vehicles! There is a lot of traffic and only one lane in some areas.

Changuinola: The Sixaola Bridge is OPEN at this time (border bridge between Costa Rica and Panama). Caution: some roads in Costa Rica between the border and San Jose may NOT be passable. Utilities in Changuinola were restored, but the water system is being shutdown again for maintenance due to the storm. Conditions are still bad there and over 90 additional Police Officers have been sent in to maintain order. Do not go there!

Water taxis:

Due to the lack of fuel some companies are Closed and others have limited service.

"Bocas Marine & Tours" 757-9033 Closed
"Taxi 25" 757-9028 Running to Almirante only every 1 1/2 hours now.
"Jampam" 757-9619 Closed


Internet and Phone Service:

All Internet and cellular services are now working.

Banks and ATM's:

There is one bank on the island which is Banco Nacional. It is located on the road to the airport at the corner of Calle 4 and Ave. E. The bank is open Monday through Friday from 8 AM until 12 noon until further notice, and Saturdays 9-12. This Monday (Dec. 1st) is a holiday and it will be closed. This bank has an ATM outside, which is currently working (as long as the Internet is working). There is another ATM located near the Police Station/Jail on Calle Primera (First Street).

Airlines:

Is restored and are flying (pending weather conditions) to both Bocas and Changuinola. AeroPerlas 757-9341 and Air Panama 757-9842.

Colombian Air Force craft arrived in Bocas yesterday with supplies for Changuinola.

*Note: we cannot verify the information given here and cannot be held responsible for this information's validity. This was simply meant as a Public Service to provide information.

Courtesy of Soluciones Biotecnologicas Tropicales (SBT) and Bocas del Toro Realty Services, Inc. 757-9401 Updates at www.solareef.com, see the Blog.

Bocas Information - Indigenous Communities

12:59 November 27th, 2008

The following is and excerpt from a Panamanian Government statement at http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/MYAI-7LS2SM?OpenDocument

"The Emergency Operations Centre (Centro de Operaciones de Emergencia - COE) informed that rains continue to affect the province of Bocas del Toro and the region of Ngöbe Bugle, an indigenous reservation which is hard to access. In the region of Ngobe Bugle there are 395 houses affected. According to SINAPROC, over 3,000 people have been affected and more than 45 indigenous communities are surrounded by water and isolated."

Yesterday, we sent out our boat to the community on San Cristobal to gather information as to their current situation for both medical and other supplies needed. Food, clothing, and other goods donated by a Bocas relief organization headed up by Virginia Vasquez, were distributed there. No injuries had occurred there and people were mostly hungry and wet. Some thatched roofs had collapsed. Their needs are food, clothing, water, baby supplies (pampers and formula) and some medicines. The medical report is being given to the local hospital to prepare for the return trip.

There is no gasoline available in Bocas and the return trip with needed medicines and supplies will depend on additional fuel or an alternative mode of transport being found, such as a sailboat perhaps. If anyone has any suggestions please let us know. The outer islands and Ngobe-Bugle Camarca will have to be self-sufficient until either the Panamanian government reaches them or the fuel crisis abates. If you are going into any of these communities please gather information and relay it to the proper authorities.

Bocas Information Fuel Issues

10:25 PM November 26th Bocas del Toro

The marina was not answering the phone this afternoon (757-9800), but I was told by a sailboat Captain they had two boats come in today for diesel. I don't know their current status, but I would think they are saving fuel for marina slip users.

Also, there was either some gas or diesel available at a station in Almirante this afternoon. The vehicles lined up for it and it is now all gone. The station owner said there is no more in town. One of the vessels bringing fuel and supplies (the landing craft) returned to Port Colon shortly after leaving there this morning (according to an Almirante Port official).

The two tanker trucks arriving in Bocas this morning brought enough fuel for the Bocas generator to run for about 15 days.

To stretch their fuel supply the ferry will not run again until Friday.

That's all I have at present. We will be enjoying Thanksgiving tomorrow and not checking the radio or other sources for updates. If anything important gets to me I will post it on the blog.

Bocas Information - Coastal Highway Update

5:27 PM Nov. 26th, 2008
The road between Changuinola and Chiriqui Grande is now open. Diesel buses are transporting between these locations only. The road to David is still Closed. The border is still Closed.

There is diesel fuel available at the Bocas Marina and Yacht Club and at the Almirante docks. There is NO gasoline available in Almirante.

Bocas Information Update - Power Plant Fuel Arrives

Two tankers with diesel fuel for the Bocas Power Plant arrived by ferry today. The trucks were stuck in Almirante due to suspension of the ferry service because of the weather. We will try to get information on the estimated days of service this will provide. Prior to this arrival, the amount of fuel already here was estimated to last for 5-7 days more.

Bocas Information for November 26th

Hola,

SBT has been gathering information from government agencies, Airlines, Immigration points, the U.S. Embassy, radio, and business owners in Almirante. For the past three days we have published this information to "Bocas Information Sheets" and distributed them to the airport, hotels, hostels, and restaurants. Starting today, we will also publish to this blog site and other Bocas related sites. If you call us we may have more information on a particular topic (757-9401). We will add-on as new updates comes in.

1:06 PM Bocas Information for November, 26th, 2008The latest information from Radio Chiriqui and local and Federal Government agencies:

Land Access to Bocas:

Almirante/David: The Coastal Highway between Almirante and David/Panama City is blocked by mud slides and may not be cleared for weeks. Current work is being conducted to open the roads for supplies only.

Changuinola: The Sixaola Bridge is CLOSED at this time (border bridge between Costa Rica and Panama); also there is no public transportation between Almirante and Changuinola at this time. There is no potable water there and a lot of stranded people. Do not go there!

Water taxis:

Due to the weather, boats from Bocas are running to Almirante only, but there you may find few hotels to stay in and no way to leave town.

"Bocas Marine & Tours" 757-9033
"Taxi 25" 757-9028
"Jampam" 757-9619

Internet and Phone Service:

Cable & Wireless provides Internet and cellular service to Bocas del Toro. All Internet and cellular service is now working.

Banks and ATM's:

There is one bank on the island which is Banco Nacional. It is located on the road to the airport at the corner of Calle 4 and Ave. E. The bank is NOW open only from 8 AM until 12 noon (until further notice), Monday through Friday and Saturdays 9-12. This Monday is a holiday and it will be closed. This bank has an ATM outside, which is currently working (as long as the Internet is working). There is another ATM located near the Police Station/Jail on Calle Primera (First Street).

Airlines:

Are flying intermittently due to weather conditions. AeroPerlas is only delivering food to Changuinola today and flying people out. Aeroperlas 757-9341 and Air Panama 757-9842.

U.S. military helicopters are assisting efforts in remote mountain areas.

Gasoline (mixed only)is available in the islands as long as it lasts at Isla Solarte 6459-8412 and mixed and unmixed at Crab Caye (near Crawl Caye).

*Note: we cannot verify the information given here and cannot be held responsible for this information's validity. This was simply meant as a Public Service to provide information.

Courtesy of Soluciones Biotecnologicas Tropicales (SBT) and Bocas del Toro Realty Services, Inc. 757-9401 www.solareef.com

Animal Refuge is in Danger of Ending.

For the last three days I have been visiting a remote wildlife refuge project called "Tigre Salvaje" (Save the Tiger). Founded by Dave Teichmann, he has personally funded and operated this project on the Pacific for over three years now. Originally, he came with his rescued margay cat (called a tigre) hoping to protect a small portion of the wildlife in this less frequented part of Panama.

He trained and setup patrols to locate and protect nesting Olive Ridley, Green, and Leatherback marine turtles, but due to the number of poachers and feral dogs he was forced to collect the eggs. He constructed his own incubators and has hatched out around two thousand turtles so far. His area is also home to an endangered primate, the Red shouldered Squirrel Monkey. Dave often locates or is given injured or orphaned monkeys, iguanas, opossums, and other animals which he cares for.

Although he protects his area of forest, other adjacent landowners have cleared their land for pasture and poachers of monkeys and turtles have become much bolder. Dave's property offers the last contiguous forest in this area and the last refuge for troops of white-faced capuchin, howler, and squirrel monkeys. His margay, who once roamed freely on the property, must now remain caged for most of the day to protect her from hunters who frequent his property boundaries.

Dave provides conservation education for local school children and has created a conservation corp with local adults and children. He has built a small eco hotel and jungle lodges for visiting scientists and volunteers and has been pursuing a concession for the beach and a small nearby island to create a protected refuge for these animals. After three years of government requested Impact Studies and turtle studies he has run out of funds to continue this endeavor. We visited to see firsthand his project and to then determine how we can best assist him in getting funds and government support. Time is short, but we do what we can.

Former Student of the SBT Ngobe School hired by STRI

Indigenous youth, Arsileo Gonzalez attended the SBT Ngobe school at Salt Creek for two years. He worked nights at the Playa Larga Turtle Research Station on Isla Bastimentos and attended school during the day. Today, he had an interview with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) on a recommendation from me. He was hired due to his exemplary work at the turtle station. He will be working with Dr. Cori Richards as an assistant for her poison dart frog (Dendrobates pumilio) speciation project. Congratulations to Arsileo!