banana boat

Making our way through the archipelago this morning I pondered the mosaic past of the islands of Bocas del Toro. The boat ride to our destination for the day took us past the many islands and tiny villages that encompass this diverse area. Rich with history and beauty, they have a mystique that hangs over them like the clouds over Volcan Baru. Christopher Columbus sailed through here on his fourth voyage and yet for the next three hundred years the islands did not see much growth. During the late 1800s and early 1900s better known as the colonial era, the area began booming with economic opportunity. Products such as bananas, cocoa, coconut oil, sugar cane and turtle eggs started boosting the local economy. Such growth brought progress to the area, so much so, that the town of Bocas (on Isla Colon) hosted consulates from countries such as Germany, France, England and the United States. As with a lot of Caribbean islands there is an ebb and flow of economic growth and this place has been no different. The islands have laid rather dormant for the last 60 years but lately things have certainly picked up and there is once again a lot happening. One lingering export from the past that can still be seen today is bananas. If you find yourself in the right place, at the right time, you will see one of the gigantic Chiquita banana boats making its way through the channel next to town. It is quite the spectacle - as to the naked eye; one would presume there is not enough water to sustain such a ship.