Panama Investor Blog

Fishing off the coast of Chiriqui

I have to take a break from my land bound responsibilities from time to time. I love to get out on the ocean, especially off the coast of Chiriqui. I keep a small boat in Boca Chica and regularly head out to the nearby fishing grounds to try my luck. The beautiful white sand beaches on the many islands usually lure me to their shores for a rest and I can always count on the tremendous amount of wild life in these seas to entertain as well. Dolphins, whales and sea turtles abound.

Panama is renowned for its deep sea fishing and right off the coast of Chiriqui is some of the best fishing grounds on the Planet. Exotic names like Isla Ladrones, Montosa, Isla Secas, Coiba and Hannibal banks have long lured the sportsman to these fishing grounds There are a number of fishing operators in the area and this last week I had the pleasure of spending a few days with a really first class operation run by father and son: Bruce and Shane Jarvis from the U.S..

For many fishermen it's just about the boat, equipment and fishing. The accommodations usually come a distant second, but with Propidad de Panama the accommodations and food add greatly to the fishing experience. Located on Isla Perida, a 20 minute ride from Boca Chica, these fellows have brought the level of first class fishing to a new high. And being on isla Parida brings you that much closer to where the fish are.

Right now they have only a few rooms, but they are air conditioned and nicely appointed with flat screen TV, video games and movies on CD. And this family really knows how to cook.

And this family really know how to cook. Our dinner consisted of a great broccoli salad, homemade bread and spicy tuna steaks. Eating a wonderful meal with great company as you watch the sun go down over the many islands doting the area could not be more perfect.

They currently have two boats and the one we went on was a 2007 33 foot catamaran with twin 225 4 stroke Yamaha's. This beauty road like a dream. These cats are extremely stable even when everyone on-board goes to one side to see the fish coming on board. They have brand new Penn reels, and tuna tubes stocked and ready for action.

One piece of equipment I have not seen on any boats of this size is a super sensitive radar that can be used to spot bird activity within 4 miles of your location. We used this instrument a lot on our way to the banks to locate the action we would have otherwise had to depend only on our eyes to see.

If you get a chance to fish this fantastic area you may want to go with Propidad de Panama. I don't think you will be disappointed.

Lets go flying

I know many of my readers are flying enthusiasts like myself so I wanted to share information about a fascinating aircraft I have been watching for some time come to fruition. Imagine a craft that lands on both land and water and can be easily trailered. Besides incredible function the plane is just plane cool. I have a deposit on one which may be delivered in 2011-12. Go to the ICON website for more info.

Some advice for Doug Casey on building Utopia

Doug Casey is a well known investor/economist who's predictions regarding the worlds current and future economy have been both accurate and dire. He has written a number of interesting books and is a regular on MSNBC, Fox and CNN as they can always count on him to forecast doom and gloom as a kind of balanced, almost comic relief to their ever glowing predictions for the markets.

I first learned about Casey from a book he wrote back in the 80's titled International Man. I stumbled on it in a garage sale in the early 90's and it set me on the path of becoming the "international man" that I am today. Now it seems, the path I took that led me to build Valle Escondido in Panama is one he is now taking in Argentina with a project he calls La Estancia de Cafayate. The project is near a small town of Cafayete which is about the same size as our town of Boquete. There is an interesting audio interview with him where he talks about the reasons he is building the project, which I can certainly relate to having been there and done that.

Over the past 9 years it has taken me to complete Valle Escondido I have met many men who had the desire to create their own version of a perfect community. There is a strong force in some of us that is not satisfied with the world as it is and we have the vision, drive and stubbornness to try and create our own version of utopia. We usually select out of the way places where civilization is not so advanced and the natural world still plays a very important role in everyday life. These projects are invariably developed in an out of the way agrarian societies where we "feel" we have stepped back in time because of the laid back, down to earth inhabitants. We are reminded of our youth growing up in the 50's or 60's, just after the last world war and before the advent of big government, technology, pop culture, and the growing health issues facing our society today. But along with this vision of a bygone era we want the same amenities and lifestyle we have benefited from in the 21st century. Finding the balance of both of these attractions is extremely challenging, but it can be done. What follows are my ramblings of what I have experienced as one of these development dreamers in hopes it might help Mr. Casey and others in building their Utopia.

It's time for some comic relief! Our pets.

Ok, with all the heavy news coming out lately regarding taxes, laws and ever expanding government, it is time for some relief. My wife will kill me for sharing this, but I can't resist. It is only 1 minute so stay for the ending.

Latest information on Alien found in Panama

As I said in a previous post regarding the recent alien story, I usually don't post such subject matter, but this one has turned out to be rather intriguing. After posting the story last Thursday I received a phone call from a high level government official in the new Panamanian administration. He told me that several days ago a U.S government G5  landed at the old Howard Air force base where the frozen body of this creature was loaded and taken away. I asked him if he had seen the body personally and if there were more photos available. He said, yes he had seen it and that Panamanian zoologists and medical doctors  had examined the body and had taken numerous photos. He said it definitely was not a hairless sloth and that they could not identify what it was. I asked him if he could get me some photos and he said the "U.S. government guys" had demanded all photo's and all instruments used in the examination of the body to be turned over to them. Any materials that came in contact with the body were also handed over. Everyone who was involved in the examination was debriefed and told not to talk to anyone about it. He said the cave the creature supposedly came out of has been thoroughly examined by both the Panamanian and U.S. government. The cave has been sealed with steel and concrete and Panama national guardsmen are standing guard there now.

He said he had taken some photos with his cell phone and he would get some of them to me soon. I asked him why he was sharing this information with me and he said it was because he "believes it is a huge story and the world should know about it, and people would believe me because I don't hype". 

Now, I really don't know what to believe. I personally don't believe in alien creatures from another planet are here on earth and especially in Panama. Although in the movie Godzilla, that creature was also attracted to Panama for some reason and left his footprints across the isthmus. But one has to wonder, if these aliens are so intelligent to be able to get here from another world millions of light years away, why would they allow themselves  to be killed by a group of teenagers. Why not pull out the old ray gun and blast them?  And, why would the Panamanian government give up this creature's body so quickly to the U.S. government? It could be be a huge tourist attraction bringing millions of people to the country just to get a look at it. They could display it in the new Gehry museum.

Again, I don't know what to believe but, this high level government official is someone I trust and have known for a long time and he has provided reliable information in the past. There is no reason I can think of for him to lie about it, unless he is trying to make a fool out of me, which I seriously doubt. So, when I get the photos I will post them if the black helicopters don't whisk me away beforehand.Stay tuned!

Fishing dispute reported

This photo is of my son Travis holding this 50 lb Amber-jack  caught while we were fishing this weekend off the island of Ladronas. I thought this would be a good lead in for my post of a reported conflict between the indigenous of the Darian and the commercial fishing fleets that are plundering their waters just off the Pacific coast southeast of us.

During our fishing trip this Saturday we noticed the number of shrimp boats dragging their nets near the shore and then the number of long line boats about an hour off shore. The long liners are local fishermen out of Pedregal and Boca Chica. I am not sure where the shrimp boats are out of, but there is no doubt that they are aggressively working the waters up and down the coasts of Panama.

Thealarm bells are ringing all over about the oceans being quickly depleted in an exponential fashion and if our experience this weekend is any indication, it is happening off the coasts of Panama at the same pace. As the article in LA Prensa states "sea patrols have been sent to the region to follow up on the complaints, but that the agency lacks the funds to cover the entire coast."  I have been fishing these waters for the past 7 years and I have not seen a single patrol boat of any kind. I have spoken to the authorities in David who have the boats, but not the fuel to do the patrols.

Lets go fishing!

One of the many benefits of living in Chiriqui is the proximity to the ocean. Either of them. Last weekend we took my small fishing boat out to Isla Secas to spend a few days snorkeling and fishing. We had an incredible time doing both, but the real highlight of the experience was that we got to stay at the boutique resort on the island. This was truly a first class experience from the moment we got to the dock. The staff was waiting to help with luggage and lines and handed each of us a pipa, or coconut with a straw. The water was so clear at the dock we could see hundreds of small blowfish whirling about looking for somthing to eat. My 7 year old was fascinated by their ability to puff themselves into spiky balloons when threatened.

We stayed in yurts, which are elegant tent like structures and although here was no AC we found the fans we plenty cool at night. But the very best part of our stay was the food. Each meal is prepared by a chef and we always were eating extraordinary meals as good as any gourmet restaurant in the world.

Each morning my two younger boys and I would get up early and head out about 5 minutes to the fishing grounds. Within minutes we were fighting beautiful Dorado and returning by 8:30 for a wonderful breakfast as we talked about our great fishing skills. My middle son had never caught a fish before and for him to fight a 20 pound Dorado was an experience he won't soon forget.

The Isla Secas area is composed of 16 islands and all owned by the resort. The resort is really  green with solar panels being the only source of power. There is a 450 meter airstrip capable of handling small aircraft and several clients had come that way the day before our arrival.  They have all of the equipment ready for fishing, diving or snorkeling and the area has some of the best of both I have ever seen. My 7 year old would not get out of the water. With 150 feet of crystal clear visibility it was like being in a giant warm water aquarium. Check out the photo album and see this beautiful place within a short trip from our home in Valle Escondido.

My sincere thanks go out to the Klien family for hosting us this weekend.

Photo Album

My blog rated in top ten resources for Latin America investment

Just when you think no one is listening something like this comes along to boost my day. Now to be honest, I have not heard of these guys before (Global Edge UK) but they are all right in my book.

Excerpt;
Panama Investor Blog. This site covers all aspects of investment in Panama, but has a dedicated real estate strand with news and analysis on property and residential tourism. It is frequently updated and features original content along with stories from reputable international sources.

Read about the whole list here...

Tragedy in Chiriqui and the rescue of Francesca Lewis

Boquete 2007
Sam Taliaferro

The Baru volcano dominates life in the Chiriqui Province of Panama. With thick rain forests from its base to its summit, Baru is the tallest peak in the country, rising to 11,332 feet. The area of the Baru National Forest covers over 30,000 acres and is so massive that micro climates abound and rainfall is in some areas is either constant or nearly non-existent. My family and I live in one of its smaller canyons near the mountain town of Boquete. I had built a popular residential resort community in this valley called Valle Escondido, or Hidden Valley.

Christmas was just a few days away and many people had already left the heat of Panama City to enjoy the Chiriqui Highlands cool mountain air and beautiful scenery. After 4 months of slow season, our hotel was full of guests and our staff was adapting to the busiest time of year. We were near the end of our rainy season and although there is little change in temperature from the mean of 72 degrees Fahrenheit, we transition from regular afternoon downpours to no rain for almost 5 months. During this transition, the winds pick up from the north and can sometimes blow at hurricane force for days.   

Wild Bunch decend upon Boquete

This weekend about 250 bikers from Costa Rica and Panama descended on the little village of Boquete for the annual reunion held between the two countries. Costa Rica had about 150 bikers that rode from San Jose and they love to come to Panama for the great roads the country offers. They especially love the high country with wonderful cool weather that compliments the riding experience here. They did run into a little rain, but their spirits were not dampened and they had a great time. I had the chance to ride with the group a little and it is a interesting experience to ride with that many roaring motorcycles.  As they left town I thought how lucky I was to be able to live right here where some of the best bike touring in Central America is found. Click here to see the photo album.