Picton Castle arrived at Balboa after transiting the Panama Canal on a late Friday evening with the sun going down, to settle to her starboard anchor and two stern moorings.
One would think that, having started the day early on the Caribbean side, looking forward to sitting back and letting the passage sink in was a logical thing to do. Our agents informed us, however, that the ship chandlers who were supplying the ship with (mostly) dry goods and provisions had quite a different idea.
Cart after cart of supplies were lined up on the long narow cement dock, ready to transfer to the ship. As Panama is the major re-supply port for the ship before she heads out into the Pacific, volumes of goods were considerable. Amongst it, of course, frozen items to fill up our depleted freezers for a long time to come.
Now, Panama is hot. And that holds true even on a late afternoon. Getting the frozen goods back in a freezer was therefore of some urgency. So on board it came, boatload after boatload.
Eventually, the task was done to an extent that the frozen goods were secured and everything else protected from any rain squall or thunderstorm that may visit us. Quite common in Panama’s rainy season, I am told.
Somewhat segregated, as if no-one liked them, were 10 industrial size packs of garbage bags. 4000 pieces all told. Or, looked at differently, a generous 10-year supply. Did YOU order them? No, you? Odd. The order sheet we sent to the agents quoted 400 and, somehow, another zero found its way onto the order between the agent’s office and the ship chandler’s ordering department. No harm done. Over the next few days, the surplus was returned.
Part 1 Big Provissioning done. now for Part 2…
Staying true to our intention not to linger in Panama longer than necessary, we had organised for a driver plus van to take us shopping for fresh produce. Fruit and veg were running low after the passage from Saint Martin, plus a few days at anchor awaiting our transit. As nice as Shelter Bay Marina was, with its fine facilities, it was situated in the middle of nowhere and the only place catering for the needs of passing (or residential) yachts was a tiny convenience store.
Donald, our Chief Cook, laid down what he was after: from-the-vine fresh and crispy produce in LARGE quantities. The agent’s driver took us to a community market hall close to Casco Viejo (Panama City’s old quarter). Nice and fresh indeed, and fruit and veg in large variety. But not in large quantity. This market catered to the local residents who hand-picked their produce. We were after wholesale.
After a half-hour drive out of the city, there it was opening up before us. An industrial size area of HUGE warehouses, they in turn surrounded by more stalls under umbrellas, marquees and canvas tarps. The whole complex was the size of a regional airfield. In one corner, acres of stalls selling melons, squash and honeydew. Oh, you want leafy greens? In the warehouse over there. The warehouse being the size of a 747 air hangar. We had come to the right place.
The services of a cart operator were quickly agreed on, and off we went into this stunning maze (quite ordered, mind you) of all things fresh and edible.
Donald was in his element, leading the way through almost endless halls of farm gate stalls, all stocked by small growers.
You want fresh? We GOT fresh! Lots? No worries. You could feed an entire nation with the produce on sale here. And, dealing with the growers directly, this fantastic produce was CHEAP. About 10 percent of what you were charged in a grocery store. And, stuff came in large packs. 10kg of the juiciest oranges for $7. 3kg of fresh ginger for a dollar. WOW!
And, you could taste before you bought, and chat with the growers.
Our cart, which was nothing but a heavy duty dolly, really, quickly filled up as we shaped our course through this, well, town of market stalls. The cart operator was soon dwarfed by the sacks and boxes and bags of produce, but he never complained nor batted an eyelid. Just kept on piling up and adjusting the load, keeping the soft stuff on top. A true professional.
Finally, the bananas and coconuts. Time to regroup, strike up a chat with a stall holder, and enjoy the wonderful, refreshing properties of a drinking nut, super fresh, and chilled just so. The whole group, cart operator included, catching our breath and engaging in friendly chat while sipping from the coconut.
The driver brought the van around from the other side of the complex where we had started out from, a distance that would amount to something like 1 1/2 city blocks. Now, all the stuff needed to find room in the van. Eventually, it did. But the question remained: how ON EARTH did the cart operator manage to fit all of this onto the dolly, let alone MOVE it? Impressive, to say the least.
On the way back to the ship, Donald was all smiles; happy with what he had seen and bought, and very pleased to have achieved this in such short time, and in one single place. And a good day for our Chief Cook is a good day for the ship. A good day that will continue to pay dividends throughout the passage to the Galapagos, and beyond.
