Tucuti: Gateway to the Perilous Darien Gap

Continued from Xplorer Journal: Navigating the Impenetrable Darien Gap...

As our expedition team finished breakfast, Vidal, a leader in the Tucuti community invited us to visit the town's school and observe the children at study in its classrooms. I was an English teacher in South Korea for a term, and Tucuti reminded me very much of the small town where I was located. I jumped at the offer and stepped in with his brisk pace.

We arrived at a building with architecture that I recognized: simple cinder block construction painted white, with the bottom half and roof edge, blue. I knew we were at a Panamanian School. The C.E.B.G. Inocencio Quintanar Blanco, is the main primary school for Tucuti. According to Vidal, the youngest students use the classrooms in the morning, and then the older students come in the afternoon as there are not enough classrooms to accommodate both at the same time. The other problem is the desks; only the small children fit on the seats, so the older must push them out of the way and have class while sitting on the floor. Do they complain? No. They are happy to have their books and a school with teachers to explain the subjects.

I toured each of the classrooms, surprising the students with my unexpected entrance. They responded similarly to the Korean children I taught, fascinated to see a tall white blond-haired girl. Their stares varying from excited to scared, made me smile. I speak some Spanish, so was able to introduce myself and communicate enough to put them all at ease. And, they were able to respond in English with a few phrases such as "hello, how are you?", "I'm fine" and "goodbye, nice to see you." They also eagerly gathered around their teachers for me to photograph them. What a wonderful experience... I believe they thought so too.

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Navigating the Impenetrable Darien Gap

Continuing from Xplorer Journal: Darien Gap Trek to the Monkey Stone, aka Yarre Mongara...

Leaving Puerto Quimba, Darien Province, Panama our expedition team traveled by motor boat from Puerto Quimba along the Rio Turia passed Isla Mangle, and onto its southern fork, Rio Balsas, or "River of Rafts". Rio Balsas journeys through the heart of Darien Gap all the way to the Colombian border. Most settlements and villages lie along the rivers as these are the main arteries and highways for travel, communication, medical attention, and to transport goods and livestock. The only other means to reach these remote locations is by foot, though some primitive dirt roads are in place for motorbikes and even off-road vehicles. However, where our expedition trekked, there were usually no trails, and the only means to venture forward were by bushwhacking and wading rivers.

Rio Balsas, or in English "River of Rafts"

The water level of the rivers was much lower than expected, and our boat was marooned many times along the snaking, switch backs of Rio Balsas. As a consequence, our voyage took hours longer than expected and forced our first night's stay at Camoganti, a small village nestled between the Chepigana Forest Reserve and the river's edge. To get our gear to dry land we had to form a human chain, passing each piece of luggage from one to another off the boat and up onto the riverbank.

Human chain on the banks of Rio Balsas at Camoganti, Darien Gap

The Camoganti townspeople were very accommodating to our unexpected arrival...

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Darien Gap: Trek to the Monkey Stone, aka Yarre Mongara

First entry in the XplorMor Team journal on our trek to the mysterious Monkey Stone, aka Yarre Mongara, in the Darien Gap of eastern Panama.

Destination: Darien Gap

Mission: To cross the Darien from Puerto Quimba to Playa Muerto in order to locate lost petroglyphs (ancient stone engravings or carvings) and mark a new route through the jungle

End of the road at Puerto Quimba, Darien Gap, Panama

Our expedition members ventured from the United States and the United Kingdom to Panama City, to meet our Panamanian guides for trekking the Darien jungle.  I was on board to photograph and document the expedition and its findings.

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Carrying our Gear to the Dock at Puerto Quimba, Darien Gap, Panama

California's Meeting of Land & Sea

This may be where the phrase  "California Beautiful" was coined, or at least it should be...

Drive along California's Highway 1 for any distance past the sleepy beach town of Moro Rock and you quickly realize why the California Central Coast pulls thousands of visitors from around the world.  On one side, the road winds along rugged coast with gorgeous expansive scenic views, and on the other, it bends past rolling fields and jagged mountains.  Every car turnout has a worthwhile vista; there's high cliffs covered with colorful ice-plant, whales, seals, dolphins and otters in the ocean waters, and birds gliding in cool breezes of fresh salty air.  The climate is mild, excellent for trails to be accessed year round.  And, there are numerous hiking trails up into the hills and down to the sea coves and beaches.

XplorMor Big Sur Expedition

Places of interest along the coast are numerous, and may be accessed from easy walks to lengthy climbing trails.  In fact visitors spend anywhere from four days to two weeks, and still find they haven't had enough time to see it all.  There is Lover's Point, a large rock formation protruding into Monterey Bay, only a short distance from parking.  Or for the more adventurous, the Pine Ridge Trail in Los Padres National Forest leads into the Ventana Wilderness and Santa Lucia Mountains with access to rivers, waterfalls and thermal springs. There are stands of rare, endemic Santa Lucia Firs visible at higher elevations.

Point Lobos is also a popular destination offering hiking trails along its shoreline that lead to hidden coves.  (Note: Get there early as parking is limited and this California State Natural Reserve is well known.  Also, make sure to adhere to parking signs as I watched a ranger leave tickets on unsuspecting windshields.  Really this applies to the entire coast.)  There is also Andrew Molera State Park with hikes winding along the Big Sur River, and Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park with groves of Colonial Redwood Trees.  Nearby is Pfeiffer Beach with a wonderful stone arch in the sea, excellent for photographs, especially at sunset.

Continue reading California's Meeting of Land and Sea...

XplorMor Big Sur Expedition

Devils and Rainbows

In October, just skirting the US Government shutdown, the XplorMor Team ventured to Rainbow Falls and Devil's Postpile in Inyo National Forest, near Mammoth Lakes, California.  Both are easy hikes through high mountain country.  The trail winds near the San Joaquin River, and offers wildlife sightings (we saw several deer and many birds) and panoramic views of the High Sierra Nevada Mountains.

XplorMor Expedition to Rainbow Falls, Devil's Postpile, Inyo National Forest

Devil's Postpile is a spectacular columnar rock formation, towering 60 ft in the air.  It is a short hike from the parking area which may be used on designated times in the winter or a shuttle is offered in the summer.  From Devil's Postpile the trail continues to Rainbow Falls, the highest waterfall on the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River, plunging 101-feet into a rocky basin.  The falls are named for rainbows that appear in its mist throughout summer days, generally around noon when the sun is highest.  We sadly missed them by arriving late in the afternoon on an October day.

Both natural monuments are wonders worth experiencing.  No matter the time of year you find yourself in the park, I'm sure there will be beauty.

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XplorMor Expedition to Rainbow Falls, Devil's Postpile, Inyo National Forest

Nature's Gold

Lundy Canyon Trail follows Lundy Canyon into the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Inyo National Forest, California.  The trail winds through Aspen Groves which offer spectacular colors in the Fall.  The best time to see autumn is late September to mid-October when the Aspen leaves turn an incredible bright yellow.  Nature's Gold.

XplorMor Lundy Canyon Expedition

We drove along Lundy Canyon road to see the incredible colors thanks to a recommendation from some Lee Vining locals.  We didn't know what to expect, and nearly stopped at the Lundy Canyon Resort area, believing the continuing dirt road lead only to private properties.  But again, thanks to some kind locals, we were instructed to continue the drive until the dirt road ends in a loop and the trailhead begins.  We set out on an unexpected hike, and into a gorgeous frontier filled with mountains, forests, lakes, rivers and large waterfalls!  Beautiful frontier expedition.

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XplorMor Lundy Canyon Expedition

Kayaking to the Tufas

Kayaking on Mono Lake, California was one of the best expeditions we coordinated this year. The day was early October, blue skies with enough clouds to offer interest and no wind, making for glassy, reflective waters, and a day to remember!

XplorMor Kayak Excursion on Mono Lake

Mono Lake, situated in a 700 square-mile valley off Highway 395 just south of Lee Vining town in Mono County, California, is one of the oldest lakes in the western hemisphere.  It lies 13 miles east of Yosemite National Park, and boasts spectacular views of  the  high Sierra Nevada Mountain range along its eastern shore.  Mono lake is a large, yet shallow saline lake about 70 square miles in size, and was formed around 700,000 years ago.  The lack of any outlet or run-off forces the lake to maintain high levels of salts, creating a unique ecosystem and an amazing buoyancy for kayaks!

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XplorMor Kayak Excursion on Mono Lake

Relics of a Booming Wild West

Bodie Ghost Town is a time capsule to its "boom time" days, with beds made, tables set, lessons still written on the school chalk board, and cars parked in the driveways.  The town lies in silent wait for its former inhabitants that will not return.  It's as though the citizens of Bodie, gathered little belongings, and took off in the middle of the night, leaving even the clocks king.

XplorMor expedition to Bodie Ghost Town

When the goldmines dried up, there was nothing left to help Bodie's people survive this inhospitable terrain so they were forced to seek new lives elsewhere.  The only movement now are rolling tumble weeds, an occasional bird and biting cold gusts of air.  Make sure you take a jacket no matter the time of year!  And, bring water and food are there are no provisions in the town.

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XplorMor Expedition to Bodie Ghost Town

Petroglyphs at Fossil Falls

While driving on the 395 headed to Mono Lake and Inyo National Forest, an XplorMor Team member noticed the sign for Fossil Falls near a giant red cinder cone to the right off the highway.  They quickly googled for more info as I turned the car off the highway and onto the dirt road.  The Internet said we'd find a trail and interesting rock formations at the falls.  What that particular site failed to mention is that Fossil Falls is a dry creek bed; water hasn't run through it for ages.  Yet, there's plenty of signs to show how fiercely it once ran.

XplorMor Expedition to Fossil Falls, California

Fossil Falls rock formations were clearly carved and etched and smoothed over much time by the river that used to run through the valley from snow melt of the nearby Coso Mountain range.  We climbed down into crevasses and wound ourselves around the winding stone, and into the valley floor, exploring the facets and caves as we went.  We even came across some unexpected petroglyphs of animals.  A great find!

XplorMor Expedition to Fossil Falls, California

Read more and watch the XplorMor Expedition Slideshow.

The Only Everglades

The only everglades in the world are Florida's Everglades.  Knowing this point puts a different perspective on realizing the effects metropolitan man has had on them over the last century. Much has been bulldozed and built upon.  The ecosystem is also effected by the man-made segregation of its waterways for highway builds and water usage.

Why should this be a problem?  It is for many reasons, in particular as it is home to some of the rarest endangered species in the U.S., including the West Indian Manatee, American Crocodile, Eastern Indigo Snake and about 20 others.  The Everglades are also a main stopover for the world's migrating birds, and it is home to the largest mangrove ecosystem in the Western hemisphere.

XplorMor Expedition into the Florida Everglades

XplorMor Team recently ventured to Everglades National Park.  We were excited to visit this subtropical land in our backyard, to paddle its waterways and spy its unique wildlife.  There are many ways to explore the park from paddling canoes or kayaks, to eco-boat tours to walking trails and boardwalks, to wildlife viewing stations just off the road.  There's something for every type of enthusiast.

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XplorMor Expedition into the Florida Everglades

Out in the Field...

I'm out in the field exploring and photographing more... please visit XplorMor on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn or Pinterest for current whereabouts, images, events and musings.  Watch slideshows and read more on Xplor Florida.

Into the Florida Everglades

On the Edge, Literally

Have you ever stood somewhere and wondered “how did I get here?” I mean literally, not metaphysically or spiritually.  I do on a much too regular basis: find myself saying, “Geez. How did you get yourself here?”  Well, this just happened again on the Lakes Trail in Sequoia National Park.  Let me first describe the trail…

Picture standing on a trail no more than two feet wide that has been created by blasting a granite face, then consider the wall on one side is fairly smooth with nothing to hold on to, and the other side leads to a 2000 foot drop into a desolate rocky valley below.  Add an unexpected layer of snow which has spent several days melting and compacting, and melting a little more and compacting a little more… forming a wonderfully slippery surface.  Now include further factors such as no ropes, walking stick or crampons, and there you will find yourself in the situation in which I stood only a week ago, saying “Geez…”

And, did I mention that I decided to do this by myself?  Yep, I had the brilliant idea of hiking the 12+ mile Lakes Trail by myself in the chilly, early morn.  This wasn’t one of my smartest moves.  Yet, if the Visitor Center staff had informed me with better knowledge and understanding of the trail, including the 2500 foot vertical climb within the first 3 miles, and that I would reach snow, perhaps I could have prepared myself or found a buddy to go with rather than do it alone and ill-equipped.  Of course, I lived to tell about it so no harm, no foul… but is that really the point?

Continue reading On the Edge, Literally...

Squid Drying Under the Sun

Some years ago I packed my bags, boarded a plane with a visa to work in South Korea for a year, and took a leap of faith.  I didn’t speak the language.  I didn’t know anyone in the town where I was headed.  I’d eaten Korean food in Los Angeles on numerous occasions and liked it.  But, really I had no idea what to expect entering a culture so different from my own, and no idea how that journey would change me and change my life.

I had travelled to foreign countries before my time in Korea, but there had been other Americans around, and people also seemed to speak English whenever I needed assistance or was lost.  Korea was different, and unexpectedly so, as I was told I would be living and working with other foreign teachers.  This wasn’t the case.  I flew into Seoul, and caught another smaller plane to Masan.  I arrived with three other foreigners – one Canadian and two Americans.  As we were standing outside the school, a car drove up and I was instructed to get in.  I really didn’t want to, especially as the other three weren’t.  I was told that I would be taken to a branch of the school in another city, and other teachers were already onsite.  So, I got in the car.

I have to mention it was now around midnight so all the city lights were on and blazing.  As we drove, the lights slowly, but entirely disappeared.  Then there was just darkness, until some lights began to appear again, but not many.  The car stopped outside a three story office building on a dirt road. I couldn’t see much in the darkness except all the signs written of course in Korean, and some chickens crossing the road.  Where was I?

The driver didn’t speak English but pulled my bags out of the trunk so I assumed this was my stop.  He rang a door bell, and a man, woman and young boy appeared in the doorway.  They were all smiles and made me feel at ease… or at least a little at ease.  The man picked up my case and said “follow me” in English… and I felt even more at ease.  I bowed goodnight to his wife and child, after watching them treat me with the same courtesy.  And, up the stairs we went.

Continue reading Squid Drying Under the Sun...

Expedition to Panama

Apologies for the delay in posting.  I've been exploring Panama, including the Darien jungle, and Internet connection has been difficult, and at times, non-existent.

Destination: Darien Gap

Mission: To cross the Darien from Puerto Quimba to Playa Muerto in order to locate lost petroglyphs (ancient stone engravings or carvings) and mark a new route through the jungle

End of the road at Puerto Quimba

Our expedition members ventured from the United States and the United Kingdom to Panama City, to meet our Panamanian guides for trekking the Darien jungle.  I was on board to photograph and document the expedition and its findings.

Carrying our Gear to the Dock at Puerto Quimba

We departed Panama City by private bus, travelling the Pan-American Highway, headed east.  Before the road ended, we turned off to Puerto Quimba where a boat was waiting to carry us up river into the heart of Darien.

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Our boat (on the right with the canvas cover) waiting to take us up stream into Darien