Surf Scene
By Longboard Rob One of the many reasons people contemplate visiting, and in some cases, relocating to Bocas, is the surf scene. It is a wonderful mix of locals, transplanted ex-pats and tourists. It’s a mecca for surfers who crave warm water, a tropical setting, and big hollow waves. It has been a blessing to […]
The Plastic Village Story
By Nicholas Corea [pullquote align=left] “WE ARE SURROUDING YOU, SLOWLY DAY BY DAY WE HAVE BEEN TAKING OVER YOUR WORLD. NOBODY REALLY LIKES US, BUT MOST OF YOU USE US. WE ARE LITERALLY WHOLE ISLANDS IN THE OCEANS. WE CAUSE NUMEROUS DEATHS TO ANIMALS, WE POISON THE AIR WHEN MADE OR BURNED AND IT’S ALMOST […]
Editors Note: May 2016
Instead of a note from the editor, this month we’re going to go with a note written from Earl Meck to Julio Cotes Surgeon (of Hotel Vista Mar) about his stay in the hospital. The health care on the island is a topic that comes up frequently. Well, Earl had a great experience in Isla […]
UPDATE: Team Cayuco Paunch Places 3rd in the CREBA Ocean-to-Ocean Race
In April’s edition, the Breeze did a profile on Bocas del Toro’s very first Cayuco team. What a very successful first season it was! When the ladies of Cayuco Paunch first formed their team, they started to practice without even having a boat, finally found their cayuco (canoe), trained long hours (sometimes in 10 foot […]
Greater Spear-Nosed Bats Will Blow Your Mind
By Nicolas Corea So many reasons to come to the beautiful islands of Bocas del Toro: surfing, sailing, scuba, snorkeling, salsa-dancing, sloths, Spanish study aaaaannnd…studying bats of course (A for alliteration on that one). Meet Dina Dechmann and Teague O’Mara. They came to Bocas primarily for the latter reason that I mentioned and they represent […]
Small Island, Big Dreams: An interview with the Honorable Representative, Ashburn Dixon
By Emily Talentino “I have a big dream for this to be the best island in the world,” responds local representative, Ashburn Dixon when I asked him about his vision for Bastimentos. While plenty of challenges face the island, including trash, a lack of opportunities for youth, and outside threats to their land and environment, […]
The Bocas Research Station Celebrates Earth Day 2016 by Marlon Smith
This year in Bocas, there was more than just a celebration for Earth Day. It was a public event involving children of all ages and participation came from both public and private schools. Throughout the days leading up to Earth Day, many activities transpired: there were beach clean-ups in Bluff, Carenero and the Cabañas. On […]
Inspired Artists in (Sweet Love) Bocas
Inspired Artists in (Sweet Love) Bocas by Nicholas Corea Inspiration is everywhere on the islands of Bocas del Toro and artists Fulo Coqueño and Cath Vel have found plenty of it during their times in Bocas. On February 26th, lovers of art gathered at the Indi Lounge to experience their work and mingle amongst flowing […]
The Coconut Craze
The coconut craze is here! Well, it’s always been here (Bocas and the Caribbean in general), but now you can find the magical coconut water in gas stations, supermarkets and on billboards with famous athletes and celebrities around the world. It’s one of the new health trends in the US and Europe, being marketed as […]
Tupac is Alive! And Spotted Dining in the Ultimo Refugio restaurant
Ever since the gangster-rap singer Tupac Shakur was allegedly gunned down in Las Vegas, Nevada (USA) on September 13th, 1996, there has been much speculation into the idea that he faked his death and is actually alive today. Many reports place him in Jamaica living under an assumed identity. Well it looks like the conspiracy […]
Caribe Shuttle’s New Service to San Jose Saved my Marriage
In the four years I’ve lived in Bocas del Toro, I must have traveled back and forth to San Jose at least 20 times now. Flights to the US, buses to Bocas, trips to the Pacific side of Costa Rica, catching buses to Nicaragua, planes to Guatemala, etc. For me, there have been many reasons […]
First Annual BESO 5K Walk/Run Raises Money for All Things Educational
The good people at BESO were at it again raising funds for academia with the very first annual 5 kilometer walk (or run). Supporting members of the community put on their respective Nike, Reeboks and New Balances to traverse a 5 kilometer stretch of Isla Colon on the morning of Sunday, February 9th. The charitable […]
Meet the Citronautas- Drove from Argentina to Panama with a Dream
Bocas is a colorful place that attracts many interesting characters. Often you can find all sorts of cool people traveling through Bocas with a unique purpose. Facundo and Micaela are definitely one of those. The young couple is known collectively as the “Citronautas de America Mestiza” and they are currently traveling all over Latin America […]
¡Feliz Día de la Madre, Panamá!
Sizzla Kalonji once sang “Thank you Mama for the nine months you carried me through…” and that is the idea every 8th of December in Panama. “Why December 8th?” you ask. December 8th is recognized by the Catholic Church as day of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. While most of the world celebrates […]
Police Meet with Children of the Mundial del Barrio Youth Outreach Program
Wednesday December 4th, the National Police in cooperation with “Mundial del Barrio” met with the children of the program to increase awareness about the dangers of illicit drugs. In attendance were members of the organization’s sub-13 and sub-15 football leagues. Mundial del Barrio is non-profit NGO that gives children the opportunity to participate in a […]
Bipolar Bocas Weather Can Be a Real Treat
Just because you wake up to a bunch of scary looking rain clouds doesn’t mean that it’s not going to be a beautiful day. This time of year sees quite a bit of rain sometimes but the weather can turn from thunderstorms to the perfect beach day in a matter of minutes. Check out these […]
Meet the Citronautas- Drove from Argentina to Bocas with a Dream
Bocas is a colorful place that attracts many interesting characters. Often you can find all sorts of cool people traveling through Bocas with a unique purpose. Facundo and Micaela are absolutely examples of these. The young couple is known collectively as the “Citronautas de America Mestiza” and they are currently traveling all over Latin America […]
Police Discuss Red Frogs in Bahia Roja
A meeting was held on November 20th in the Bahia Roja community (Bastimentos Island) after the national police received a disturbing report regarding the mistreatment of a Red Frog. A group of tourists claimed that they were approached by a child with a Red Frog in a plastic bag asking for a donation to see […]
Fiestas Patrias: Panama Parties All November Long
November is here and in Bocas that means holidays, parties and a lots and lots of drumming. You’ve probably noticed the little ones practicing their drumming these past few weeks and you might be asking yourself “What is it all for?” (among other questions). Well, this is what the excitement is all about: November 2nd […]
BELLO Cleans Up and Beautifies the Park with Volunteers
Some were saying “That’s not my job!” or “Don’t taxes pay for things like that?” while others were saying “Who cares, the park is for everyone!” The park was looking pretty miserable before the volunteers of BELLO stepped in: trash on the ground, the trees poorly maintained with branches falling down all the time, […]
Desechos Solidos is Offical
Bocas finally has an official group in charge of the trash collection service! It was approved by the government in a meeting on October 2nd that the current service, Bocas Desechos Solidos, will continue until January 31st, 2014 or until a new waste management company comes into the picture, whichever comes first. It all began […]
Peculiar Marine Life Mortality in the Caribbean
In the last 2 months there has been an unusual amount of sea life washing up dead on the South Caribbean shores of Panama and Costa Rica. The amount of sea turtles is the most obvious and most alarming to the people of these beach communities. There have been 41 Hawksbill and Green Sea Turtles […]
Bocas Celebrates “La separación de Panamá de Colombia”
November in Panama is known as “Mes de la Patria”, as many of the country’s patriotic holidays occur during this month. Walking the streets of Bocas Town you’ll be sure to find plenty of Panamanian flags, parades, drumming and people generally having a grand ole time. Today was the first of many of patriotic celebrations: […]
National Police Presents Eight New Preventative Signs on Bocas Beaches
This afternoon on Isla Carenero, the National Police unveiled 2 new preventive signs on the beach next to Bibi’s restaurant. The same signs were inaugurated during a similar ceremony on Bluff Beach October 25th. These new signs remind beach visitors to take caution with their belongings as leaving them unattended on the beach makes them […]
Please Report All Deceased Animals to ANAM
In the last 2 months there has been an unusual amount of sea life washing up on the South Caribbean shores of Panama and Costa Rica. It has definitely been the big beloved sea turtles that are the the most obvious and alarming to the people of these beach communities. There have been 41 sea […]
“How Good It Feels To Be Loved” says Parque Simon Bolivar
The fresh paint has dried, the dust has settled, the cones and caution tape have been removed and the people in Bocas del Toro are now able to enjoy a cleaner and more esthetically pleasing park. The efforts of the weekend were absolutely successful: at least 60 different volunteers came and shared the responsibilities of […]
Volunteers Are Beautifying the Park All Weekend
Today and yesterday were the first two days of the B.E.L.L.O. “Park Clean-Up and Beautification” campaign and by the looks of the fresh paint and smiling volunteers- it was a success! Panamanians, foreign residents, retirees, students and even a group of 20 tourists came to get their hands dirty for the lovely cause! Professor […]
Clean and Beautify the Park with B.E.L.L.O.
Bocas is bello– beautiful that is, and a new group is working to maintain the beauty of Bocas. Their name is B.E.L.L.O., which stands for Bocas Ecológico Limpio Lindo y Organziado (Bocas Ecological Clean Beautiful and Organized) and they’ve been working together for about a month now. Aside from having an awesome acronym for a […]
Bocas Desechos Solidos is Official
Bocas finally has an official group in charge of the trash collection service! It was approved by the government in a meeting on October 2nd that the current service, Bocas Desechos Solidos, will continue until January 31st, 2014 or until a new waste management company comes into the picture, whichever comes first. It all began […]
Community Unites to Take out the Trash
After 27 days of no trash collection, a commission of concerned members of the community took the trash problem into their own hands: literally taking to the streets and getting their hands dirty. Tired of seeing more buzzards than people around Bocas Town, the group organized a trash collection through the cooperation of the Ministry […]