Surviving on Mogo Mogo

Our first stop after rounding the dreaded Cabo Mala was the Pearlas Islands.

The Pearlas, made up of approximately 100 various size islands lying 40 miles southeast of Panama City, used to be fertile pearl territory.  The Spanish, who named the islands, stole a great many from the locals, before defeating and enslaving them.  One pearl,  "La Peregrina" was given to Mary Tudor as a wedding gift by her intended, King Phillip II of Spain.  The pearl passed through many hands over the years,  including those of Elizabeth Taylor, earning it the name "The Wanderer".    It's current owners bought it from Taylor's estate for 11 million dollars.

We bounced around the islands for a week or so, before retreating to the narrow channel between Isla Chapera and Isla Mogo Mogo after a harrowing night of high winds while anchored off Isla Contadora.

For fans of the TV show survivor, Mogo Mogo might ring a bell.  Several seasons were filmed there, including the first all-star season.

Of course we had to check it out.

It's not a particularly pretty island with low scrubby vegetation, but it is close to Isla Contrador and it's hotels where the film crew probably stayed.

We found the remains of one of the camps.  Not much was left.

We soon saw why.  Locals have been stripping it for their own special projects.

There were a few artifacts left that we might recognize were we to watch the show.  For one, the bench, which we put to use.

 Secondly, an oddly shaped chunk of wood.  We also put it to use.

Steve, Patty from Armagh and Judy and Kris

I mentioned retreating.  We have a very rough night of high winds while at anchor off Contradora on a lee shore.  Not a good place to be should the anchor drag, as it did for this unfortunate catamaran.  It was pulled off the beach and seemed to be ok.  We pulled the hooks up,  and retreated.