The Caribbean border between Panama and Costa Rica reopened again yesterday, Friday, November 28, after a week-long closure. Extensive flooding in the border towns of Sixaola, Costa Rica, and Guaybito, Panama, and surrounding areas shut the border crossing down as of last Saturday morning, November 22, the last day that the Bocas Shuttle was able to operate.

I have never seen rain like we had in my life, and I’ve lived in rain forests for over ten years. Moreover, older residents of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca who spent their whole lives here have been telling me the same thing. This might have been “the storm of the century!” I hope so, because I don’t want to see this kind of storm again. In just the Talamanca area alone I’m told that there are nearly 4000 homeless, and Panama was harder hit than Costa Rica. Happily, things are quickly going back to normal in Bocas and Puerto Viejo, and we are enjoying our second day of beautiful sunshine. I’m going surfing!

In the mean time many communities in highlands and border areas are still cut off and suffering. Find out you can help.

Though the border opened yesterday, a lack of fuel in the area kept boats, water taxis and ferries from running, so the morning shuttle was not able to operate. All transportation on the roads leading to Bocas de Toro were shut down for a week, so all supplies including fuel, food, water and medical supplies are in short supply. Now, however, we are happy to announce that as of today the Bocas Shuttle between Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica, and Bocas Del Toro, Panama is now operating normally!!

Stay tuned. Passengers on the last shuttle to Bocas before the closure are writing reports for us on their experience on their journey to Bocas and their days stranded on the islands.