A chance to spend a day messing about in boats

By Lourdes Quijada
“There is NOTHING – absolute nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing around in boats.” The quotation from Kenneth Grahame’s children’s classic, Wind in the Willows will be put to the test on Lake Gatun in late March.

That’s when members and friends of the CanadaPLUS Club, will set out on a six hour water and land safari, to mark the upcoming arrival of spring in the northern hemisphere. The trip, starting at Gamboa, will take them past canal expansion projects, to two islands inhabited by different monkey species, and on to the lake’s only floating hotel for lunch and time to lounge in a hammock and meet face to face, and hand to hand, the hotel’s unique and friendly menagerie.

If you want to show your friends back home what jungle exploration is all about, take the photo-op of a boa strung round your neck, or grab hold of a giant iguana or, if you’re the nervous kind pop into a hammock and have a night monkey sit on your shoulder while he feeds from a plate of avocado and pineapple.
Then follows the opportunity of more messing around in boats. Take a kayak, or a canoe, or a motorized cayuga, and head down a tropical tunnel that will bring back memories of The African Queen, and discover a hidden waterfall and pool, so you might want to consider taking a swimsuit.”
At day’s end you return to Gamboa. If nothing else, you will have had a pleasant day on the lake and met some old friends and made some new.
In the early part of your trip, Captain Carl will share his encyclopedic knowledge of the expansion plans, the lake and its fauna. Save up your questions. He always has an answer.
The trip is on Sunday March 18, $50 for members, $55 non-members. You can travel to the quayside, on your own, or on an air-conditioned bus ($10 round trip). See you there.
The CanadaPLUS Club is a multi-national group, and has members from over 20 countries, including Panama. Among many benefits available to members is a group health insurance plan.
For reservations for the trip (Closing date March 10) or membership details: clubcanadaplus@gmail.com. 6619-6890. Tickets will be delivered to your home if you live in Panama City.