As we began on a bright sunny morning, we walk past a pack horses and a donkey who along the same path and took some great photos of them along side the narrow canal that feeds the La Estrella/El Valle Represa. As I begin to finish the the last touches of this article it is raining in Boquete and has been since 1 p.m. It is now 6:33 p.m. in the evening and my thoughts are that the canal has been receiving plenty of water this afternoon and evening.
On this visit it is the first time, I noticed fish in this manmade lake. Very funny indeed and surprised always thought this fill did have any. A little about the roads in this area, most of them though not traveled on very much as before - lead to the small town of Caldera where the hot springs and petroglyphs are located.
We were able to catch a glimpse of the, Northern Jacana who loves this area of Boquete, which is the La Estrella/El Valle Represa (water reservoir). It was amusing to watch the Jacana rustling about along the edge of the water, nesting in the water plants and eating, also a Cattle Egret resting on a pole sticking up on the water. The area has tall pine trees which the Roadside Hawk love to perch on and one can see a plethora of other flowering trees and bushes. Today we noticed a row of ginger in the beginning growing stage. If you know the name some of the flowers, I would greatly appreciate it an email from you letting me know. La Estrella/El Valle trek is about a 15 minute drive from Alto Boquete and it is one the easiest walks on my list as a grade level 1.
The rainy season has begun and as, we stop to help a fellow hiker in the group the clouds begin to form and it is not even noon. When hiking in Boquete during the rainy season begin around 8 a.m. ending your hike early, before noon.
We did have a slight incident a fellow hiker in the group was dehydrated and became a bit woozy. This time of the year the sun is hot, it becomes very humid and there is very little wind to keep a person cool. We stopped to drink water several times which is a request of mine to bring a bottle of water along. Nourishing the body with water, citrus or juice water helps if you are not accustom to hiking a fair distance, our walk was a little over two hours. In addition the type of clothing to wear is important. For instance when hiking in the rainforest long pants, hiking boots, a hat, long sleeved shirt are advised. All ended well with our hiker as someone went back to get their in order to drive the couple back to their own car. We would not leave until, we were certain all was well with our friend. Within 15 minutes the car came for them and I received an email from mentioning all was well.
I have hiked with many people during my six years of doing this and have been in situations where hikers become dehydrated such as this day or some slipping and falling on loose stones or people getting turned around getting lost for a brief moment or longer. Stuff happens but, sometimes, we can prevent a horrible accident or a bad situation from happening. Pack water, take a compass, wear hiking boots/shoes, use hiking sticks for rough hiking and a snack for longer hikes. Here are a few photos of todays walk I hope you enjoy them. Happy trailing!
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