This morning we woke up inside the protected bay of Portobelo (“beautiful port”) in Panama. We enjoyed a beautiful sunrise with views of the old Spanish fortifications on both sides of the entrance to the bay. Founded in 1597, it was instrumental in exporting gold and silver from South America from the 16th to the 18th centuries. It was eventually abandoned for other better-protected ports after being repeatedly raided and captured by British pirates. We visited the fortifications and explored the nearby mangrove estuaries by kayak and Zodiacs. In the late afternoon we enjoyed the “Congo Carnival,” a lovely presentation and dance performed by a local group.