IHE CARIBBB&N AREA — PANAMA 



the Tuira empty into the bay. The Tuira is navigable 35 miles upstream for boats of 15-foot 

 draft, during the rainy season. 



From Point Carachihe the coast is high, bold, and wooded and it trends for about 36 

 miles in a south-southeastward direction to Bahia Pinas, 



Bahia Pinas is formed by a small peninsula and the mainland. It is 1-1/2 miles wide 

 at the entrance and extends 2-1/3 miles to the northward. There is a depth of 20 fathoms 

 at the entrance. The bay gradually shoals to five fathoms at a distance of 1/3 mile from 

 its head where there is a white sand beach. 



South of- Bahia Pinas is the Bahia Jarque, a large shallow bay with a depth of only 

 about two feet, 



Froa Punta Pinas to Ardita Bay, about 32 miles, the coast is high, rugged, and thickly 

 wooded having deep water close to shore. 



Prevailing winds are from the northward and westward, with frequent squalls from the 

 southwest between the months of June and December. In the Gulf of Panama, the winds are 

 regulated by the seasons; the prevalent wind, however, is from the northward. In the fine 

 season, starting in December, the winds are regular and constant, bringing good dry 

 weather, Ti the southward of the Gulf, they blow harder, and off the coast of Veraguas 

 (a province of the Republic of Panama lying between the Isthmus of Panama and the Isthmus 

 of Chiriqui) fresh gales (force 8 Beaufort) in January and February are not uncommon. In 

 April and May, the northerly winds are less regular and more from westward directions, 

 with calms, light sea and land breezes, and occasional squalls from the southwestward. In 

 June the rainy season sets in and the southerly winds become stronger; still the northwest- 

 erly wind is mostly found after noon, and vessels sailing from Panama will have, generally, 

 fair wind until south of Gape Mala. Offshore, northward of latitude 5 degrees N. and be- 

 tween longitude 80 degrees sind 110 degrees, there is a region of calms and doldrums, 

 accompanied by rains and squalls. 



At Balboa the mean air temperature for 29 years is 80 degrees F. with a mean maximum 

 of 87 degrees and a mean minimum of 73 degrees. The monthly means vary but little — from 

 79 to 81 degrees throughout the year. Uean relative humidity for 29 years is 73 per cent in 

 October and November. The average rainfall for 38 years is 69.72 inches, with the greatest 

 amounts, between 10 and 11 inches, in October and November. A total of 172 rainy days is 

 the average for 22 years of observations. 



Tides have a much greater range on the Pacific side. At Cape Mala the spring range is 

 13 feet and the mean range 10.3 feet. At Isla Iguana (near Cape llala) the ilood tide sets 

 northward and the ebbtide to the southeast. The latter movement is the stronger, expecial- 

 ly between the months of December and June. At Balboa the spring range 12.6 feet. At Bahia 

 Charco Azul the spr.ng range is calcxilated at about 10 feet and the mean range about seven 

 feet. 



The Pacific coast of Panama has a relatively large area of bottom within the lOO-fathMU 

 line. From Punta Biirica to Puerto Armuelles, the coast is steep-to and the average distance 

 offshore is only one to two miles. From Puerto Armuelles the lOO-fcthom curve trends south- 

 eastward including Islas Ladrones and Isla Montuosa. Froff. Isla Montuosa to the west point of 

 Isla Coiba there is a bight about 15 miles wide and extending shoreward (northward) about 

 the same distance. The line skirts Isla Coiba and passes outside of this island and Isla 

 Jicaron and continues eastward to Punta ilariato. Thus, the entire region inside of Isla Coiba 

 and Punta l^riato is less than 100 fathoms in depth. From Punta Uariato to Inlorro Puerco, the 

 coast is again steep-to with the 100- fathom curve only one to four miles offshore. From 

 liorro Puerco to Cape Mala the distance offshore increases to 10 to 15 miles. The 100- fathom 

 line cuts almost due east from Cape Mala to Pinas Point including all of the Gulf of Panauna. 

 PVom Pinas Point to the Colombian border the line parallels the coast at a distance of only 

 about one mile off. 



The oceanographic conditions on the Pacific coast of Panama are fairly well known 

 through the work of Schott, Murphy, and others. 



104 



