Everyone expects that to be over soon.

Yep, Blue Sky is shut down and are nice people. I didn't mean to imply that all charterers were bad - just that things have changed here. We were surprised when we got here last year to discover that we were one of the few boats NOT running charters quietly on the side. People we thought just had a lot of friends and "family" (that's how they would always be introduced) were actually running paid charters. Discounting the boats that just quickly pass through here on their way to the canal in the early spring, probably 60-70% of the boats here are/were chartering. It may even be higher than that, but it is done so quietly. It just took us a year to understand that.

Five backpacker boats have already been grounded on reefs this year before the crackdown. Those businesses are just plain dangerous and a nuisance all around.

Cartagena begins ferry trips to Colon next month. Big ferries - 1200 people and cars. That should be the final nail in the backpacker trade.

Mark