One of the best things of living in Bocas del Toro, Panama are the thunderstorms. Living in the boathouse over the water adds an extra special element to them. The boathouse moves a little in the wind and water laps underneath. A big enough storm and its easy to imagine it all being blown away.

The storm is preceded by warm air rushing, loud rumbles of thunder threatening; almost constant as the wind picks up and it starts to pelt down.  They are becoming an almost daily occurrence in Bocas and we get at least one big one weekly.

All day this one has been gathering and getting darker and more forbidding. Locals are expecting a big one and have been battening down anything that can move.

Its getting darker and darker, lots of thunder with the air still warm and heavy.  I was woken up last night by the rain hammering at the tin roof. Sometimes it rains so hard it starts to come through the tiny cracks between the wooden walls of my casita. Inevitably coconuts are shaken loose and occasionally one drops on my roof like a bomb. The following morning it’s a case of picking a way through the fallen coconut palms.

Last night we were treated to a massive lightening display that went on for a couple of hours, but no thunder or rain. It was far to the north of us and obviously big, big enough to make the news in Europe as I received a couple of concerned emails from friends, checking I was OK.

Sitting in the hammock right now the wind is blowing and large raindrops are starting to fall. Do I make a dash for the boathouse or stay under the end of the dock? It could not look more ominous… like the hand of God is reaching down. The rain is coming down like a solid sheet, a slight change in the wind and me and my laptop are done for. The yachts anchored out on the water are slowly disappearing in the mist and splash of rain on the sea. Dogs and cockerels quiet whilst it pelts down. Palm trees blowing wildly and I feel cocooned wrapped rocking in my hammock as the weather goes wild. Love it.

It is times like these I wish I had someone to share them with.