Exploring the secrets of Taborcillo Island “John Wayne City”

“Aww! ” Jeroen shouts. His scream cuts through the air and makes my heart pound with fear. He hurries back into the dinghy, breathing heavily, and his face twisted in pain. Never have I seen him suffer so much in our 32 years together. “I got stung in the face by a jellyfish!” he shouts, his voice drenched in pain. Without hesitation, I sprint to the galley and grab a bottle of vinegar – a trick we learned during our travels in Australia. Along beaches with many jellyfish, bottles of vinegar hang at trees every few meters as a precaution. As soon as Jeroen jumps on board, I immediately pour a generous dash of vinegar over his face. “It feels like my cheek is on fire,” he moans. I rush to reassure him, looking for signs of residual tentacles or deep red lines. Luckily, I don’t see any of that. After emptying half a bottle we realize that too much vinegar is wasted this way, we grab a cloth, dip it in vinegar and press it against his face. Fortunately, this provides some relief for his pain. After fifteen minutes, I see his breathing slowly calm down, and after a nerve-wracking time that felt like an eternity, he finally starts to become ‘responsive’ again. 

Ralph van Lille Venn, an avid fan of wing foiling and kitesurfing, has windsurfing equipment on board that he rarely uses and is happy to lend to Jeroen. With Barbara returning to Switzerland for two weeks, Ralph suddenly has a two-week window to go to a location where there is wind almost every day. When the wind is too strong or completely absent, he can continue with his boat chores. This proposal arouses Jeroen’s interest, as he has not been on his surfboard for over three years. We provide the boat with sufficient provisions for the coming weeks. Jeroen also has numerous non-urgent jobs on board, which, although not urgent, are very welcome to be completed. It gives a good feeling when they are done. We decide to go along. Rajesh and I are looking forward to swimming, snorkelling, photographing, writing, reading, and maybe even doing some painting again.

Recently, while walking the streets of Panama City with Barbara, we started talking about hobbies and, to our surprise, discovered a shared passion for dot painting. It was almost unbelievable; We both looked at each other with open mouths and thought: “This can’t be true!“ Dot painting, a painting technique that is not common, immediately fascinated us. Sitting on a bench, we showed each other photos of our work, completely surprised. Although we have all the necessities on board, we rarely give ourselves the time to get started. Moreover, on a sailboat, there is little room for creating large paintings, which is more of my passion. We are both pretty good at coming up with ‘reasons’ not to start a new painting. But that is about to change!

We decide to leave a day early to explore the island of Otoque first. Raising our anchor takes us among a collection of boats at the anchorage, all awaiting visas or a suitable weather window for the crossing to the Galapagos or the Marquesas Islands. The channel we have to cross is busy; large cargo ships, sailing boats, tourist boats and pangas sail back and forth. I slow down a bit to get the timing right and cross the channel behind a large cargo ship.

Many large cargo ships lie at anchor next to the shipping channel, quietly waiting to pass through the Panama Canal. We slowly leave the hustle and bustle of Panama City behind us. As soon as we leave the channel, we hoist the sails and sail at a leisurely speed of 4 knots towards Otoque Island. Countless Frigate birds and pelicans soar above the island tops. They hunt for small fish around our boat as we approach the anchorage. Seeing a large group of pelicans skimming over the water is a beautiful sight. In the evening, we are surprised by bioluminescence in the water, a fascinating phenomenon we enjoy, like little children discovering something magical. It is a pity that our cameras are not suitable for night shots; I would have liked to share it with you.

John Wayne, born Marion Robert Morrison on May 26, 1907, became an icon in Hollywood history. With his impressive figure, powerful voice and undeniable charm, he won the hearts of millions of fans worldwide. However, besides the film industry, he also had connections to the Central American country of Panama. 

John Wayne’s acquisition of Taborcillo Island is closely linked to his long-standing relationship with Panama. His ties to the country date back to the 1960s, when he was not only a renowned Hollywood actor but also a businessman interested in Panama. This relationship began when he married Josephine Saenz, the daughter of a Panamanian diplomat. Over time, Wayne developed friendships with influential individuals and families in Panama, such as the McGraths, the Arias family (including Dame Margot Fonteyn de Arias), and Paul Kramer, a notable sinologist and author. These connections, along with his business ventures in Panama, laid the foundation for his eventual purchase of Taborcillo Island. Erika Burch wrote on February 9, 2024, for the website Domesticated Companion, that the island was given to John Wayne and donated by Omar Torrijos, leader of the Panamanian Revolution.

On September 7, 2022, Amalia Aguilar Nicolau, known as @amalianicolau, published an article highlighting Hollywood legend John Wayne’s role in obtaining ratification for the Torrijos-Carter Treaties. Despite approval by the Panamanian people, ratification by the U.S. Senate faced significant opposition, especially from Republican John Wayne. Omar Ja and Suárez, historian and part of the negotiating team, and Zoilo G. Martínez de la Vega, author of “The Wars of General Omar Torrijos,” chronicled the story. Despite his illness and retirement, Wayne actively committed himself to the cause, writing personal letters to every senator and mobilizing support, ultimately resulting in the ratification of the treaties by a one-vote margin.

The article also highlights the opposition, especially from Republican Ronald Reagan, but Wayne managed to rally support and guide the treaty through Congress. Shortly before his death, his last efforts showed his determination and tenacity. President Carter recognized Wayne’s role as one of his greatest supporters on the conservative side. Wayne’s support was crucial to adopting the treaties and reflected the close ties between the U.S. and Panama. John Wayne truly loved the Panamanian people and greatly enjoyed his many visits to Panama over the years. He visited the island of Taborcillo as often as possible, sailing aboard his yacht, the Wild Goose. 

While Ralph was nearing Taborcillo Island, we raised anchor at Otoque Island and rounded the point of Punta Chame five nautical miles away. Here, the water began to become shallower quickly. Unfortunately, the water here was brown and cloudy, so we could not see colour differences or observe the bottom. Navigation was only possible via our chart plotter, which we closely watched. The tides differences were significant, about 4.7 meters. Even though the tide was close, as long as we saw 10 feet or more on the chartplotter, we should be safe – or so we thought until we hit bottom and got stuck. I quickly tried to put the boat in reverse, but to no avail; both the current and the wind pushed us further forward. We knew we would break free as soon as the tide started to rise again slowly, but it was important to know whether it was just a sand slide or if we really couldn’t go any further.

Jeroen went around the boat with a depth sounder in the dinghy to investigate. There was more than enough depth on the starboard, aft and port sides, but it remained too shallow at the front. So it was important not to go further forward, but with the current and wind, this would be unavoidable. Jeroen placed an anchor behind the boat to prevent the boat from moving further forward with the rising tide. The first attempt failed; the anchor did not hold. In the meantime, Ralph from Lille Venn came with his dinghy to see if he could assist. Jeroen and Ralph decided together to lower the anchor again. This time, Jeroen went into the water to push the anchor firmly into the ground. A few seconds later, Jeroen emerged from the water, stung intensely and painfully by the jellyfish. After an hour and a half, enough water was under the keel to sail astern. I reversed the boat into deeper waters, where we could anchor again and were now safe, waiting for the rising tide. The pain and swelling in Jeroen’s face slowly decreased, and we were happy when, two hours later, we were finally lying next to Lille Venn off the coast of Taborcillo Island.

Unfortunately, we cannot swim here because of the many jellyfish in the water. Jeroen and Ralph wrap themselves from head to toe to avoid being stung while surfing. Surfing was a bit difficult at first. It had been three years since Jeroen last stood on a surfboard. Fortunately, things went a lot better on the second day and in between working on the boat, Ralph and Jeroen can often be found on the water. Rajesh usually goes to the island in the late afternoon to take drone footage and photos, while I mainly focus on exploring the island, writing, cooking and occasionally painting. Ralph comes on board with us every day to eat, and afterwards, we often play the game called Brandi Dogs.

After John Wayne died in 1979, his family sold the island to German island broker Farhad Vladi. Vladi owned the island until 1997 when it was acquired by Austrian businessman Ralph Hübner, known as the editor and publisher of Who’s Who in Europe. Hübner initially used the island as a retreat for special friends and clients but later opened it to the public, welcoming a maximum of 50 to 60 guests at a time. The island offered several beaches, a resort hotel, and a theme park. At the hotel reception, several photos of John Wayne were on display, ranging from publicity photos to more personal images of him on the island, as well as movie posters of his famous films. The resort employees dressed to match the resort’s “Wild West” theme in denim with cowboy hats and bandanas.

With the sun high in the sky, casting long shadows across the calm waters, we slowly sail the dinghy towards the deserted coastline of Taborcillo Island. Behind different types of trees and shrubs, a once lively resort, now a dilapidated and neglected place, unfolds before our eyes. The once bustling resort, dubbed “John Wayne City,” now lies in ruins, with cracked walls and weathered signs standing as silent witnesses to an ancient glory. A flock of vultures circles above the deserted swimming pool, their sharp, shrill cries breaking the silence.

My curiosity awakens as I take my first step, the ground creaking beneath my feet, an echo of forgotten footsteps that once filled the corridors of this island. As we get closer, it looks like a forgotten set piece from a Western film, with dilapidated buildings rising against the backdrop of a blue sky. Broken windows rattle in the gentle breeze as shadows dance among the abandoned buildings. Nature seems to have regained its grip everywhere, with weeds sprouting through cracked pavements and wild animals and sheep reclaiming their territory.

In the midst of this desolation, a mysterious sense of discovery glows in my chest. What hidden secrets lie buried beneath the dusty paths of this deserted island? What stories do the crumbling walls of John Wayne City whisper? I can’t help but feel like I’m witnessing a lost chapter in history, a place where time and memory collide in mystery and oblivion. With every step I take, I descend deeper into the darkness of the unknown, ready to unravel the secrets of Taborcillo Island.

There appears to be another house on the island inhabited by a local resident. Unfortunately, my Spanish was not enough to have an in-depth conversation with the resident, who has lived here for five years. They could not explain precisely why the hotel is in such a dilapidated state, but they could explain that it has not operated for 20 years.

After researching online, I discovered that the island is for sale. For a price tag of $12 million, you can become the owner of this historic location. Premier Casa Panama Real Estate’s sales brochure showed photos of what the hotel must have once looked like. I was hoping they could tell me more about the island’s history and why the property’s current state is so different from what was depicted in the brochure. Their response was short: “The value is in the land, not the hotel.” The entire island is for sale and was valued at $23 million in 2018. The owner is now asking for $12 million and allowing the current residents to remain until the island is sold. 

As we slowly move across the deserted coastline of Taborcillo Island, we can’t help but be awed by the ancient glory that once reigned here. The once vibrant resort, steeped in John Wayne’s legacy, is now abandoned and neglected, but it captures the imagination and instils a sense of adventure. Shrouded in mystery and oblivion, the island seems to whisper of times gone by and lost stories, inviting exploration.

Delving into the history and current state of the island, we can only speculate about the secrets it hides and the reasons behind its decline. The story of Taborcillo Island, with its rich heritage and uncertain future, weaves an intriguing and fascinating tale that reminds us of the transience of glory and the eternal search for hidden treasures, both material and spiritual.

While the island is for sale and awaits a new owner to continue its story, it remains an enchanting place full of possibility and mystery. Perhaps Taborcillo Island’s true treasure lies not only in its land but in the stories it has to tell and the adventures yet to come. With every creaking step on the deserted ground of this island, we delve deeper into the mysteries of the past and look forward with anticipation to what the future will bring for this enchanting place on the edge of the world.