Finally we arrived in the San Blas Islands; having missed this area in 1986 on our first time around we were looking forward to this visit. There are few sailing destinations that are talked about in the cruising circle as much as the San Blas, they are like a magnet and it would seem that many long cruises have been put on hold when the attraction of this area caused plans to be changed and visa’s to be extended. We also had another reason for looking forward to this visit as we were to be reunited with our long term sailing friends Ed and Ellen Zacko aboard “Entr’acte” who we had first encountered in 1982 and who had been sharing distant anchorages with many times over the intervening years. We had lots of catching up to do and time flew by, Ed and Ellen had already sorted out the local customs and the ways of the Kuna Mola sellers so we were able to fend them off without any offence. The local Kuna Indians seem to derive most of their income from producing “Molas”; these are intricate bits of sewing using various layers of colorful cloth with an ‘appliqué’ technique. Unfortunately they do tend to think that we all have unlimited resources to purchase these items and can get a little pushy in some of the islands. Most however are quite understanding and don’t bother you when you say you already have enough. The basic Mola is about one square foot and can have many and varied designs, the cost can run anywhere between $15 and $150 depending on how much work they put into the product and how much the recipient is willing to pay. We remained in Chichime for three days then moved down to Miriadiadup in the Western Holandes Cays. Here we were introduced to Brado and Robellio who were at that time resident on the island. Brado was a Mola Maker of great skill and we eventually bought a couple of Molas from shim. Now just in case you don’t know how this works in many parts of the world, I will enlighten you. Quite often a family will have too many boys in the “children pool” (this is helped along by the desire of young families to have boys rather than girls…….) Anyway, when this happens they discover that there is no one in the tribe to wash and clean up etc. So they just designate one of the young boys to be a girl (simple no?). As this is quite a normal event there is no social stigma attached to it and life just continues as normal, only us tourists get a little confused at times! One thing that did immerge from this is that the “shims” do make the best Molas. Brado’s work was exceptional especially considering that much of it is done in the late evening using an oil lamp in a drafty thatched hut on an island in the middle of nowhere. We did do some snorkeling and checked out the local reefs whilst we were there. There was some nice coral but the fish were few and far between. There were some lobsters but we left them be, not just because it was out of season but also because they were much too small to be taken. Unfortunately the local Kunas still go out and catch them, then paddle around the yachts in the hope of getting a couple of dollars. From what I saw, none of the yachts were buying and a good deal of time was spent trying to get the Kunas to understand that the hunting of lobsters out of season would eventually harm their own existence. We made a side trip to Walsaladup where we walked around the island and to Wichubusia where we actually found some fish that were worth watching. The Coral however, just about everywhere, is quite pristine and magnificent. You can drop over the side of your boat in almost any anchorage and find nice coral. I did get chatting to a Yacht Skipper who said that he had passed through about five years previous and there had been a lot more fish then than there were now. I wonder if this can be the influence of the many cruising yachts that are now visiting the islands or perhaps there is another reason for this sudden decline. Our next move was to the Eastern Holandes Cays where we spent time checking out the ‘special spots’ such as The Swimming Pool and The Hot Tub along with BBQ Island. Unfortunately we had a change for the worse with the weather. The Columbian Low Pressure area moved our way and it became humid and overcast, the wind and seas picked up and soon there were what appeared to be huge rollers crashing on the outside reef. Inside our anchorage we were quite safe but the salt spume drifting our way did nothing to ease the oppressive humidity. We had some thunder storms pass to the south over the land and a few boats reported a good dousing of rain, we were not so lucky although there were a few light showers. The overcast conditions did not encourage ‘in the water’ activity and sailing around in this area without good sunlight would be quite foolhardy so we were a little confined in our activities. We were lucky to have Ed and Ellen along with us and be able to enjoy their company, the days seemed to pass far too quickly and although we had only just got together we were already aware that the time was approaching when our courses would diverge again. Ed’s sights were moving towards Ecuador and ours were still on Mexico. Such is the life of cruisers, but we are blessed to have met so many really great people along the way and always look ahead to the next meeting. We remained in the Eastern Holandes Cays till April 9th, the weather cleared away after just a couple of days and we were glad that the ‘rainy season’ had not come to stay! It was nice however to have all the water tanks and all the containers full as water can be hard to come by out here. We have quite a good system for catching water in showers and this is a very important feature for any small yacht wanting to cruise in this area. The San Blas Islands are a scattering of sand encrusted jewels sitting on an azure sea. Palm trees sway in the breeze and a faint smell of wood smoke drifts offshore. Many would call them idyllic, they are certainly beautiful and with a backdrop of Panamanian mountains to the south everywhere you look is the perfect picture. It is no wonder that many cruisers come for a visit and stay for years! Every day we swam on the reefs admiring the abundant and splendid coral, the colorful reef fish, lots of baby lobsters and the occasional King Crab. There was always something new to do or go and see. Every new anchorage saw us visited by local canoes with Mola sellers and fishermen. When ever we could we bought fresh fish from the fishermen, spearing for us was illegal but we did not object to buying it as the price was right. We did however continue to have many discussions with the fishermen about following their own government’s rules and not taking the Lobster, Conch or the King Crab out of season. Our lectures fell on deaf ears for the fishermen would curse their government (the ‘Congresso’ or General Congress) and their rules, then go off and see if they could find another yacht that was willing to buy their illegal catch. There was never any hard sell from the locals and we always found them happy, friendly and smiling. It was however time for us to push on and our next destination was the village of Nargana; here the local Kunas have forsaken their traditional ways and adopted ‘western styles’. We anchored in the lee of the town and well within earshot of the electrical generating plant which ran continuously during our visit. We did think about moving further away but this would have got us close to the mangroves and with the choice between noise and bugs we opted to stay with the generators. Ashore was better than it first looked from the water, there were a couple of stores and a school where they were in the process of installing a couple of computers. We were impressed that they seemed so keen to make technological progress when so cut off from the world, there are no roads in or out of this area and if they wish to travel anywhere they have to fly. The transition from their quite life in the villages or on the islands to 21st Century transport must be a shock to the system. It was however quite a shock to our system when we witnessed a canoe with local women come out into the bay to dispose of their garbage; the canoe was well laden down with the stuff and once in the centre of the bay (the centre of our anchorage) they proceeded to fling it all over the side to let it float away with the breeze. There were plastic bags all tied up with other plastics inside, newspapers, cardboard boxes and more; we couldn’t believe that anyone could be so callous to the environment, especially an Indian Nation who have such deep roots in Mother Earth. When we explored further we discovered that all the mangroves to leeward of the village were overwhelmed with garbage, it seems that this has been normal practice for quite some time. I guess it was about this time that we became more aware that ‘all is not well in paradise’! Indeed, what we were thinking to be an idyllic way of life was for many of the Kunas a prison sentence from which there was no hope of escape. The quaint villages of thatched huts crowded onto many of the small islands are in fact overcrowded ghettos with no sanitation, no running water and no electricity. To try and make enough money to feed themselves, the women spend many long hours working by candle and kerosene light late into the night to produce Molas which they can sell to the few passing tourists. The people of Nargana, with their electricity, hotels / guest houses, computers and western ways, were basically a ‘break-away state’ but they too were restricted……… It would seem that there is quite a story here, with corruption in high places, connivance of ‘knowing’ governments, repression and even ‘slavery’…… For us however, we can only capture an image, take a photograph or two and try to leave those we have been in contact with at least a little better off than they were before our meeting; then we move on to our next experience. Whilst in Nargana we went with Ed & Ellen on a day trip up the Rio Diablo, this is entered not far from where all the village rubbish washes ashore, across a shallow bar. Once inside, the river opens up and makes a lovely boat ride for a few miles into the interior. We did not see the Monkey’s that were said to be around but we did see plenty of bird life and see how the Kunas work the land on each bank of the lower part of the river. They also bury their dead along the banks in specially constructed tomb’s which were well tended with fresh flowers and even a chair or two so that visitors could come and sit with their departed friends and loved ones; it was quite a nice touch! The up-river trip ended when we could get no further, there was a shallow gravel bank and the water was flowing much faster up here making it hard work to proceed. Going back down we were able to use the oars and drift along whilst listening to all the bird calls coming from just beyond the banks. It was a beautiful day out and left us with a lasting impression From here we had a short motor across to Green Island where we anchored again behind a reef and a palm tree studded island. The water was far too murky for swimming in the anchorage, mainly due to being close to the shore and all the run-off from the rivers. It was just as well we did not try to swim as a few days later another boat was telling us that they actually saw the nine foot Crocodile that we had read about in our guide book and is said to inhabit the area for much of the year. I should mention here that there were eleven boats in the Green Island anchorage and there had been fourteen in Nargana for the night. I was quite surprised at just how many cruising boats were doing the San Blas and this had us all playing a nautical version of ‘musical chairs’. There were still lots of anchorages where one could be alone however the prime spots were usually quite busy and we were grateful that our shallow draft opened up many more places that we could go and others could not follow. We decided that we would spend the rest of our time in the San Blas cruising only the outer reefs and islands so that we would be able to swim and enjoy the clearer waters. So the next day we wandered across to the Coco Bandero Cays and spent two wonderful days exploring the reefs in this area. After that we retraced our steps to Miradiadup to see how Brado and Robellio were getting along with the Molas they were making for Ed and Ellen. One of these Molas was a picture of “Entr’acte” and “Mr John” which Ed and Ellen kindly presented to us as a memory of our adventures together in the San Blas. Whilst we were there the Columbian Crew of an Italian yacht anchored close by, managed to catch a forty-two pound Mutton Snapper; they very kindly made this the feature presentation of a BBQ on the beach the next night. All the yachts pitched in bringing salads, starters and deserts. I organized the Fire and a Grill that was big enough to cook the fish on. It took a fair bit of cooking but the end result was a great feast and a great evening making new friends! The next day we all went for a day-trip on “Entr’acte” and had a little sail around the bay then stopped for a swim and snorkel. Ed made sure to get Brado, Robellio and Robeson to come along for the ride. It was clear that they were much intrigued with just about everything on board, we westerners have difficulty appreciating that more than half the worlds population living a normal life on shore do not have anything like the amenities that a modern yacht supplies; we take so much for granted ! When we left from Miradiadup the guys all made their way to the western end of the island where they waved us off like we were departing family. We were a little sad to be moving on but were taken aback by this show of affection. The next stop was the Lemon Cay’s, we tried the Eastern end out first and found this a most agreeable area. The anchorage was good and quite well protected, the waters were clean and there was some very nice coral on the reefs close at hand. There was an arrangement by which the local Kunas would put on a fish dinner and throw in a couple of beers all for five dollars a head. We had a great meal ashore and met with more cruising folk who were sharing the same experiences we were. Each day the local islanders would bake bread ashore and for just a dollar you could get ten fresh rolls of Kuna bread, when it was ready they would blow a Conch Horn and if you scurried in fast enough you’d get it too hot to hold. Needless to say, an awful lot of this bread never made it back on board, it got consumed on route! A few more idyllic days passed by quickly and we left to visit Porvenir, the administrative centre for this part of Panama. Ed got his Clearance (cruising permit) for Colon and Paula and I went looking at Molas……. We then took the dinghy to the nearby islands of Wichubhuala and Nalunega where we to get another glimpse of Kuna life in the more traditional style. We even discovered the Kuna Museum where a very good guide/custodian explained many of the Kuna traditions and explained some of the History of how the Kuna Indians got here in the first place. It was a gem of a place and we all wished we’d started our visit to the San Blas here instead of ending it! When we got back to the anchorage “Speedwell” was sitting there at anchor so I flitted across for a chat, I’d bumped into them several times during the previous years, mainly just to say ‘hi’. I was glad to make this visit however as John was headed for British Columbia and it looked like his ocean wanderings were coming to an end. At the age of eighty he had done extremely well to keep going so long; John is probably one of the most accomplished and experienced cruising yachtsmen of the old school still afloat; it was an honor to sit in his presence and ‘shoot the breeze’ for a while. We moved down to the Western Lemons and anchored off Tiadup, this was a nice looking anchorage and the islands in this area were most attractive. There was a Kuna hotel where guests could fly in for a visit; they must have had a generator although we did not hear it in the anchorage. We are not exactly sure what guests at this hotel would do on the island as there were no amenities and it would seem that most of the things that people would want to do here on vacation are forbidden by Kuna laws! The Trade winds had collapsed at this time and we now encountered another little problem. The No-see-em’s (Sand fly’s or No-no’s) appeared in force and invaded us out in the anchorage. Our mosquito nets were probed and found wanting, these little monsters could just wiggle through the holes! The next morning after much discussion on the VHF, where we discovered that there were many other anchorages, including the Hot Tub and the Swimming Pool, that were inundated; we decided to move back to Banadup in the Eastern Lemons which was ‘bug free’ We were now clearly moving towards the weather of the rainy season; much less wind and the afternoon build up of cloud that would bring rain squalls and thunderstorms. This early on in the season they were relatively tame and predictable but as the season wears on into July they become quite fierce and can blow from almost any direction with much force. Those who remain in the San Blas at that time have good anchors and sleep with a weather eye open! For us though, it was time to leave, we made preparations for what we hoped would be a nice sail down to Portobelo and then moved up to anchor just south of Chichime, the island that we had arrived at just one month earlier. Although just a short distance to windward we had fun getting there as a heavy rain squall moved in whilst we were on passage and we had to ‘mark time’ until visibility improved enough for us to safely anchor. That evening, as we were making our last sailing preparations, Ed noticed a problem with one of his chain-plates. In very quick order it was decided to make a change so I assisted as the old one came off and a replacement was made. We were working against the clock as darkness was approaching and another rain squall was headed our way. It was a testimony as to how well organized Ed is that we made this repair in such very little time whilst bouncing about in an open anchorage! Early on the 24th of April we left the San Blas and had four hours of good sailing towards Portobello, then the weather went bad on us and we were forced to motor the remaining three and a half hours to Isla Grande where we anchored and rolled in the pouring rain for the rest of the day. It had not been the glorious down wind sail that we had hoped for to end our San Blas visit, in fact as the first rain squall came through with an exceptionally threatening, dark cloud line, we noted the effects of an embedded ‘Twister’ stirring up white water as it passed close astern of us! The next day, as soon as the weather cleared enough for us to see what we were doing, we motored around to Portobelo just ten miles further down the coast. Again we had strong current against us which was running at a knot and a half in places and, what wind there was, was right on the nose again. Exactly the opposite direction to that which was forecast! Next stop Panama Canal John & Paula |
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| The San Blas Islands Panama |
| 24th March 2007 |
| Photos coming |