Last time we left you we were still in Cartagena in Colombia. It was time to pull up the anchor and set sail for Panama. We visited our local supermarket to stock up on supplies. As far as we had gathered, the San Blas islands are very remote and there are very few shops or places to get anything. Similarly we need some US dollars to get us from Cartagena to the next to the next potential ATM in Panama which could be at least a month or 6 weeks away. THe only way to get this money was to take the cash out of the ATM in Colombian pesos and then go to one of the myriad of small money exchange places in the old town and ‘do a deal’. So we were a bit nervous carrying 3500,000 pesos all in 50,000 pesos notes, a huge stack! All the money exchange places have glass windows pretty much straight on to the street, so agreed a price (which was actually reasonable) in exchange for US dollars and then stuff all those notes through the hole at the glass window. A few minutes later, the guy had finished counting out the $730 dollars and pushed that back through the window where I tried to stuff it in to my rucksack as fast as possible and disappear in to the streets without being observed! Thankfully we got away with it.
Our friendly marine agent Jose Bonillo organised our checkout for the next day, got our passports stamped and produced our Zarpe, the document you need to check the boat in to the next port. Our next port was to be Puerto Obaldia right on the border of Panama and Colombia. This port we had heard was one of the easiest places to check in to Panama and it also had the advantage that we would be able to sail North up the Panama coast and see all of the San Blas islands, hopefully on a nice beam reach.
Documents in hand, we waved goodbye to Cartagena, pulled up the hook and set off. The growth on our chain was something to behold!
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We decided to stop again in the Rosario islands and wait for a weather window to get south. Thankfully the Colombian customs don’t seem to mind yachts stopping for a few days at the islands on the way South. We had a fantastic sail to Rosario and dropped the hook in the same place we had been before.
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It took me three days to de-barnacle poor Azimuth’s bottom! Incredible amount of growth including huge mats of mussels languishing on the keel!
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We were in the Rosarios for a week in the end, as the wind disappeared and then turned North so that it was coming from where we wanted to go. Eventually the wind gods aligned and the weather looked perfect for a 24 hour sail south.
Off we set early at sunrise and picked our way through the reefs on what looked like a very promising morning.
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The wind sort of died about 20 miles south and there was an annoying swell on the beam which made Azimuth loll around in a bad temper, bashing the sails and slowly making progress at 3 knots. As the afternoon heat built up, so did the wind and soon we found ourselves on a wonderful beam reach doing nearer 7 knots. This was more like it, although that swell was still there. We have often found that the wind picks up in the Caribbean after sunset and that’s what happened again. Steadily the wind built up, and up, and up! The Radar showed a whole line of squalls in our vicinity on a collision course with Azimuth. By this time we are doing 9 to 10 knots, but given our mainsail ripping experience on the passage between Trinidad and Curacao, we were both nervous about going anywhere near a squall especially as the wind was already force 6 at this point. So we furled away the Genoa and our speed dropped to about 6 knots on just a reefed main. We managed somehow to shoehorn ourselves through the line of squalls. The sea was pretty angry though and we took a few waves over the deck and rolled around. We both felt tired and a little sea sick and there was not much chance of getting any sleep. At first light, things always look better, but then the radar showed a big squall that we couldn’t avoid, off our starboard bow. It was an angry looking sky in the dim light and sure enough the rain started to pour and the wind to howl. The sea turned white around us as the tops of the waves blew off. Azimuth didn’t seem to care. Still with just the mainsail, I turned a little more downwind and enjoyed surfing waves at 10 knots for 20 minutes!
We approached Puerto Obaldia with some trepidation. The reports say that the anchorage is very roly at the best of times and we could see huge rollers heading in to the bay. Another yacht entered in front of us and made its way in. It turns out our CMAP charts are totally useless in this area, and so when I saw an uncharted rock off the headland of the bay pretty much where I had my way-point, I decided, no way! We made a sharp turn to port and headed back over the border to Colombia battling along the coast in force 6. We were both very happy to sea the little fishing village of Sapzurro in a perfectly protected bay just round the corner. Dropping the anchor felt a great relief!
After a great nights sleep, the fatigue of the last 24 hours washed away, the world felt good again! The wind had died to nothing, the sun was out with the occasional rain shower and the forecast looked good. Time to have another try at Puerto Obaldia. Up came the hook and we motored off round the stunning headland, to be hit by more rain! It is the tropics I guess. Arriving at Puerto Obaldia we didn’t know what to make of it?
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The town was more like a little village of ramshackle houses and the port was a couple of jetty’s sticking out. However, the swell was still huge entering the bay, making the anchorage very undesirable. We dropped the hook in 10 metres and put out 60 metres of chain to make sure. Azimuth swung in the swell and dropping the dinghy and getting in it was a very tricky operation. Azimuth was bouncing up and down and slamming her back in to the waves right next to the dinghy. We slowly made our way to one of the docks and some really nice military guys helped us moor up and climb on to the rough concrete. There wasn’t much to the town really and it was swamped with water rushing off the rain soaked hills. We found a shop where we could get photocopies done of our paperwork and passports and then headed to immigration. All very easy and efficient. Then we were directed to the Port Capitan’s Office to get the boat checked in. A huge pile of paperwork was handled with a huge smile. One piece had at least 10 copies all of which had to be stamped in duplicate. He was a lovely chap and clearly happy in his work. Liberated of 220 dollars we were sent on our way. A quick visit to a ramshackle supermarket and we braved the boat trip back to Azimuth and negotiated the bucking back deck.
Feeling pretty pleased with ourselves then, up goes the Panama courtesy flag and off we set on the San Blas adventure. Just to help the sun came out and lit up the coast. It’s a stunningly beautiful place. Not what I imagined at all. The terrain in mountainous, covered in thick lush topical rainforest, shrouded in mist.
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The sea is striped in deep blues and light turquoise around the reefs. Our first stop was to be the magnificent Puerto Escoses.
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A huge bay surrounded on all sides by impenetrable jungle with some wood huts on stilts built by the local Kuna indians. In 1699 the Scottish arrived at this bay and set up a village and a fort at the entrance which they called Fort Andrews. It was not to be a successful mission to set up a new outpost and at least 2000 of the 3000 Scots were to die from hunger and disease. An interesting story to read about if you have chance and a catastrophe that would eventually lead to the formation of the United Kingdom.
For us though, this place was heaven! It felt so remote and we had the whole place to ourselves.
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Soon after dropping the hook, we were visited by our first Kuna Indian. He came paddling his dugout canoe, singing to himself in the rain. Pulled up to Azimuth and we managed to actually have a brief conversation. The charge was $10 to stay for up to a month. Also he asked if we would charge up his mobile phones?! Of course we said. He said he would pick them up later and off he went.
True to his word he turned up later that evening and collected the phones and in exchange presented us with two freshly picked coconuts still in their husks! Good deal I say!
I had some fun trying to get in to those the next day. They were most succulent coconuts I have ever had. Delicious. I hope for many more.
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The nest day another boat turned up. It was a British boat called Coral Moon and on-board were Donna and Mark. A really lovely couple, and we have so far been travelling together ever since.
By now it was getting pretty close to Christmas, and whilst Puerto Escoses was such a tempting place to stay, there was very little phone signal, and we both wanted to be able to talk to family on Christmas day so we decided to head a little further North where there are a couple of Kuna Villages, one of them with a radio mast.
I mentioned that the CMAP charts were useless. Thankfully we have a copy of the excellent cruisers guide to Panama by Bauhaus. Some clever sailor has also converted to the charts in this book in to a format for OpenCPN. These charts are very detailed and so far have been (fairly) reliable. The next villages North of us were tucked in between a chain of islands creating an inside passage of very protected water. Leaving Scotland bay the sea was still quite boisterous but as we came in to protection of the island group the sea flattened to glassy flat and we sailed our way through the narrow channel in a wide open vista.
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Our first look at a Kuna village, they are incredible. Taking up all of a small islands space and virtually at sea level, the villages are a collection of thatched huts and some concrete houses, crammed as close together as possible and taking up all available of space.
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We dropped our hook about half a mile off one of these villages.
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It was much busier with lots of dugouts and longboats, some with outboards running around between the two villages. Most of the them detoured to take a look at us, and everybody waved enthusiastically with huge smiles. Quite a few decided to pay us a visit too! One 10 year old boy pulled up with a boat of 4 year old kids to say hello. They appreciated the Chupa Chup lollies we had on-board. We got visited by the local nutter who we couldn’t understand a word he said. We got visited by people asking for Gasoline.
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This continued all afternoon, but the best was saved until last. Just as the sun was going down and we thought we were safe for the night another long boat speeds up to us with 6 guys on it screaming hello and can they take a photo?? Of course I say. So they all jump up on deck! It appears these guys have probably had a skin full. A couple were struggling to stand up. They proceeded to drape themselves all over the boat and take photos. I tried to strike up a conversation. They wanted to know where we were from. Inglaterra I say… which the all seemed to like and started shouting Beckham, Beckham! Then I asked them if they celebrated Xmas here, and that started shouts of Feliz Navidad for the next 10 minutes and lots of laughter. They were great fun. We took lots more photos and one of me on the back with them all. Then they jumped back in their boat and headed off at great speed for the next village with promises that they would return the next day! Ailsa and I headed to make our tea, somewhat shell shocked but with a big smile on our faces too!
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We had one more journey to make for our final destination for Xmas. That was the island of Pinos where the Radio Tower is.
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We had said we would meet the Coral Moon there too as there apparently was a little beach bar there, perfect to toast in Xmas day.
Another beautiful sail saw us arrive at Pinos Island, what a spectacular place. Very protected again, and a small village with a beach and the “bar” on stilts over the water.
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Coral moon showed up that afternoon, and we took a trip to the village together and then went to the bar for sundowner beers. What a way to spend Xmas Eve!
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Xmas Day arrived, and we were woken at 6:45am by our lovely children in the UK! I think it might have been punishment for being so far away! It was lovely to see all the family on WhatsApp and share with some of their day. They all went to pub for lunch. It looked like great fun to us. We wish we could have been there too.
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We managed to cobble together a reasonable xmas dinner too….
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During the afternoon, a couple more boats turned up, one of whom we had been anchored next too in Spanish Waters, Rolf and Andre on Rebel Rebel, and Bjorn and Linda on Sirena. We all went to the bar for Xmas afternoon / evening and had a lovely time, and the we went back to Coral Moon with Mark and Donna and properly toasted in Xmas day!
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That’s all for now folks. See you again soon with more tales from the San Blas.