Archipiélago de San Blas
Trip Start
Apr 09, 2006
1
145
148
Trip End
Jun 09, 2007
San Blas,
Panama
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Although we really didn't mind all that much at the time, our captain had booked a total of 9 passengers on the boat (10 people including him). Did I mention that our boat only had three double beds and that one was the captains personal cabin? Needless to say, we had to adjust by sleeping on the floor, deck and anywhere else we could find. There was virtually no wind for the first two days, which ain't great for a sailboat. The still, sticky, hot air was worst at night and some of us didn't mind being on the deck.
The Archipiélago de San Blas is a long stretch of nearly 400 islands off the coast, but within site of, Panama. These islands are true Fantasy Island's: uninhabited islands covered with coconut trees and surrounded by white-sand beaches with the turquoise Caribbean lapping at their shores. Those not inhabited contrast sharply: acre-sized cays are densely packed with the bamboo huts of the Kuna people...leaving little room to even walk among them. The Kuna run San Blas as a comarca - an autonomous region. They have their own system of governance and attempt to maintain their unique lifestyle. The Kuna originally lived in coastal settlements that also allowed for the fishing and coconuts on which their economy is based. The Spanish quickly changed that by running them out....but they seemed not to mind that they took refuge on the small islands of San Blas and left them alone.
Four hundred islands and islets are a loooot of islands and, as I said, most of them are little pieces of paradise. If you close your eyes and imagine a Caribbean delight....that is San Blas. After dropping off a few passengers who had to quickly catch flights, the captain set sail for one of the secluded islands. A few days of swimming, snorkeling and just reading on the beach were a holiday within my little trip. SPEC-TAC-U-LAR.
This time period is the lowest-of-low seasons and it rained nearly every afternoon and often late at night. We never really let it get us down and often still swam and just played in the rain. Our first night at anchor a few of us stripped down to nothingness and had a great time swimming through the warm waters while getting sprinkled on from above. The rain eventually let up and the silence of the beach was breathtaking.
Even waiting for my flight to Panama City at the tiny, tropical runway was magical...the trees filled with green and red parrots shouting their wake-up calls for the locals.
San Blas....THUMBS WAY UP!
