Gulf of San Blas
Trip Start
Nov 15, 2006
1
220
228
Trip End
Jul 15, 2008
San Blas Islands,
Panama
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Gulf of Darien, Caribbean Sea
Despite persistent reports that a solid spine of land has been discovered over the 500 mile nearly inaccessible jungle/swamp called the Darien Gap, there is no public transportation overland between Panama and Colombia. To this day the Pan-American Highway in South America does not meet the Inter-American Highway in Central America. From an engineering standpoint the difficulties could be overcome with a massive contribution from the U.S.; but politically Panama is opposed to opening the route. Panama is happy to remain separated from the political unrest in Colombia. However, where there is a will there is a way and one could hike the route but you would need a native guide and at least two weeks. Compared with a pleasant Caribbean cruise the choice for us was easy. We are taking the sea route and paying $640 to Captain Mark to take the two of us from Cartagena to the San Blas Islands off the coast of Panama
07-01
. His boat is christened the Melody; a 44 ft. steel hulled homemade sail boat. Mark bought the unfinished boat while he was working as a corrections officer in California. His money and off duty time was spent finishing the boat in his backyard. When the boat was ready he quit his job and sailed off to the Caribbean. After sailing around a few years he discovered that lots of backpackers wanted an alternative to flying between Panama and Columbia. There are other boats plying the route but he probably has been doing it for the longest time. For sensitive young people used to being coddled he probably seems obnoxious and over bearing but his is a difficult job, which we appreciated and we just put up with his quirks. From what we've read we could have gotten a much worse captain and boat. When he were in the San Blas Islands we met a Texas couple, living on their boat, who said one backpacker boat captain got so fed up with his young passengers that he marooned them on an island and left. On one island they found backpacks with personal items, including contact lens, which had been abandoned there. Besides the Captain, and us, there are 7 other backpackers on the Melody. They were all very good boat mates and we all became good friends. Even though a 44 foot boat is good sized, 10 people on a boat could be a disaster but this group could not have been any better. There were no jerks who could easily have ruined the trip for everyone given the cramped conditions
07-02
. We showed up at the marina at 6 AM, but because of bureaucratic delays with processing our exit stamps, we did not get underway until about 11 AM. Mark motored out of the bay and when we got on the open sea he continued motoring. We were disappointed that Mark did not raise the sails but we were headed into the wind. So we had to make the whole trip with diesel power rather than wind power. But the current was with us and we averaged about 6 knots, according to Mark and his GPS. Mark had a fishing line out and caught a blue fin tuna which he dressed and shared some of the choice parts which can be eaten raw. Most everyone had a bit and when no one wanted anymore Arvid finished it off. The rest of the fish was filleted and saved in an icebox so Mark's wife, waiting for us on another boat in San Blas, could fry it up for dinner when we arrived. We continued right through the night with several of us taking turns standing watch for boat traffic which might get in our way. Other than the lights from 3 or 4 ships on the horizon the sea was empty. Some other travel blogs writing about this trip tell of passengers barfing over the rails and moaning in their bunks, but no one got sick on our boat; thank goodness.
June 8, 2008
San Blas Archipelago, Panama
The weather is very favorable for our trip and the sea is moderate if not flat
07-03
. At one point a pod of at least a dozen dolphins join us and playfully cut back and forth in front of the bow. They kept it up for about ½ hour and as suddenly as they arrived they veered off to find some fish to eat. We've seen dolphins racing our ship in Indonesia but setting on the deck of the little sail boat we could almost reach out and touch them. It was an experience we won't forget. We make good time and arrive in the Hollandaise Keys early evening. There are two small islands sheltered by a coral reef. It is part of the San Blas archipelago. These islands look like they were taken from a picture book; low lying covered with coconut palms and ringed by white sand beaches. Only one is inhabited with a single hut and two or three fishermen, but we saw no women. There are several other sail boats anchored here between the islands including two owned by Mark. We tie up next to one of his boats and are greeted by his lovely wife, a Colombian, named Paula. She is an excellent cook and considering the limitations of the small sail boat galley turned out some excellent meals.
June 9, 2007
San Blas Archipelago, Panama
Mark divided us up into two groups and he took one group to a nearby island where we just lolled around in the water and on the clean white sand until mid-afternoon
07-04
. The other group was taken to about 5 different spots to go snorkeling. Mark had speared a large fish while snorkeling which Paula fried up in small breaded chunks which we stuff into tortillas with greens and sauce for fish tacos. The water is very clear here and there are no waves with very little current. So we spend some time just swimming around the boats. Talk about and idyllic June 10, 2008
San Blas Archipelago, Panama
Today Mark takes our group snorkeling and the other group is marooned on the island. The coral is great and we see sharks and stingrays of different kinds as well as many beautiful fish. Not quite as many fish as the reef off Belize but it was well worth the effort.
We have a pork roast this night which Mark's wife has spent much time preparing. It was delicious. We threw the scrapes out and watched four rays come from nowhere to devour them.
June 11, 2008
El Porvenir
San Blas Archipelago, Panama
This morning Mark and his wife weigh anchor and we head to El Porvenir, the main island of San Blas at the northwestern end of the Archipelago
07-05
. This is where we will get our Panamanian entrance stamps from the immigration office there. Actually Mark collects our passports and takes the dingy into shore to get them stamped. While we are anchored off shore some of the Kuna women paddle our in their dug out to sell us molas which are squares of cotton cloth layered with brightly color patterns quilted on to it. They are traditional handicrafts and are distinctive of the Kuna people. The Kuna people are indigenous and rule the islands as an autonomous region under Panama. Boaters who anchor in the islands have to pay mooring charges to the central tribe and to locals as well. The Kunas also control land on the mainland. Once we get our passports back we are transferred to a large dug out with an outboard which takes us the few kilometers to the main land. This cost us $2 each. There we get in a van and our bags are piled on top for the ride to Panama City. The van ride costs us $20 each.
