San
Blas islands, locally known as the Kuna Yala, comprise of 365 islands
(one for everyday of the year) located along the Caribbean coast of
Panama, most of them uninhabited.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Blas_Islands
The
villages on the islands of; Nargana and Corazon de Jesus, have left
their traditional values. In short I could buy cerveza (beer) for a
dollar a can, vino (Clos, Chilean wine) and Ron (Rum). Watching the
men and boys paddle, there predominantly traditional canoes, across
to the Rio Diablo on the mainland to get water was fascinating. I
pondered why they did not make it easier for themselves and get a
pipe between the island and the mainland. It would appear there was a
pipe, but a thoughtless cruiser destroyed it with their anchor. While
watching the frenetic pace of the village life I pondered if the
wheel had been discovered, there being no cars, motorcycles or even
bicycles in evidence. Then I spotted a wheel barrow carry the fore
mentioned beer to the Bordega from the Colombian/Panamanian trading
boats that supply the islands. Yes, Internet is available. There is
even free WiFi if one is close enough to the router on shore.
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| Nargana, San Blas |
Sadiqi
was experiencing engine problems with exhaust gases escaping from
around one of the injectors. I was not game to pull the injector out
in a remote location in case I broke something and was left without
the engine. This would have to wait until I arrived in Colon or
Christobal. The problem of the leaking injectors and exhaust smell in
the cabin had me flummoxed for quite some time. I mentioned the
problem to Lindsay on Avolare in an email, who told me what the
problem was. My thanks to Lindsay.
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| Corazon de Jesus Airport |
Friend
Kate flew into Corazon de Jesus airport early on Tuesday 25. The
airstrip was built by the Americans back in the second world war and
looked it. While waiting for the plane to arrive I
walked the crumbling airstrip throwing loose stones and rocks off it.
There was no paranoid security around. I wondered
if she
was going to chicken out of getting on a small plane with propellers
instead of a jet turbine. I knew she hated flying. The
ground crew, which had arrived after I had, shouted to
me to get off the strip as the plane approached. The twin engine
plane screeched
down the airstrip
using it's wheel brakes to slow the plane on the short strip. Kate
eventually emerged from the small plane
with a bemused look, muttering
something about thunder and lightening storms and never flying again.
Kate had survived
the puddle jumper flight from hell. She
paid $3.00 arrival tax or airport improvement tax. I gave her a beer
as we headed for the dinghy. I felt obliged to join her - it was
0930.
Once
Kate had settled on-board we went ashore and wondered around Nargana
village, meeting Fredrico, who befriended us. Fredrico speaks
passable English, joined us for lunch and regaled many Kuna stories.
He was a good source of information and amongst his many skills: is
the alleged garbage disposal person and river guide.
After
several days anchored in near Nargana I hauled the anchor and headed
to the Coco Bandero islands some 5 miles north west. This was a real
tropical island treat . There were several yachts anchored when we
arrived. Cayos Coco Bandero consists of seven small islands – tall
coconut palm trees, white sandy beaches and clear turquoise waters -
tropical paradise. We anchored off the island of Olosicuidup. After
one night we returned to Nargana for Internet access and
provisioning, replenishing beer supplies. We returned to Olosicuidup,
Coco Bandero and spent several days languishing on this island
paradise. Several Kuna boats came by Sadiqi during the day offering
supplies of Beer, wine, coke, diesel, petrol etc.
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| Coco Bandero, San Blas |
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| Coco Bandero, San Blas |
All
to soon it was time to head further west leaving Cayos Coco Bandero.
The next Cayos was Holandes. We anchored on the eastern end near an
island known amongst cruises as Barbecue island. There were 13 other
cruising yachts in the swimming pool anchorage near Barbecue island.
Mike
on Sturdy Logic turned up in the afternoon and anchored near by.
Another excuse to have a beer and socialise. I dragged out the Cobb
BBQ from the depths of the cockpit locker and prepared dough for the
pizza base. Late afternoon we went ashore to a sandy beach under palm
trees with a gentle breeze blowing cooked and ate pizza with a few
beers and wine – perfect. The morning after we had pizza it
bucketed down with rain – I mean seriously bucketed down. I opened
the water filler plugs on the deck and in a short time both tanks
were full. I managed to fill two buckets of water to do laundry.
During the downpour the wind strength increased a little and changed
direction. The anchor alarm sounded as Sadiqi began to drag anchor
toward Sturdy Logic. This was not the fault of Roxy the Rocna. I had
anchored on a downward slope without sufficient chain in about 10
metres of water. I started the motor to avoid bumping into Sturdy
Logic and let Sadiqi drift back until it became shallow enough for
the anchor bite again. I just had to keep an eye out for coral.
Sturdy Logic and Sadiqi both dragged anchor and eventually hooked
onto something more to their liking. We hardly saw the sun rise in
the morning or set in the evening for the almost constant cloud
cover. Some days it cleared and the solar panels were able to charge
the batteries, most of the time though I had to use the Honda
generator to charge them.
Toward
midday, Wednesday December 3,
we departed Cayos Holandes saying
goodbye to Mike and headed
further west. We headed for Cayos Chichime passing a number of
suitable anchorages along the way with a good deal of yachts
anchored. Chichime was a fairly small anchorage with about 12 yachts
anchored.
Several boats
were anchored with no one on-board. The Chichime anchorage appears to
be secure enough for people to leave their boats and go by water taxi
to Porvenier airport. One person I spoke to, from the Canary Islands,
had been there for 6 years. There
was a small resort with Kuna hut type accommodation on the island.
Water taxis bring guests, mainly
backpackers from the airport on
the island of Porvenir just over 4 miles away. A
very enterprising Kuna Mola salesman, Venancio, came by the boat and
proceeded to display all his mola works. I ended up purchasing 2 of
the vividly coloured Molas.
The
mola consists
of several layers (usually 2 to 7) of different-coloured cloth sewn
together
to
make intricate and traditional pattens.
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| Kuna - Mola |
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| Chichime, San Blas |
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| Chichime, San Blas |
Friday
December 5, Kate headed back to the insanity of everyday working life
in the states choosing; water taxi boat and road travel over flying
and sailing the 60 miles to Portobelo.
I thought
I'd share some shit happens stories. Complacency. I was told three
boats were lost recently in the San Blas in as many days. This was about the time that Sadiqi dragged anchor at Cayos Holandes. Yes, the
wind had picked a bit. I was told one couple set a GPS waypoint and
were sitting in the cockpit, when crunch - straight on a reef. End of
boat! Another solo sailor and his dog sailed too close to a reef -
crunch end of boat! The dog must have been on watch. I had met the
American in a Curacao. I saw his advert in the marina looking for
passage to Thailand or the states. The third I did not know about.
This is complacency and is my worst fear. A moments
inattentiveness and its over. Yes, luck does play a part. But like my
old mentor, Captain Ron says: You make your own luck by not being
slack.
There is a very
good Panama Cruising Guide by Eric Bauhaus. This guy says, unless you have local knowledge, only go
into anchorages with coral bommies around at midday! And keep a good
look out! The number of yacht that I saw heading to new anchorages
late in the afternoon was astonishing. OK, that is enough of a rant
about stupidity. I seriously hope I do not succumb to it.
