San Blas - 9 March 2024

In the night I heard some howling going on which woke me and I could not understand where it was coming from – was it from the water – a seal or whale perhaps but I thought they would not be here. I went back to bed and when I was talking to the others they suggested it may have been howling monkeys.

It was a cloudy day and we had breakfast and decided we would go and visit the Guna Islands to see if we could get some onions, tomatoes, bananas etc. While we were waiting there were lots of dugout canoes going backwards and forwards to the mainland. A number tried to sell us Molas and one came by with two ladies with some coconuts, David and Joyce wanted one but they did not have a machete to open it so they paddled back and got one and opened the two coconuts. Carolyn then wanted one so they paddled back again to get another. We then went ashore ourselves and went to the first Island and which looked more the poorer village (it has less higher huts and few lights at night) and we found a jetty on the southern side. They were friendly and a little surprised to see us. We saw an old man who allowed us to dock and we went ashore. He spoke a bit of English or foreign language and we bought some bread and bananas at a very reasonable price.  We asked for some fish and they said they would bring some to our boat. The children found us fascinating and came to say hello and we could see the village in front of us with lots of bamboo huts and with the odd long drop built out over the water with reeds around it for some privacy.  This is their loo. We then left this village and headed over to the other village which had some larger huts and some concrete ones. We moored the dinghy against a sort of pier and explained as best we could what we were looking for and were invited ashore. A lady led us through the village and we meandered between bamboo huts and concrete shells. We had children following us and we ended up with a lady who showed us plantain. We already had bananas and so with google translate we stated we wanted onions and tomatoes. We were then led to a Guna shop and were able to buy some onions but they had no tomatoes.   

Carolyn brought a bracelet from beads and David bought one his daughter. The village was a mixture of huts and concrete houses some well-kept and some in a mess with rubbish around them. Rubbish is clearly a problem here- what do you do with it.  The children were playing and jumping in and out of the water. I saw a buzz lightyear toy!!. The people were friendly and helpful and we returned to Stormbird.

A man in a dugout came by which we had seen earlier and we asked him about tomatoes and he said he could get some. We ordered from him tomatoes, avocados, 12 eggs, mango and some fish. He came back but not with the kilo of tomatoes we ordered, no avocados, some mango, twelve eggs and two good size fish although we did not know what they were. However he gutted them on the aft deck and the flesh looked like tuna but it was not. He had not brought all we requested but we were content.

We had a light lunch and then decide to head off to our Mangrove anchorage about a mile away. We eased ourselves out of the reefs and headed up the creek surrounded by mangroves. There was no one else around and the creek got narrower but we anchored in a pool at the end. There was just enough room. It was very quiet and there was no sign of anyone or anything. We were surrounded by mangrove and beyond that jungle. We expected at any moment for a crocodile to come out of a mangrove but this did not happen.

We had a few dips in the water but did not stray far from the boat for obvious reasons. We saw what looked like eagles or buzzards above the trees gliding around with quite large wingspans. At one point we saw 8 of them. We had drinks on the rear deck and then had some of the fresh fish we had bought today with peas and beans. It was very good and meaty but salty flavour.

It had been another different day but we noticed more bugs as we were nearer the mainland.

Opportunity for any Readers/Sailors.

In late May 2024 we shall be in the Marquesas in French Polynesia and we will then move through to the Tuomoto’s before getting to Tahiti about the end of July 2024. There may be some space on Stormbird during this period should any sailor/reader be interested in joining for this period or part of it in what must be one of the most distant and beautiful places in the world. If there is any interest do email me at.  hine.nick9@gmail.com  

The blog will continue as we head off to Panama and beyond.