San Blas Islands 23 February 2024.

David, Keith and I woke at 4.45am to go to the San Blas Islands. We upped anchor in the dark at just after 5.00am and crept our way out of the anchorage. We had to avoid the reefs and once passed we headed toward the San Blas. This was initially a close reach (i.e.. you sail quite close to the wind) and we were sailing along quite nicely at about 6-7 kts.  `The rest of the crew were allowed to stay in bed.

 The San Blas

These Islands are a vast set of Islands and over 340 Islands in number and are part of Panama but they are independently ruled by the Guna’s as they are called. Worldwide they are unique in many ways as they are home to the Guna Indians who have best preserved their traditions and culture out of all the tribes in the Americas. At the same time you have the most untouched stretches of virgin rainforests and a cruising area of beauty. This area is called Guna Yala by the locals who do not enjoy the name San Blas, a name given to them by the Spanish Invaders of the past.

The Guna’s are accepting of visitors but prohibit any non Guna’s settling or intermarrying. They are physically small a bit like pygmies. They number 55,000 and are united with a hierarchy of leaders and each village has 3 chiefs who hold the authority. The mainstay of their economy is coconuts. The women make money selling molas – which are beautiful applique shirts sewed with different layers of cloth and are famous in Panama. It is a matrilineal society where the women control the money and husbands are chosen by women who are then allowed to enter the women’s family compound. Reminds me of the two ronnie’s when they had a sketch when women took over the world!.

Each village has 2 large huts the Congresso and the Chicha. The Congresso is the town hall as it were and it is where the villages gather every evening. The Chicha is the hut where the intoxicating drink is brewed from sugar cane. Many Guna’s dress up as women with long hair etc. They act like women and this is apparently tolerated.

Once underway we sailed as best we could but the wind would die or come from the wrong direction. We therefore sailed or motor sailed or motored.  The weather was odd as it became cloudier and then we had rain. Eventually after about 63 miles we came to the entrance  to the capital Island (it is about 300 yards long and about the same wide) where we had to check in and get a permit. We had to be careful entering the entrance as it was through some reefs and the GPS maps are not very accurate so we had place waypoints from a special book and we had lookout on the bow and used our Garmin forward looking sonar which scans the bottom ahead. We therefore came into Porvenir the capital and anchored off the small Island, We had seen a number of small Islands dotted about with palm trees on them.  It looked lovely and very different but the cloud cover was dulling the magic of this place.  We anchored and went ashore. The Island must be only about 15-20 feet above sea level. There were lots of palm trees but also huts. This Island had its own airstrip and hotel. We had to walk across the airstrip to get to customs and Immigration and we purchased a permit to visit the Islands. We had a quick beer in the only bar.

There were only 3 boats anchored in the bay and we felt like we were in the middle of nowhere. Most of us had a quick swim but the water was not clear. We had sundowners on the stern (less the sun!!) and then salmon, sweet potato and sugar snap peas for supper. We were here and now plan to explore.  Let’s hope the weather is kind.   

No picture today and I hope to get one of the `San Blas tomorrow

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

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