San Blas Islands 3 March 2024.

The anchor alarm woke me up about 6.30am and I was not sure why at the time as we seemed to be fine. I thought of getting up but thought no I should rest more. I eventually got up at 7.45am and it was a bit of a grey day. After breakfast we prepared to move on and when we went to pick up the anchor the snubber had twisted round the chain. The snubber is a rope (usually nylon which is flexible) with a hook which you attach to the anchor chain and then you let it down. The idea being that the snubber takes the strain rather than the chain yanking. David said he got up at 3.00am and we were facing the opposite direction. The reason for the twist was probably due to the fact that we may have done a 360 in the night explaining the twist and the alarm going off.

In any event we sorted out the twist and upped the anchor. The next set of Islands and anchorage was the Coco Bandero Cays which were apparently very beautiful. We needed to make some water and empty our holding tanks (loo tanks which we close off in anchorages and then open when we are out at sea). Once we left we opened these tanks and gave it 15 minutes and then I turned the water maker on. This is essentially a series of pumps – a normal pump and a high-pressure pump which forces the salt water through 4 membranes which remove the salt. Initially I put in on test to check all is good and when ready I switch it to tank. It takes a few hours to fill each tank but we cannot survive without it and we need to for showering, washing and cleaning.   

Coco Bandero Cays was only a few miles away and there were two anchorages either side of two Islands which were behind a large reef where you could see the waves breaking on the reef. We could see a number of boats – mainly Catamarans anchored. There did not seem to be much room but we thought we would go closer and had plenty of time as we were making water. We proceeded though the reefs and approached the small palm tree Islands. The Catamarans (bastards!!) had taken all the space in the first anchorage and the outside one was quite small and close to the reef. Although it looked lovely – it was not a space I felt for Stormbird so we decided to move on and I had a plan B – the Eastern Holandes Cays which were about 6nm away. We retraced our steps back to the main channel and then headed west and then North to the Eastern Holandes Cays which are some of the most outer San Blas Islands and for a while we were in open water with no reef protection and started to get some quite big rollers which I estimate were about 3-4m in height. We rolled over them without issue but not having had any for a few weeks it was a little bit of a surprise.

There were some shallow patches on the way and bits of reef which we had to avoid but before long we were approaching the Islands and we had to go round one Island and between another two. There were quite a few boats anchored and it was quite a large bay with Islands on all 4 sides and reefs in a number of places. The water was diverse with so many amazing colours all around demarcating shallow, sand and reef depths which of course help us navigate in addition to our instruments. We chose a good spot behind the other boats and which gave us good swinging room in case of wind changes. We could see bits of reef being uncovered and huts on two of the Islands indicating that Guna Indians live here.

Once anchored we had lunch and then we all had a siesta. When we finished we went out to explore in the dinghy. We decided to go to the nearest Island in front of us and pulled the dinghy up on the beach. There were quite a few dinghies pulled up and more people on the Island than we were used to. Joyce came here two years ago for a night and said there was a Guna Indian who sold bread and fish who she seemed to think was called Kevin!. Not a terribly Indian name. She said that he planned to build a restaurant and have seating areas in the water. However once we got ashore we saw a wide sand path leading to the windward side of the Island and the path was lined with white conch shells. There was a sign on a wooden pole stating Ibin’s Restaurant – so we think he was called Ibin not Kevin!. We walked down the path and came across Ibin’s Restaurant which had a bar and a wooden seating area next to a beautiful sandy beach and 4 drink palm tree roof umbrellas in the water next to it with raised benches (see picture) so you could sit on the benches under the umbrellas and decide whether to dangle your feet in the water. I hope all of you have got the picture and could see yourself having a drink in this location. Do not worry we will have one for you. The restaurant had a lovely sign which said “Welcome -For our friends who arrive with the wind and waves from around the World”  There were some swings on wood supports and you could swing in the water and hammock hung between posts. Joyce and Carolyn had a swing and it must have taken them back to their childhood days!!  

We went into the bar and Joyce remembered Ibin and she said hello to him and he said he remembered her. The restaurant will serve fish and pizza and he makes bread so we decided to order some for tomorrow and may have a meal there. It was a lovely place with wonderful views of the ocean and the waves breaking on the reef. We wondered back down the path and saw some other huts on the leeward side of the Island. There was a bar here with a few tables and a barbecue which clearly served some food. There was also a little shop selling toothbrushes and other bits and pieces.

We returned to the dinghy and decided to swim off the beach as there was a little reef nearby. The water was a bit cloudy but the reef was quite nice with some coral, sponges, ferns etc although some of the coral was a bit bleached. We returned to Stormbird for a shower and sundowners and we liked where we were in terms of position. However this was a more commercial Island than we have seen before (other than Pouvenir- the capital) and I am not sure I like it as much. Yes it is nice to have a bar and restaurant to use but it attracts people and this area is a lot more busier and I would hate that the beauty and character of the San Blas changes from the commercialism.

We had a nice Spaghetti Bolognaise supper and it is lovely to sit in the cockpit as if in candle light (with the solar lights) hearing the roar of the reef not far away. We can of course see the cockpit and mast lights of the other yachts in front of us but there is nothing but black behind us.             

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

If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com  I can only upload one picture a day and visit our website www.stormbirdgoesglobal.co.uk