Jamaica to the San Blas Islands

Mike and our new crew, Gerry, leave Jamaica to set off  to meet me in the San Blas. Needless to say, the blog writing starts the month minimally!

Set off after breakfast and very soon had a fine sail running along the north coast of Jamaica under blue skies and a blue sea. Once the wind was found we are very quickly down to 2 reefs in more awkward seas. Decided to return to Blood Bay, during the course of the day we seem to have developed a leak that I can’t pin down. Nothing serious but it makes sense to me to go back.

Had a good look for the leak in the morning but the search proved unsuccessful.

Awkward sea making progress a bit wet. By PM have come off course a few degrees to ease the motion.  Tried heaving to, but the drift angle was no help. Made some progress with the wind 60 deg on the bow but one big wave filled the cockpit with Gerry in it. Back to running off.

 Gale force over night but wind shifted a small amount in our favour. Wind easing during morning. Further easing and shifting in our favour during the afternoon gave us a good sail, anchoring off Porvenir , San Blas Islands, Panama. Cloud covering the full moon made it interesting getting into the anchorage!

Anchorage is somewhat rolly but the view is lovely, if a little spoiled by the lack of sun. Ashore to check in and, what a shock, the cruising permit is now $193 on top of $15 each for visas and $24 for a month’s anchoring fee. Didn’t have the money so left without the permit! No problem with anchoring at the end of the runway, it’s closed for repairs.

Much emailing and texting trying to sort out the details of Kate’s last five miles to the boat. The problem being, trying to identify exactly where her 4x4 will drop her.

Kate’s en route and arrives in Panama City later today, so gladly relinquish log writing!

Uneventful flight from London to Panama via Madrid and installed in a pre-booked hotel for the night.

I was meant to be collected by a 4x4 at noon, but it didn’t show up until 2pm after various phone calls to the company complaining. For some reason, after 30 mins drive, we swap drivers. The new driver drives for another 30 mins and stops for a coffee so we finally get to Carti around 5pm, after an adventure off-road drive through the Kuna Yala National Park.  It’s on and off raining, very humid and no visible sun. The drop-off point is a flattened area of sand and there’s a boat that is going to Porvenir that is good news, as it’s the only one there!  They load the stores and my cases aboard and I slither down the sandy bank into the boat where they cover me and the crew with a tarpaulin. I’m peeking out occasionally initially to see the view but give up fairly soon as I’m getting drenched! After a couple of stops along the way to drop some stores off I spot RT just south of the island. The boatman very kindly drops me at RT so we don’t have to load my 2 heavy cases into our dinghy. Lovely to be back on board but what an adventure trip. Gerry cooks, I drink heavily and we fall asleep pdq!

Pics: Road trip from Panama City to Carti River

Pics: Couple of stops along the way. Kuna ladies peddling and paddling

Mike was up early as usual playing with (sorry, not playing but installing!) all the kit that has filled my cases from the UK – all essential stuff, of course. He spends the entire morning fitting the new VHF and stern anchor reel and then we go to the nearest island, Wichubwala, for a look around and to buy my first mola, the lovely appliqué work the native Kuna Yala women make. Ours depicts a lobster which I think will have to become yet another cushion!

Pic:Traditional dress Kuna lady

Part motor part sail to Lemmon Cay where we drop the hook and go ashore to Internet (solar powered!) at the bar which is all there is on the island. 10 minute walk around the neighbouring island and that’s the exercise for the day! Still overcast and rainy, apparently it’s been like that for 2 weeks.  Mike is unhappy about the gooseneck on the boom that got loosened by Gerry’s accidental gybe, so our plans to go through the canal are ditched as the experience has made Mike realise he doesn’t want to cross the Pacific with anyone unless I’ll go with him! (Words “dream” and “on” come quickly to mind and out of mouth! But Im thinking about it)

Several days spent lying at anchor idling the days away with excursions ashore to Happy Hour and watch 2 kids building a sail boat from a kayak with string, bamboo and bin liners. They eventually launch and manage to sail across to the next island. Well done, Freddy from Shiver and Nicolai. Every day brings canoes to RT with Kuna selling fish and molas and anything else they can.

Mothers Day at Lemmon Cay

Finuncio came by in his dugout and sold us a beautiful turtle mola for $30 to frame for RT and some beautiful mask molas his niece made – one each for the grandsons!

Gerry left for Carti and Cuba and the vegetable boat arrived too so all is well today! Lots of lovely fresh veg and fruit! Ashore to the neighbouring uninhabited island in the evening for beach BBQ with some Brits, 1 Aussie Sheila and a French couple who all arrived during the week on their way to do the Canal transit. Have offered to line handle for them if we happen to be in the right place at the right time, as we aren’t going through ourselves this year.

                                                                         Pic: Sparkle mode!

Pics: Beach BBQ and Nakesa at sun down, Leslie modelling picnic rug – proud to be Aussie!

Pics: Davide playing  palm tree air guitar and flute

Nursed a hangover all day after a late night singing, swapping stories and drinking rum!

Nice sail  to Green Island, anchored off beautiful island.

Short 5mile sail to Narganar with just the headsail up, round the reef. Went ashore after lunch for a wander about. A few “shops”, more westernised than the other islands – nothing we wanted to buy tho. Incongruous to see they live in bamboo and thatch huts but almost all have satellite dishes.

Pics: Kuna Dinner cooking and their neighbour’s electrics!

Pics:Up the River Diablo in the dinghy for a while to get the jungle experience.

Pic: Little chap so pleased to have his photo taken with Kuna Mum in full traditional dress

Sailed on to another island but it was too rolly to stay overnight so quick lunch and back to Tupile, which had looked nice as we passed it on our way. Had a snorkel on “Goldrich” Island as we’ve now named it as we had it all to ourselves.

It’s a hard life but someone has to do it!

 Lemmon Cay and ashore to the Elefante bar as we’ve run out of wine! The 2 UK boats show up there too so several happy hours and aperos on board RT one night! Catch the banana boat – whole bunch for $2! Still trying to touch base with Hannah to Skype but 6 hours difference means difficult to find a time when both Henry and I are awake!

 Before the birds got to them!