To access to the pictures album of the news : click here
Thetys back to sea , towards the San Blas
Bocas del Toro return
Back to Bocas del Toro in Panama after looooooooooooooooooooooong
break in our journey. We must re-
We have
a few loose ends before leaving, and we are very motivated so it does not drag on.
The biggest job is the big food refueling, the one for the "3 months". Except that
in Bocas del Toro, the largest mini-
Shopping
done, we must also push the four trolleys to the dock, fill the taxi boat that takes
us back to the marina in fifteen minutes, all put down on the dock, load the bags
into the boat, open all closets and compartments to find a place for every food,
remove all containers that might harbor eggs critters unwelcome on a boat. After
a tiring day (it's still hot), the provisioning is done for two months... I hope
!
Latest topic: the weather window. Our next destination is the San Blas Islands (always
Panama) , 200 miles east of Bocas , or about 36 hours of sailing . Yep, East, once
will not hurt, in our world tour to the West. For this time "backwards", we must
find a small window without too much wind, with minimal waves, and hope for the reverse
current indicated by the charts. And probably squeeze a little teeth...
And some navigation...
Takeoff with a crosswind of ten small knots, a large current
pushing , and a beautiful face swell but without short waves . None of this could
bother Thetys, famous sailor, running 6 – 7kts full sail.
Until the sun goes down,
where external visual cues disappear, when our stomachs are found a little bit facing
their future night that promises still shaken well. Critical moment, since none of
us is ready to go in the boat to cook. We are empty stomachs (since pancakes for
breakfast) and shaked. The natural consequence does not wait... Then the night goes
a little groping between wind monitoring , radar sounding regularly , sleep trying
to make us forget this awkward position, and Thetys galloping alone as a grown-
It remains 40
miles to reach our goal , a matter of 6-
San Blas , never two without three ...
We are in San Blas for the 3rd time : 2009
with the first Thetys , in April 2013 after our Cuban holidays, and today. The playground
is perfectly suited to the recovery of “all-
Fins, masks and snorkels resume service soon. The discerning
eye of the fisherman marks the favorable corners, and despite a water charged enough,
the progress of the Polynesian experience are quickly felt. Neighbors are happy for
deliveries of large barracuda and snapper. However, it must deal with newcomers :
Bruno crosses nurse sharks (also called sleeping sharks in French) almost every day,
and even though they are supposed to be harmless, these long babies of 2-
Eagle
rays and stingrays have increased too, and it is not uncommon to see them jumping
at 1m above the water, right next to the boat. The splashhh sounds preferably at
sunset, when the pool where Thetys is anchored becomes like a mirror. Emotional sequence
when one of them jumps to 2 meters ... over me during my daily water ride. Then small
panic when his remora decided that I could be his new mother... electrical contact
and Bruno (my hero of the day) comes to help me with the dinghy, even if there is
only a few yards to go to jump on Thetys back steps.
The most significant aquatic
encounter of this stay is undoubtedly that with dolphins. It has been several times
that we come across, including during sailings between islands. When their wings
wrinkle the surface of the water within 200 meters of Thetys anchorage, we jump in
the dinghy with the hope to see them move underwater. Bruno drops me in their midst.
They do not go fast, but a good shot of palm is necessary to get into their rhythm.
It is probably time to cuddle, and I see them waving per couple (two or three) while
others stand as bodyguards. They should measure within two meters, I just stay away,
not wishing to check the legends on their debonair or player behaviour. I do not
visibly weight! I fixed on my Go Pro the present, unreal and fleeting !
Anchorages are linked, almost a new one every 3-
On shore we find the Kuna Indians, owners of this entire region
of Panama. On almost all islands are a hut, a family, a few fishermen with whom Bruno
goes hunting. In return we share the harvest of the day with them, which is the opportunity
to eat "Kuna" as grilled fish and coconut rice, bare feet in the sand.
The beautiful
discovery is the anchorage between Ukupsuit and Kalugirdup (it can not be invented).
Turquoise pool 1.80m deep, it must return the head when diving from Thetys back step,
this translucent water reminds us of Bora Bora...
About meetings, Clown, Namaste,
Aquablue and some others are the opportunity to cool aperitifs and beach barbecues
.
Unfortunately San Blas have become very popular with charter boats, which change
daily mooring place. Not a minute to lose, they put their anchor on specific Waypoint,
and possibly less than 10m from us, which changes us a little from “around-
Enjoying
being back in the mood "around the world ", the chess tournament of San Blas is launched.
It still ends with a 6-
After the sea, the "city" ...
Carti and Isla Tigre are two good opportunities to discover
the "urban" Kuna way of life. Not get carried away, it's just small islands with
a very high concentration of houses, sand alleys and some local governments’ places,
which are the only concrete buildings : school, congresso (village council) , health
center... The cabins, made of wood and palm leaves, have one living room for the
whole family , with a wood fire in a corner kitchen. They overflow on the sea through
rickety pontoons after which there is the closets hut. Harvesting garbage does not
exist, and their solution is to throw plastic bags into the sea... The coast is downwind
a few miles away, we cannot imagine what a discharge it must be under the first trees
of these huge tropical forests. However, in each village, women are twice daily required
to sweep the streets of sand, and it is also all clean. But once you slip an eye
between two huts ...
At Carti, lured by the smell, we landed unexpectedly at the only local baker, when
he extracted a dozen of mini-
Thus ends our third stay in the San Blas.
The change in five years is tangible, led
largely by the construction of the road to Carti. Now that Panama City is located
within a few hours by bus, the paradise of San Blas becomes accessible to tourists,
even for a single day.
The concept of new business is noticeable. Motor boats are plying these previously quiet anchorages, the price of lobster has gone from a beer to 5 or 10 dollars, depending on the client's head (or the size of the boat), and almost all the islands are inhabited and maintained, offering a meal or a few beers to passing visitors, or even camping !
Besides lobsters caught by the Kuna are becoming smaller, while Bruno does not hesitate
to lecture them (in Spanish please) on the sustainability of natural resources. For
example, we pay them and faint it in the water under their noses the ones that still
need to learn swimming...
The archipelago is undoubtedly a paradise for around-
Isla Tigre lies outside the conventional trip of all boats, since the island is on
the South East coast of Panama that drives to Colombia. As soon as we put feet on
land, Ferdinando (de Lesseps, a young man rather clever who knows the history of
the Canal) takes us in charge. He speaks English and looks as "tourist guide". Kuna
pure strain but new generation, fashionably dressed and wearing headphones, he learned
English at the "university" in order to do this job. An alternative to the option
chosen by his friends who go out fishing every day as their fathers and grandfathers
did, equipped with a pair of patched fins.
Ferdinando accompanies us in our walk through
the village. The island is a kind of huge terrain covered with large cabins quite
similar to each other, it looks almost like "holidays resort". Kids are playing soccer
(and marvel at the touch ball for Bruno they think as Ribery, true story) , the girls
are simpering, grannies are selling molas, four old men are talking in the congresso.
It is a national holiday, and all the huts proudly display a red flag for celebrating
the gain of the revolution to continue the traditions Kuna against the advice of
their Colombian neighbors.
The atmosphere is quiet, family, we feel that the visit of tourists raises no crowds,
too rare to be synonymous with economic source. Bruno take the opportunity to lend
a hand (and some equipment) to local fishermen , one of the young people with whom
he had gone to hunt in Coco Bandero. Very different from anything we could live in
San Blas until now, this stop is a good pick on the road to Colombia !
Our last Panamanian
stop will be Snug Harbor, a pretty well protected anchorage near the coast. However,
we avoid the splash in the stern of the boat, still in doubt of the presence of a
crocodile loving sailormen...