Ystafell

Finding Paradise in the San Blas

Patagonia seems so far away for Cathy and Fanch! We have been following the crew on these pages since the Bijagos Islands - several years ago now, on the west coast of Africa. This month, the sailors are writing to us from the San Blas archipelago in Panama, where they have taken their two aluminum hulls for a spin.

Ystafell

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Published 28/11/2025

By Gilles Ruffet

Issue: 205

Published: jan. / feb. 2026

Discover this issue

Who: Fanch & Cathy
Where: San Blas Archipelago, Panama
Multihull: Katalu 42
Blog : www.ystafell.fr

After landing on Caledonia Island, we set off again for a nautical mile of sailing through a maze of coral heads. 3 feet of water, 4 feet, 4 feet, 4 feet 4 inches... for information, at three feet I touch the seabed! We were moving slowly and this trip would take an hour. But the reward was at the end of the journey, in the form of a small island opposite the village, which has been developed by its owner to welcome passing tourists. First, a swim: the water is clear, and its temperature reaches 31°C (88°F). We go to check the anchor and take a tour to discover our underwater environment. Everything is fine, we are anchored in the sand, but all around us are coral outcrops. We had to shorten the chain to avoid getting caught in them. Then we set off to explore the island. We were welcomed by Ati, the owner, who told us that there is a much safer route on the other side. We will take it on our way back. We discover molas. These are squares of fabric sewn and cut by Kuna women, with layers of different colored fabrics forming traditional patterns or scenes from everyday life. They are beautiful. The next day, we visited the village and met Denison, the grocer who will guide us and welcome us into his home. This is our first glimpse of the Kuna way of life. Everything takes place under the wall-less hut. Poles are positioned at the four corners of the dwelling, with another in the center, and hammocks are hung in a star pattern. The inhabitants occupy the hammocks, lying or sitting, and chat. There are many children. All the members of the family live together: uncles, aunts, cousins, parents, grandparents. Michael, the village guide, appointed for three months, showed us around. In particular, he introduced us to a very friendly family with whom we chatted for a while. A man sold me a lobster for $3.50 a pound and asked if he could visit the boat. He came with his whole family and there would be a party on board. Cathy took the opportunity to stock up on candy and fruit juice. After Isla de Pinos, we set sail for Ustupu, then Mamitupu, and further on, Cayo Ratones. The corals are pretty, but the fish are small. Next up are Kanlildup and Waisaladup. We had reached paradise. The beaches are white sand, the coconut trees are above the transparent water, the corals are magnificent and very much alive, and the gorgonian sea fans are gigantic. We encounter nurse sharks, stingrays, all kinds of reef fish, but no turtles. Fishermen pass by offering us crabs, lobsters, everything we could wish for. I dreamed of this, and now we’re here at last. The next day, we set sail for Banedup. It is a very popular anchorage for boaters because it is well sheltered behind the coral reef, with depths of three meters (ten feet) in crystal clear water. Despite the crowd of boats at anchor, we fall under its spell. The corals are magnificent. Another lazy day passes with nothing to do but read, chat, swim, take a nap, and if we want, do it all over again. The cruise is coming to an end; there are still plenty of islands to explore and we won’t have time to see them all. There are a few sailboat charter companies in San Blas, which is great for those who enjoy sailing in wild and unspoiled areas; the downside is that the anchorages are often crowded and squeezed between several coral reefs.