Islands along the way
Author: Shirlz
On 18th May I left Cartagena heading for the archipelago of Islas del Rosario about 20 miles away. The wind was very light and we had to do some motoring to get in before dark. I anchored off the southern shore of Isla Grande which seemed the better choice as there was a lot of coral on the northern side. The water was cleaner than in Cartagena but nothing spectacular. What wind there was came stubbornly from the south west. It was very light and the anchor was well dug-in in sand. We were in 3m of water with 25m of chain out. It might seem excessive but we were on a lee shore after all. As usual, we were the only boat there. I rigged up the cockpit awning and had a cooling swim, deciding to wait until the next day before going ashore. I checked my tablet but there seemed to be no internet.
Next day I rowed ashore early in the morning and beached the dinghy up a narrow mangrove creek. There was a shady path leading across to the other side of the island through a scattered collection of houses and ending at a big, almost empty, eco-resort. Very attractive with open thatched palapas and simple cabañas. I had a look at the anchorage but wasn’t tempted to move the boat around. It would have been difficult for me to land the dinghy there as the swell breaks along the shore, regardless of wind direction. About an hour after getting back on board, the wind started to pick up and a nasty swell was making things rather uncomfortable. Soon it was blowing over 30 knots with spindrift off the top of the waves and I let out another 20m of chain. The ‘squall’ lasted all day but thankfully moderated in the evening. It was fortunate that I came back to Speedwell when I did, as I couldn’t have rowed against that wind and without the extra chain it’s very possible that she would have dragged. Just letting out the extra chain was quite a battle as I had to first winch in a few metres to unhook the snubber. Without the snubber the winch alone was unable to hold the chain. It was quite an enlightening experience.
I left the next day heading for Tintinpán, the biggest island in the San Bernardo archipelago, about 25nm away. Now there was hardly any wind and what there was was against us. Add to that a sea that was still unsettled after the previous day’s blow and we were going nowhere. I didn’t want to go back to the uncomfortable Isla Grande anchorage so l motored doggedly on. Thankfully the anchorage at Tintinpán gave much better protection and I spent a relaxing couple of days there enjoying the crystal clear water. I got my snorkel out and was able to do a bit of hull scrubbing. I was pleased to see that it was still looking quite respectable.
There were local fishermen in their dugout canoes casting throw nets as well as faster lanchas travelling between the islands. The main island has luxury holiday homes along the shore and there is a very small islet, absolutely cram-packed with small houses a short way off, where the permanent residents stay. It is reputed to be one of the most densely populated areas in the world. I didn’t go ashore. The Navionics charts show very little detail and all the islands are surrounded by shallow coral reefs.
Now it was on to Isla San Bernardo, another day-sail away. When I raised the anchor the chain caught around a small coral head. It was easy to see the problem as the water was absolutely clear and I was able to motor slowly around and dislodge it, hopefully without damaging the coral. We passed another small island along the way, Isla Perla, where I had hoped to make a lunch stop, but there was a bit of a breeze which would have made the only possible anchorage on a lee shore once again, so I came up close to have a look but decided to keep going.
A sand spit extends a long way to the south west off the tip of Isla San Bernardo and we rounded it about half a mile off in 4m. The sand spit does a wonderful job of protecting the big bay and we found a very peaceful anchorage in 5m on mud, hooked in behind the island. I could relax for a few days and not worry about sudden wind changes. It goes without saying that we were the only boat there. They say you should be careful what you wish for. This island also has a sprinkling of privately owned palm-thatched holiday houses along the waterfront, which are very well cared for by the local residents who live in more modest establishments among the mangroves. Tourist boats race across from the mainland bringing sightseers and scuba divers to explore the outer reefs. No shops or bars ashore.
I made a day-trip over to the small town of Berrugas only about 5 miles away across the bay. We had a lovely slow and gentle sail across with the wind just abaft the beam in flat water. What a treat. The approach is shallow from a long way out and we anchored in 3m about a third of a mile off. No sooner had we stopped than a canoe came out to us with 2 men paddling. They were interested to know where I was from and offered to take me ashore in the canoe. I was tempted, as it would save getting the dinghy down, but decided to decline the offer. It looked a bit wobbly and I always have to be careful about keeping my hearing aids dry.
A short while later I rowed ashore and the two who had come out to welcome me helped drag the dinghy up the beach. It was safely tied to a post under a shady awning and I set off to explore the village. Two little boys decided to be my guides to the nearest grocery shop. We walked along a sandy tree-lined main road to the centre of town where there were 3 or 4 small ‘tiendas’. I decided on the biggest one and they were able to sell me two tomatoes, an avocado, 2 mangoes, a carrot, 6 eggs and a bottle of coke for my rum in the evening. The two kids went happily on their way with a bag of chips each. Back at the waterfront I headed for the most promising looking small restaurant where a number of locals were hanging out. It was lunchtime and I had a plate of perfectly cooked fried fish, rice, plantain fritter and salad for the equivalent of less than 3 dollars. I was joined by an old fisherman and a young woman in a uniform. They were interested in the boat and how I managed to sail on my own. We struggled along with my broken Spanish but it was nice to have company for a change.
I returned to the anchorage at San Bernardo and after a few days of its calm uneventfulness I began to think that it might be more exciting to be on the move again. Isla Fuerte, about 35nm away, was the next logical stop. I had managed to download the PassageWeather.com 7-day wind forecast and there were no sudden changes predicted, just more of the same light winds coming from random directions. I’d filled the diesel tanks in Cartagena but had no idea where it would be possible to fill up again, so I had to avoid doing too much motoring. I set off after lunch, prepared to have a slow overnight trip and arrive before sunset the next day.
Despite my good intentions we ended up motoring most of the way. There was about 1 knot of current against us and almost no wind. We had some respite at night when there was a light warm wind off the land for a few hours. As we neared Isla Fuerte there was a big slow swell rolling in from the North East and I wondered how it would affect the anchorage. I almost decided to bypass the island and just carry on to Portobello where I would be able to clear in to Panama, but we were so close now that I had to go in and take a look. I had some waypoints to get through the reef and they worked very well. Once inside, the water was flat calm and we were in a very pretty little bay. Time for coffee and toast for breakfast.
Isla Fuerte turned out to be one of the best stops so far. Again we were the only cruising boat there and it was easy to get ashore. There are no cars or roads on the island and it is criss-crossed with cool, shady, tree-lined paths. The only traffic consisted of pedestrians and donkeys with one or two bicycles and the occasional pig. The prepaid data time that I still had on my tablet gave me internet access. It was a short walk to the main village, Puerto Limón and the first thing I did was try to find out if diesel was available. I hadn’t realized that it was Sunday. The locals were relaxing in a plaza near the waterfront. Loud music blaring. Church must be over. They were friendly and welcoming. News travels fast in places like this and the little yellow boat had been spotted. To my happy surprise they could, indeed, sell me some diesel. Back at the boat I emptied the jerry cans into the main tank and rowed around to the fisherman’s beach where the diesel was. No pump of course, but it was siphoned out of a barrel into a bucket and then poured via a funnel into my cans. It looked clean enough and I would filter it before putting it in the main tank.
I spent three days at Isla Fuerte. I had read that there were sloths to be seen in the trees but never managed to spot them. The only sloth I have ever seen was in Domberg, Surinam. It had made the fatal mistake of spreading itself out for a snooze across the live electrical wires above the main street.
Giant trees are a tourist attraction on the island. One, El Tun-tun is fenced off, but the other, El Bongo, is the centrepiece of a small park. It was mango season and they were freely available scattered under many mango trees along the paths. It was wonderful to be in a place which has evolved to accommodate pedestrians rather than motor vehicles. Sometimes the paths were like long green tunnels. The animals: donkeys, pigs, dogs and chickens, seemed healthy and happy just free-ranging and living their lives, as I also try to do. Of course, the animals had their duties – donkeys carried heavy loads, dogs protected their owners and we all know what happens to pigs and chickens. So I’m happy enough with my lot.
As I now felt more confident about the diesel situation, I decided to deviate a little from the direct route to Portobello and make a stop in Sapzurro which is right on the border with Panama. I set off early in the morning threading my way carefully back through the reefs. The wind was light but it was possible to lay the course. As darkness approached distant lightning lit up the sky all round. As it came nearer I could see jagged streaks striking the water. Just carry on and hope for the best. It reached us eventually with strong wind and torrential rain. I blessed the junk rig as I quickly reduced sail and turned up into wind to let it pass. No point in allowing the rain to come straight down the companionway. Soon we were on our way again under an almost half-moon.
June 16th, 2017 at 12:03
Lovely post, as usual. Thank you for sharing.