Social Icons

Pages

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Sailing San Blas Is One Of The Hidden Treasures Of Panama

By Allyson Burke


The San Blas islands are a beautiful group of 365 islets lying off the coast of Panama in the Caribbean Sea. They are perfect destination for a sailing holiday. If a cerulean sea, safe and comfortable anchorages, multicolored coral reefs, swaying palm trees, pristine beaches with powder-fine sand, balmy weather, and friendly locals with an interesting history hold any attraction, then sailing San Blas will be richly satisfying.

Only about forty isles have a significant population. Some are populated by one or a few families who take care of the coconut palms. Most islands are totally uninhabited leaving ample scope for adventurous sailors to play Robinson Crusoe.

Wake in the morning aboard your boat and feel your spirit lifted by a stunning sunrise. Enjoy an early morning dip as the warm sea caresses your body. Take breakfast with fresh fruit, delicious pastries and freshly brewed coffee, all grown or sourced locally. Check your marine chart and the weather forecast then lift anchor and set sail to explore the next cove or one of the many little islands visible in the distance.

The Kuna value communal self-sufficiency. For example, they do not allow foreigners to own businesses or land in their communities. However, the Kuna are a naturally friendly and hospitable people that welcome tourists.

Return to your yacht to prepare a long, lazy lunch of fresh lobster, king crab or perhaps one or two pelagic fish. Relax with a magazine or an afternoon nap. Weigh anchor and push off to a new anchorage in good time so that you can enjoy your favorite cocktail. As the sun sets, it burns its last rays of orange hue into a boundless sky soon bejeweled with a million stars. The night is yours, and you will pinch yourself to make sure the experience is real are not a dream.

Return to your boat to barbecue your fare on deck. Relax with a book or an afternoon siesta. Lift anchor and head for a new anchorage, timing your arrival so that you can enjoy your favorite sundowner. As the dying sun bursts its orange hue into a limitless sky, you will shake your head to make sure it is all real are not something in a dream. As another day in paradise ends, the sky is quickly bejeweled with glittering stars and the night is yours.

One of the key attractions of the island group is its people, the Kuna. This distinct ethnic group is fiercely proud. Its ancestry traces back through time for more than 500 years. The Kuna have retained their culture despite repression by early Spanish colonialists and, more recently, by several unsympathetic Panamanian governments.

There is enough to see and do in the islands to fill a two-week itinerary, even longer. Swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities are world class, including amazing coral reefs that are rich in color and vibrant with sea life. Popular islets include Cayo Limon, Cayo Holandeses and the intriguly named Dog Island. Seasoned sailors that have gone sailing San Blas leave vow to return again. Be careful however, the name can be confusing. Be sure not get it mixed up with regions carrying the same name near Cuzco in Peru, Buenos Aires in Argentina or the Riviera Nayarit on the Pacific Coast of Mexico.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment