#16e - East Lemon Cays - Chichime Cays

On the 4th Feb we set sail for the East Lemon Cays. We arrived to find friends from Samanta Nova (GER) & Reine Margrit (CH) in the anchorage. This was another picture post card anchorage. The wind also dropped below 20 kn for the first time in about a week to about 13 – 15kn.

The following day we set sail for the short trip to Porvenir to clear in and out. Once done we motored to windward to the Chichime Cays and anchored near Innforapenny. This was another very pretty place. We spent two days here and enjoyed walking on the island and meeting the Kuna families. On Saturday Narid & Serenity arrived and we enjoyed the sundowners.

#16d - Coco Bandero Cays & Holandes Cays

On 31st October we motored to the East Coco Bandero Cays. We anchored in the small space between two beautiful islands. We enjoyed snorkelling here. Later Narid & Sarenity came into the anchorage.

We left the Coco Bandero Cays for the East Holandes Cays on 2nd Feb. This was quite a rollie trip and we anchored in 3m of water in what is known as the swimming pool near BBQ Island. This delightful anchorage was in light blue water but there was a strong current flowing through due to the high seas the other side of the reef. Nani caught a large trigger fish here which was delicious. We met up again with Innforapenny.

#16c - Green Island & Coco Bandero Cays

Due to the “noseeums” we were happy to leave the anchorage at Nargana (early on 24thJanuray) and headed off with Innforapenny past the beautiful Green Island to the West Coco Bandero Cays. We anchored behind a small island called Orduptarboat in lovely clear water. This is a truly beautiful anchorage. We enjoyed snorkelling here and the next day we came within a few meters of a tawny shark as we snorkelled around a reef. This area is just as people want to imagine a cruising paradise, small sandy islands with coconut trees and a lovely clear blue sea. Mmmmmm.

On Tuesday 26th the weather forecast was for winds and seas to build over the next few days. 12ft (3 -4m) seas were forecast by Thursday/Friday. We decided to motor the short distance southwards to Green Island. We anchored in the lagoon on the south west side as this would be less exposed to the swell than the Coco Bandero Cays. There were already several boats in the pretty anchorage. We let out plenty of (anchor) chain ready for the strong winds and settled in. Later Innforapenny came into the anchorage also.

#16b - Snug Harbour & Playa Chico - The San Blas

At midnight Sunday 17th we weighed anchor and slowly found our way out through the entrance to the anchorage of the Rosario Is and into clear water. We raised our mainsail and set off on our way to San Blas (about 165Nm away). Another Island Packet (Jupiter’s Smile) left with us. The winds were mostly from the NNE through to NNW at 12 – 20knots so we had a good fast sail with a strong counter current. The seas were 2.5 – 3m on the beam and Nani became seasick by midday. This was not too much of a problem until the following night when Nani couldn’t stand her watches. This meant I had to be up on watch all night. We arrived at the outer reef about 0800 Tuesday. We weaved our way in through the reefs and arrived at Snug Harbor at about 0930 tired but delighted to be in the beautiful San Blas islands. Narid was in the anchorage along with one other boat. They had left the Rosario Island two days before us.

Snug Harbor is behind three islands and was calm and peaceful. A string of islets and reefs led east towards the Kuna island village of Playon Chico about 1 ½ miles away. On Wednesday we took the dinghy to the village. Apart from the fisherman in their dugout canoes that visited the anchorage it was our first experience of a typical Kuna settlement. The huts were mostly built out of bamboo and roofs of palm leaves. The people were friendly and some of the older Kuna women were in their traditional dress. They seemed to be very happy despite having very little. The Kuna’s live very close to each other which leave many of their islands without inhabitants. On these they grow mostly coconut which supply food and fire (from the husk) for the inhabitants of the village. Every coconut tree is owned by someone so visitors like us are forbidden to help ourselves.

On 22nd January we left snug harbour for the Devil Cays and anchored behind the island of Niadup. Jupiter’s Smile and Narid followed us in. The village did not look much from the anchorage but was surprisingly pretty and neat & tidy when we went ashore for a walk.
The following day we left for lunch (at anchor) behind Isla Tigre. We then went onto Nargana Island near the Rio Diablo. On the way we caught a nice king mackerel. Our friends from Innforapenny (AUS – Peter & Penny) were in the anchorage. It was good to catch up with them again. As night fell the wind died and “noseeums” ate us alive.

#16a - Cholon & Rosario Is. Colombia

We left Cartagena on Sunday morning, 10th January, and had an easy sail to Cholon about 20m to the south. The weather was overcast (not forecasted) and it was a challenge to feel our way into the anchorage through the reefs outside. It was nice to be anchored again in clean water and we immediately had a swim over the side after dropping anchor.


We stayed in Cholon until 15th and enjoyed the pretty and peaceful anchorage. The first few days were spent cleaning the growth (from Cartagena) from the bottom of the boat and cleaning the dinghy bottom. It was amazing the rate of barnacle growth in that had occurred from the warm dirty water in Cartagena. We bought seven crayfish for $18 from a local fisherman. Mmm..

On Friday 15th January we motored out of Cholon for the 2hr trip to the Rosario Islands. This was an easy trip with no wind so we could easily see the reefs and find our way into the anchorage. Narid was there and we anchored close by. Jupiter’s Smile (IP370) and Boree came in to the anchorage later. The water was crystal clear and we enjoyed a swim and some good relaxing time. We visited the “Avery” which is well known and a big surprise as the birds are both numerous and from all over the world. We also walked through the island to the village. The locals are very poor but very friendly.