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Limited transportation choices from Panama City to Cartagena, Colombia has most travelers choosing between flying one hour(US $400) or sailing five days (US $500). Sailing is the more economical and romantic choice for sailboats include food, lodging, three days of island hopping and swimming amongst the 365 San Blas Islands, and two days of open sea sailing. There are lots of sailboats to choose from. We went a little higher end and paid $550 for a large 41 foot catamaran. Luckily or trip included only three other passengers so our trip departed with plenty of room for our five day passage to Cartagena.
From Panama City it was a three hour drive to the coast through thick mountainous jungle. The road was rough, up, down and around which our driver could care less about slowing down. For him it seemed routine, driving with one hand and cell phone yapping to friends and family in the other. Fortunately we arrived in Porvenir, a small river dock where we were dropped off for a half an hour water taxi ride out to our anchored catamaran. The owners of the boat welcomed us aboard, let us settle in and then went over safety,
comfort and procedure issues. Once everyone understood their roles, we motored about an hour to one of the hundreds of small islands that dot these seas.
San Blas Islands are tropical reservations inhabited by the Kuna Indians. Formally many worked for the American Military at the Canal Zone as cooks, waiters or mechanics and speak English. Today there lives are seemingly simple. Selling textiles and lobster to tourist, fishing and coconut gathering are typical occupations. But most tourist including ourselves are less inclined to dive into their culture and more into their seas. For the islands offer gorgeous white sandy beaches framed by coconut trees. Crystal clear waters display depths by way of green hues to dark blues. Coral reefs beckon, multi colored fish fin about and plunging in is what its all about. Paradise at last.
Hers's the real paradise. After swimming the shores off one islet, incredibly small dark flies began stinging ankles and calves. They didn't stop there. Now they were up to our arms, following us as we walked then ran, escaping only by diving into deeper waters. Once back to the catamaran, the captain noticed our discomfort and balatingly barked, "we never go
on shore". What the &^&^$#. Why didn't he tell us before. Really, that should have been high up on the list of safety or comfort issues. The damn bites were small but potent, itching for days and looking like we all contracted chicken pox. But this being paradise, we couldn't let insects suck the blood out of our trip. Until of course I opened a hatch in our cabin to allow much needed fresh air in. As if on cue, a large wave containing endless buckets of seawater poured through the hatch. Amei took the brunt, soaked head to toe has if she had been dunked in the deep end of a swimming pool. I dodged Niagara Falls, but our bed was soaked, along with some belongings, sheets and pillows. Yuck. We now have two days of open seas sailing in a soggy bed and no shower. Worse, Amei was now sea sick, couldn't get up and became confined to her swampy surroundings. For thirty six hours. I couldn't even commiserate with her for she was out of it, too damn sick to move. I chose sleeping out on deck, but as a good husband would check periodically to see
if Amei was still breathing. Well eventually Cartagena appeared on the horizon, Amei revived or was resurrected, I'm not sure which and we finally arrived ready to witness South America and shake off our Central American sailing adventures.
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