We arrived at Chichime Island in the San Blas area this morning at around 8:30. We were glad to finally be out of the rough seas and to meet up with many of the other boats in the Rally which were already anchored. We had a great brunch on board prepared by Corinne and the Girls, then proceeded to get the dinghy ready for the short trip ashore. The dinghy is fine but the outboard motor, which hasn't been run in 7 months and flew Transatlantic as checked luggage, didn't want to run consistently so we hitched a ride from one of the other boats.
Our girls caught up with Samantha and Sarah from Samsara, they have been swimming and diving together most of the afternoon and evening. We went ashore with all of the Rally participants for the pot-luck luncheon and had a great time. This is a very small island, there are a small number of Kuna indian families that live here in a very simple lifestyle, fishing and collecting coconuts, making handicrafts to sell to cruisers like us. They have virtually no electricity or mod cons, but apparently have a good life here. The island itself is quite beautiful, a picture-postcard tropical island of white sand beaches and palm trees, ocean waves crashing over the coral reefs in the distance...
It turns out that nearly the entire fleet had weather problems, mostly of a more intense but shorter duration nature than ours. Several boats broke gear and are waiting to arrive in Shelter Bay Marina at the entrance to the Panama Canal for repairs. We plan to go to the nearby island of Porvenir tomorrow in order to clear customs and immigration, then will likely head west toward the Canal. We may stop for the night in an anchorage about halfway there with another couple of boats, and proceed Friday to arrive early afternoon.
We're having dinner on board at the anchorage, hoping to get an early start in the morning.
Crew of Brizo