We spent the night anchored at Rio Diablo.  Then the next morning we took our dinghy up the Rio Diablo river.   We motored slowly up the small river for about 3 miles deep into the Panama jungle.  We saw a few dugout canoes tied along the shores as the owners were inland tending to gardens.  The river current was very slow, maybe half a knot at most until near where we turned around where the current speed up and there were more trees blocking the river as well.

    Coming back we shut of the engine and rowed back so we could listen to the jungle noises and just take it all in.  After lunch we lifted the anchor and sailed of to the Coco Banderas cays just a few miles out to sea.  We dropped anchor behind a lovely sand palm island in clear blue water.    

    Over the next week we meandered amongst the outer islands staying a couple of days at each spot.  The islands out here are really lovely and mostly uninhabited.  We did lots of snorkeling and walking on the small beaches and just relaxing and enjoying.

    Had another village experience.  We anchored off Rio Sidra and dingyed up to dock and someone met us to give us a mini tour of island. It is interested to see the stick houses the Kuna live in and see them making the dugout canoes they still us all the time.   Many of the lades wrap their lower legs in strings of beads and wear colourful dresses and mulas. Dorothy bought a bead bracelet and the Kuna lower wrapped it around her wrist for her.

   We finished our tour of the San Blas islands in the Lemon keys, the most western of the islands.

These islands were very busy with yachts and this was Christmas  time now.  Tried a couple of anchorages in these cays and then it was time to head for Portobello and meet the Mojombo's on our agreed upon date and prepare for canal transit.

    We were glad to get out of the San Blas without hitting a reef as it requires careful attention all the time especially after seeing a total of 4 yacht wrecks on reefs.  We also heard of a mayday our second last day there when a French yacht called and said it had hit a reef and was taking on water.  We never heard what happened to him.

    

INFO

-Dec 20 2013   First anchorage after Rio Diablo was in 25ft at 09 30.61N   78 37.08W  Good protection here.  We had a large Kuna motor launch come around the boats and collect $30tax or Kuna fee and this is suppose to be good for a month.  Most of the islands that have a house on it and Kuna's there, they charge $2 per person to walk around.  We ended up just avoiding those islands and just walked on the island next door, as there is lots of islands.  The money is not much but we just got tired of dealing with it when you are in such a lovely remote place.

-Next stop at W end of Coco Banderas cays.  Anchored in 42 ft at  09 30.99   78 39.06    We just stayed two hours here while Dorothy snorkelled here.  She said the snorkelling here was about the best in the San Blas we have seen.  But it still is not all that great, maybe we have been doing it to long?   This spot is worth a overnight if you have time.

-East Hollandes Cays next stop.  Anchored in 47ft  at  09 35.11   78 40.96 to be in the centre of things.  The next day moved boat up to anchor in 19 ft at  09 35.35     78 40.54   Great spot in here, only a couple of yachts here, but is tons of room in here for many yachts.  More lovely islands and beaches and so-so snorkeling, but water is clear, clean and warm.

- Dec 25 2013   Next stop at W end of Hollandes cays about 6 miles away. anchored in 42 ft at 09 35.81N   78 46.57W.  All anchorages up to here have been very good holding in sand or mud.   

-Dec 27 Next stop about 6 miles away at Salardup and anchored in 25ft at 09 30.30N   78 47.56W

  Another nice spot  but found the holding not as good here, had to try twice and could feel the anchor skip a bit before it hung up on a rock.  The sand seems much thinner layer in this area.  Found the next few anchorages all like this. 

-Dec 28  Motored down to Rio Sidra.  Was very light wind today, had tried to go in here the previous day but did not like the anchorage showed in Eric's book and it was a windier day than usual.  This time anchored about a quarter mile North of island on a green patch in 35 ft at 09 27.35N   78 50.15W.  Then dingyed in to island and left dingy at dock and someone met us at dock and gave us a mini tour of island.  Then bought some bananas and Kuna bread. 

    Then after a couple of hours moved to anchorage we used on Dec 27.  The anchorage we used for Rio Sidra would only be good in light winds and then it is fine.

-Dec 30 Lemon cays These were nice enough but we did not like them as much as some of our previous stops.  To many tours boats around here.  Anchored in 20 ft at 09 33.68N   78 51.68W

       Dorothy dived the wreck just off Dog island and she said it was about the best snorkeling anywhere in the San Blas, lots of coloured coral.

-Dec 31 Chichime Cay  Same comments as Lemmon cays though a bit nicer.  Anchored in 32 ft at 09 35.25N   78 53.00W.  

Jan 1  Other lemon cays  anchored in 43ft 09 32.63N   78 54.03W   another yacht wreck on the reef here.