The San Blas islands should not be considered a provisioning stop. Ensure you have sufficient supplies to last until reaching a more populated area or facility such as Shelter Bay Marina in Colon.
However cruisers who have visited the area report that boats do come around selling fish, lobster and vegetables, beer, rum etc. Depending on what supplies are required, it may be possible to place an an order for certain items and have them delivered the next day.
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Reported by CSSN:
DATE: 2018-12-20 01:00
Country Name: Panama
Location Detail: San Blas East Lemon Cays
EVENT: Theft
HAND: 2
Stolen Items: dinghy anchor
SECURED: Not Locked
DETAILS: A stainless steel dinghy anchor was stolen from inside a hoisted dinghy overnight while the owner slept on board. This is the 3rd theft of this nature from this anchorage this month. No further details are available.
Feedback from SY Moya:
Clearing into Panama at Porvenir and Puerto Lindo February 2018:
After leaving Columbia we were heading to San Blas and tried to clear into Panama in Porvenir. On the southwestern side of the island, it is possible to anchor just in front of the dingy dock.
Behind the pier, there are 3 small, white houses, the front door is marked with general guna congress as well as the guna flags. This is the place where we conducted our paperwork. The Guna immigration official was a little grumpy and spoke no English, but we succeeded to persuade him to issue our immigration on the same day.
Our passports have been stamped with a round stamp saying „entrada Porvenir“ at no cost. After asking for a tourist visa, the official ensured, that the regulation has changed in a way that, no visa stamps will be granted any longer, instead the stamp in our passports enables us to stay in the country for 6 months from the time of entry.
As we have still had doubts whether this information is accurate, we re-confirmed at the immigration office in Puertobello and received the same response.
At Porvenir, we also were asked to buy the cruising permit for San Blas issued by the guna congress in the office next door (cost: 20USD for the boat, plus 20 USD for each person, our children (aged 3 and 5) were at no cost).
We specifically asked also to purchase the cruising permit for Panama for our sailing vessel, as several sources mentioned that the legal entry to the country can be concluded in Porvenir. The official informed us, that it is not possible to obtain the Panamanian cruising permit in Porvenir and that we are required to gain one in the next 72hr at Puerto Lindo (50nm from Porvenir) or Colon, as otherwise we could be fined for illegal entry to the country of our boat. Indeed, we met another sailor whose papers had been checked by the Panamanian cost guard, which has been patrolling San Blas waters.
We continued to Puerto Lindo and anchored between Isla Linton and the Marina. The Port Authority is located at the entrance of the Marina in a blue container. The Official was very nice, spoke some English, explained all procedures and efficiently issued our cruising permit (cost: 185 USD). Immigration at Puerto Lindo is not possible, an alternative to Porvenir is Puertobello, which can be reached by bus (20min) or by boat (12nm)
24 April 2016 – Posted on behalf of Michael Rosner:
The Maritime Authority and Immigration are preparing to leave Gaigirgordud (El Porvenir in the San Blas Islands). This measure is maintained as long as it is expected to arrange a meeting with the president of the Republic, Juan Carlos Varela, to re-define topics that are of concern to the region of Guna Yala.
This exit by the AMP means that vessels will not be able to check in or out with customs or immigration in the San Blas Islands.
Vessels entering or leaving Panama on the Caribbean side will need to do their business either in Colon, Portobelo or Bocas del Toro to the west. In Colon all manner of maritime business can be conducted, however, if you attempt to clear into Portobelo the captain will need to make a 1.5-hour bus trip which costs less than 2 dollars USD into Colon to purchase their cruising permit.
The Congress of Guna Yala has also demanded that the AMP office in Obaldia near the Colombian border vacate their offices.
A word of caution, under no circumstances attempt to take the SUV’s from Carti in the San Blas Islands to Panama City or to Colon to clear in, as you will pass through at least one and possibly two police checkpoints and will likely be arrested and possibly fined if you have not already visited an immigration office and had your passport stamped.
Michael Rosner
s/v Panda
Posted on behalf of Jason Shell of SY Two Fish
Subject: San Blas Procedures
1) A bunch of rumours were stirring on various chat forums about fees for the San Blas. Here is what we paid.
205 USD for a 1-year cruising permit.
125 USD per person (20 of which is for Kuna Congresso)
20 USD per boat (Kuna Congresso)
2) We entered in the south at Mamitupu. The South is much nicer because there are fewer boats. However, one should NOT use C-map charts. They are useless. The Bauhaus chartbook is the way to go. Better yet, scan your own Bauhaus guide and use it in SeaClear II with an external GPS puck on your PC.
3) We checked into Panama/Kuna Yala in Porvenir. It can get crowded in the anchorage, but we had a good holding in 13 meters. You need to spend time with four government departments. They are all in the same building. There is a dinghy dock nearby. You need to bring your passports, three copies of your crew list, an original and a copy of your Zarpe from Colombia and your ship’s registration papers.
a) Cruising Permit: They take only cash (US dollars) and there is no ATM. They will give you a fist full of papers. They will also stamp a bunch of these papers. Cruising permit, 2 Zarpe forms, 2 receipts.
b) Kuna Congresso: Quick process to pay the $20 per person and $20 for the boat. They give you one receipt.
c) Immigration: They will stamp your passport into Panama. Check to make sure they have done the stamp correctly (i.e. dated, signed, your boat name, duration of entry and a tick in the tiny box). They gave me two receipts.
d) Police: They seem to write your passport numbers down but do not demand any money. No paperwork was given.
The process can take one hour, but you might need to wait longer if there are other boats checking in.
NAVIGATION WARNING FOR SAN BLAS ISLANDS
From Mike Brasler, SY Gilana
Last night’s loss of another vessel arriving in the San Blas has prompted me to write this. So far this year of four sailing vessels was wrecked on the fringing reefs.
There seem to be common denominators in the accidents.
* Sleep deprivation
* Navionics/CMap or other COMMERCIAL charts
* Night arrival
The San Blas Archipelago is uncharted by hydrographic offices, therefore any charts purchased are grossly wrong. The Rhumb line from Santa Marta to El Porvenir will put you on an uncharted reef. The only charts that are accurate are the ones in the Eric Bauhaus “The Panama Cruising Guide”
If you are arriving at night, and do not have the Bauhaus charts, best stay north of 9º37′ N until daylight.