Surf Travel Panama

When it comes down to think about the best surf travel destinations in the world, most people will immediately think "Fiji, Tavarua, Indo, Australia, Hawaii, etc". Recently I had the pleasure to receive the visit of a friend who motivated me to take off on the road saying, "we are going places!" and show her a bit about my beautiful country. My intentions were to equivalently show that some parts of Panama are beautiful as Fiji, Tavarua, etc at the moment. We totally scored!

I had planned to explore this remote region in the NE of Panama "San Blas Panama Surf" a few years back, but the truth is, Panama has great surf year round so why waste time when there is a swell? We can still get to uncrowded spots at 1 hour from home. Growing up in the central Northern coast "Colon" I expected to find swell in the NE of that same coast. However, it was expensive to fly out, is far by land, roads were and still are in bad conditions, drug traffic and people said "its sharky out there". It seems like it could be, the place is by the continental shelf but, every ocean has sharks right? Bocas del Toro is out there with some sharks’ right? Drug traffic is not looking for you, they are looking to get from point A to point B, and offroading can be fun after 3 cases of beer right? Somehow I ended up with maritime charts from the 60's in 2006 and while sending a fax "doing N2 in the toilet" I started to analyze the chart around that region, looking at reefs, depths, directions and it all made sense.

For many Panamanians was and still hard to believe because of onshore winds, but the truth is, the intensity of swell can always "reach around" and get good winds. Months ago after a night of partying I decided to knock on some friends windows and head out to check it out without thinking much "a few beers on me to be honest", we found the treasure! I had been holding my self from posting this but the truth is... its not easy to find this spot when you have over 300 islands in San Blas, there are no outboad engines to take you on a regular basis and you have to paddle about 40 minutes to get there from shore.

This last trip was very special to share with my two old friends Sasha (the russian), Jay (the salad tosser) and Amie Gaines. We had a great camping trip and Pocahontas canoe ride around paradise.

Here are some shots of our own surf travel panama dream.

Yes, with beers in our hands!
Beer run...
The main ride the drops you in no where.
Getting the fire ready, thank me salad tossers for the wood!
Amie's new friend! Auuu Auuuu!!!!
Tossers...
Waking up!


New Day in Paradise!

Getting our ride ready!


Bottled Water, Snorkeling gear, mermaid and my friend's beat up boards! we are ready...

15 min break for the paddlers, thanks guys, cayuco masters!
"2 paddles, 2 cayuco masters, 1 bailer and me feeling like pocahontas"

The Treasure

Mermaid Drop

Mermaid Duck Dive

Humm...

Salad Snap!

Wave, Snorkel, Board, Paddle... hum?

Jay looking for the "Tiburon Salchicha" anchor got stuck...

Is this a mermaid or what?
'
Doing what he does best! M.P.L "Making People Laugh"

The end of the surf travel Panama.

Note: If anyone is intersted to take a profesional tour to this new break please visit

http://www.PanamaSanBlas.blogspot.com or write me to fidelp11@gmail.com