11 January Chichime

Chichime to the north and east of Porvenir is a good anchorage. We were one of 24 boats in there on our first night. There are dramatic views across the reef to the open ocean, a larger island to the south of us with cabanas for guests and a man who cleans the beach all day. It's a very clean beach. To the north west is a smaller island, also inhabited, which welcomes day guests. The bigger island has a dock for pangas coming from the mainland with their guests and provisions for the guest houses.

 

We spent three days here before going to check in in Port Linton / Puerto Lindo. Since the Guna Yala people and the Panama government had a falling out there hasn't been a Port Captain in Porvenir, only an Immigration officer. The requirement for checking in to Panama is to first visit the Port Captain to obtain your one year cruising permit and then take this to immigration who stamp your passport. No cruising permit, no immigration is the rule.

On Sunday morning we lifted anchor and departed for Port Linton to clear in. It's 42 miles with the wind just behind the beam and a fast sail west, passing, but not stopping at Isla Grande, in to the east anchorage at Linton. We left at 8.30am and were settled in by 3pm.

There is a small marina with the main buildings still under construction, a good dinghy dock and a fuel station. The restaurant should be completed by the middle of 2019 we were told. In the meantime the cruiser hang out is the roofed forecourt of the petrol station which has table, chairs, cheap beers from the shop and free WiFi. The very important free wifi. Our Sunday evening was spent using the WiFi and having a drink.