The San Blas

When The Sky Falls In…

Name: Jonathan Jagot
Age: 26
Specialty: has been sailing around the world for over 13 years

The San Blas

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Published 31/01/2025

By Jonathan Jagot

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Issue: 200

Published: mar. / may 2025

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The San Blas Islands have everything you could wish for: small, unusual islets, tall coconut palms and secluded, charming beaches... This small archipelago nestling to the north of Panama on the Caribbean coast is a popular destination for sailors - in fact, it’s an almost obligatory stopover before entering the Pacific. That’s during the dry season... because from May to November, it’s all about the storms!

The archipelago has as many islands and islets as there are days in the year, and around sixty of them are inhabited. The countless lagoons offer idyllic anchorages, provided the weather remains clement. The San Blas Islands are well known for the frequency and violence of their storms - especially during the rainy season.

An isolated multihull, with its mast dominating the horizon, can attract lightning - these incidents are exceptional, as the statistical risk for any given boat is 1/1,000 each year worldwide. However, here in the San Blas, the risk is undoubtedly higher, given the frequency of thunderstorms in the area.

The consequences of a lightning strike can be dramatic: ...

This article was published in the issue 200. To read the full article, purchase this issue or subscribe from $3/month.