Sailing from Cartagena to San Blas: Pilot Whales, Guna Culture & the First Voyage of the Season
- Goeran Persson
- 6 minutes ago
- 2 min read
After three months of work back home in Sweden, leaving behind my farm in –12°C and frozen ground, it felt good to be back in the Caribbean. After a long trip to Cartagena, stepping out into warm air and sunshine felt incredible. It was great to be back on Quest again, back with Captain Goeran, and ready to start the new season with our first trip from Colombia to Panama.
First Trip of the Season: Cartagena to San Blas
Just a couple of days later, we were already setting sail. We’ve now completed our first trip of the season from Cartagena to San Blas, continuing on to Puerto Lindo, Panama. Being back on the water again, and revisiting the islands that make the San Blas route so special, felt like the perfect way to settle back into life on Quest.
Crossing the Darién Gap at Dawn
Early in the morning, during a calm and steady open-sea crossing of the Darién Gap, me and one of the guests, spotted a small group of pilot whales in the distance. Even from afar, their round, cute heads were unmistakable. The weather was kind, good visibility, light breeze, and a sun that warmed without overwhelming. A perfect welcome back to the San Blas route.
Back in the Heart of San Blas
Arriving in the San Blas Islands (Guna Yala) brings a feeling of coming home. Our guests slipped straight into island life, snorkeling, swimming with nurse sharks, greeting dolphins, and wandering around palm-fringed beaches that look almost too perfect to be real.
One of the highlights is always visiting the Guna family that Captain Göran has known for more than a decade. They welcomed us again with fresh coco locos on the beach, the kind of warm, simple hospitality that has become part of the rhythm of sailing through this region.
Night Skies & Sea Stories
The moon put on a show this trip, bright, full, and so luminous it reflected off the water like a silver path leading across the anchorage. And throughout the voyage, Captain Göran shared some of his wildest sea stories that we all have been waiting for to hear: pirates, storms, waves, boat building… the kind of tales that make you realize how many lives the sea can hold.
A Good Start to the Season
It was the perfect way to start the season with a wonderful group of people we sure will miss. A relaxed trip, good conversations, new memories, and a reminder of why we love offering sailing adventures from Cartagena to Panama. We’re already looking forward to the next crossing — and to welcoming more travelers on board Quest as the season unfolds.
Notes from first mate & chef Hilda