Isla San Martín

After our failed attempt to stop at Islas San Todos, due to a large aquaculture operation taking up most of the anchorage area, we decided to press on. There was a somewhat marginal anchorage about thirty miles to the south, so we revved up the engine in the light winds and tried to get there before dark. We arrived at the anchorage in the lee of Puerto Santo Tomas, and started turning in in the fading light. We saw several large rollers breaking in what looked like the anchorage area, and the light was disappearing fast. Deciding that we'd rather be safe than sorry, we turned out of the anchorage and settled in to an easy overnight passage toward Isla San Martín.

Isla San Martín is the remnant of a dormant volcano, and is a circular island not far offshore. It has a hook of boulders off its east coast, offering protection from the south and putting the anchorage in the lee of the island against the prevailing northwesterly winds. We weren't sure that it would buffet us from the swell, but decided to stop there in the morning, drop the hook and see if we liked it.

It was a bit of a shame that the day was overcast and we were so tired, because we liked it a lot. It was entirely flat in the anchorage, and local fishers who were working out of the small camp on shore were friendly but left us to our own devices. Had we been more energetic or the weather been more bright, we probably would have gone ashore to check out the light vegetation that we could see growing on the remains of the volcano.

We spent the day on a few boat jobs, enjoying the view and waving at passing pangas, before having a long and comfortable sleep. The winds had been light that day, but the swell was still reasonably large, and we passed a very nice night here. We would definitely recommend this anchorage as both comfortable and interesting.