The Promise of Providencia
Atop El Pico, Isla Providencia
(Dana) In 2017, Emma, Greg, and I spent a week in Colombia. While there, we heard glowing compliments about Isla Providencia, a Caribbean island that is part of Colombia, but only ~100 miles off the Nicaraguan coast. To get there, visitors fly from Cartagena to San Andres and change to a small plane another 50 miles to Isla Providencia. We heard about the outstanding diving and white sand beaches – a hidden gem in the Caribbean that few people explore. Sounded right up our alley; it’s been on our list since then.
In planning our first stops on the Oyster World Rally, we realized that we could easily get to Isla Providencia before heading southeast to the San Blas islands of Panama. A great opening gambit for this adventure, and only a six-day sail from the start in Antigua. Supposedly, the 6,000 inhabitants spoke English, Spanish, and a Caribbean creole. We knew that the island had been hit by a hurricane in 2020, but we were hopeful that the reef and the island would still be mostly intact.
What we found on arrival in Isla Providencia was an island still in recovery. Only four other sailboats at anchor, including one that looked like it had been there for years. We used an agent to help us check into Colombia; it’s always a bit disconcerting to hand your passports over to a stranger who you have engaged based on internet feedback. Thankfully the process was smooth, and we could take down our Quarantine flag that went up once we entered the Colombian port.
We were hoping to find a restaurant ashore to celebrate our six dry days, but many buildings in the main town remain destroyed. Only one restaurant, that happened to be closed. No laundry, so back into the midship cabin went the laundry bags. No fresh water, unless we wanted to take the agent’s rainwater Reserves (no thanks). Definitely no fuel; fortunately, we have plenty.
A fellow boater recommended one of two bakeries in town, so the next morning we headed in to get some pastries along with local currency from an ATM (of which there was only one working) and to check out the local supermarkets.
Carlos of The Bay and Go late night beer concession
Carlos, proprietor of the “Bay And Go” (buy-and-go), helped us procure a 4x4 to explore the island. One road goes all the way around the island, including the beaches on the south side of the island, where we found Roland’s beach restaurant on Manchineel Bay. After some ceviche and chicken, we went in search of the trailhead up to El Pico – the peak of the island. We had read that you needed a guide to climb, and miraculously Alan appeared on his motorcycle as we pulled up. He did try to defer us until the next morning when it would be cooler, but we stubbornly wanted to go this afternoon (ok…I stubbornly wanted to go now). Perhaps we should have listened to him because it was HOT! Although only 350 meters of elevation, it felt like a herculean task; I was absolutely drenched and overheated by the time we reached the top. Indeed, the views were stunning. One additional stop at Meditation Rock, and we were blessedly on our way down. About 3.5 hours round trip, and I think I sweated out about a gallon!
Our next day, we had a chance to dive the wall at Felipe’s Place. A nice dive, as good as any we’ve done recently in the Caribbean, other than Cuba. A black-tipped reef shark came to check us out; always wonderful to see those majestic creatures. A good intro dive for the trip!
With those activities checked off the list, we opted to pull up anchor the next day and head to the San Blas Islands of Panama. We were able to provision some Colombian beer and a bit of local produce. The produce selection in the supermarkets was bleak – 6 pineapples with one side crushed in, browning cabbages, sad looking tomatoes, rotting mangoes, bruised bananas – although they did have supersized celery and leeks!
We were glad to have experienced Providencia, but it reminded us that 1) sometimes the marketing of a place exceeds the reality and 2) this circumnavigation is certainly not just marina-to-marina sailing. We will be experiencing a lot of remote locations, and we will need to be flexible with our supplies. It also made us wonder about how the island would have been different just a few decades ago…before beer and motorbikes were ubiquitous and tourism was the foundation of the economy. Themes that we will likely reflect on over the next 15 months.
