Exploring Guna Yala: A Week Aboard Nordhavn 57 “Beyond Capricorn 1”

DWY Yacht Broker Captain Derek Jarvis joins the owners of Beyond Capricorn I aboard their Nordhavn 57 for a cruise through the San Blas Islands

Few cruising grounds capture the imagination quite like Guna Yala, a remote stretch of Panama’s north coast where pristine cays, vibrant reefs, and the rich traditions of the Kuna people create a world untouched by time. In this article, Captain Derek Jarvis shares his unforgettable week aboard the Nordhavn 57 Beyond Capricorn 1, exploring secluded islands, meeting local families, savoring fresh-caught seafood, and experiencing the camaraderie that defines true passagemaking. It’s a glimpse into one of the world’s most enchanting cruising destinations—and the kind of adventure that reminds us why we go to sea.

Stretching for approximately 140 miles along the north coast of Panama from Cabo San Blas to the Colombian border is Guna Yala, the homeland of the Kuna Indians. Their land comprises some 365 cays, mostly uninhabited, but some with villages, and mainland territory that rises to the mountains that divide their land from Panama. The Kunas have total control over their land and rely on visitors purchasing their goods as their primary source of income. There are no outside commercial ventures and no high-rise buildings. The Kuna society is matriarchal, with mothers passing their land down to their daughters. Newlyweds often move to the wife’s family home to live.

The women spend most of their day working on molas. Molas are renowned worldwide as a unique art form of the Kuna people. They are multi-layered fabrics hand-sewn in a reverse appliqué technique. Traditional molas are part of the woman’s apparel, worn on the front of the blouse. They are usually in darker colors, such as maroon, blue, and black, with fluorescent accent colors. These are sold to the boaters and in the markets of Panama City. The men travel about the islands and reefs daily to dive for lobster and crab to sell to the boaters.

We flew into Panama City to join Phil and Donna, the owners of the Nordhavn 57, Beyond Capricorn 1, who were already in the San Blas Islands. The journey to Guna Yala began with a 5:00 AM pickup at our hotel and a three-hour ride in a four-wheel drive vehicle over the mountains, which form the backbone of Panama. We arrived in Port Carti and were transported out to the boat by local canoe.

Once onboard, we made our way to Porvenir to check in and get clearance to cruise the islands. The weather was perfect as we crossed over to the Hollendes Cays, some 20 miles away. We dropped anchor in 40 feet of water, surrounded by numerous exquisite small cays with white sand beaches and palms waving in the breeze. We had only been there for a short time when a local Kuna paddled by and stopped to sell us some fresh lobster! He arrived in a dugout canoe with live lobsters moving about the wet bottom by his feet. $20 bought us more than enough for the four of us for dinner. What a great introduction!

During our weeklong stay in the islands, each day we had a similar routine: up early, off in the dinghy, walk on soft white sand beaches, snorkel shallow reefs with happy, colorful fish, eat abundant amounts of lobster, crab, and fish, drink sufficient amounts of rum, barter with the Kunas, and then sleep off the joy.

By far the highlight of the week was the time we spent in Hollendes Cays. At one anchorage, there were about a dozen cruising yachts of all makes and models with flags from Canada to Brazil. There was a local style “resort” there where you could grab a cold beer at a thin-walled, thatched-roof bar with a hand-painted sign announcing it as “Bar-a-cuda”. A coconut full of rum will put you back a whole five bucks! After our libation purchase, we walked to a thatched-roof pavilion where some cruisers were having a party and were invited to join them, claiming they had caught more than enough fish and lobster that day. Different languages were spoken, but the camaraderie among cruisers was alive and well. They had cooked their bounty over a wood fire, and wow was it delish!

They pointed out the next island over and told us about the freshly baked bread that was made to order every morning. As the sun was beginning to lower itself in the sky, we got in the dinghy and made our way over to Iben’s Island. Iben had a great setup with swings and picnic tables in the water, hammocks swinging between coconut palms, a sand volleyball court, and a “bar/restaurant” for our drinking and dining enjoyment. Iben is the bread maker and took our order for a loaf of focaccia and two baguettes. After having a drink with him, he told us that the bread would be delivered to the boat the next morning and also asked us to return tomorrow evening to enjoy pizza night.

Upon awakening the next morning, there was a knock on the hull, and a young Kuna man was there in a kayak with an enormous amount of bread. The focaccia was 12” x 16” and the baguettes were at least a foot long each. They were still warm, and the taste and texture rivaled that of any bakery I’ve been to in the States. As we watched the young man paddle away, we noticed something in the water behind him. It was a dog! Mind you, the boat was over a mile and a half away from the island. We yelled to the young man about the dog, and he beached his kayak on the closest island, where the dog met him, hopped on the kayak, and they were off together.

There are so many fantastic tales I could tell you about this glorious place on our earth, but I wouldn’t have experienced any of them without being on board the beautiful Beyond Capricorn 1.

She is a terrific cruiser that has been all over the world! She is now waiting to transit the Panama Canal on her way home to Australia. Nordhavn vessels are the pinnacle of offshore cruising trawlers. Beyond Capricorn 1, hull number 17 of the 57 series is the ideal yacht for off-grid exploration. She is a wide-body model with the port walkway eliminated, thus adding more interior space in the salon and galley. The salon is spacious, featuring seating around a large table and offering views through its large windows. The wheelhouse features an array of the latest navigational instrumentation, providing good all-around visibility while operating the boat.

Accommodation is comfortable for both owners and guests. The flybridge features an upper helm with its instrumentation, seating for six around a teak table, and an aft deck area perfect for Happy Hour. The tender has its own cradle on an extension just aft of the crane, thus leaving the aft deck free.

Power is supplied by twin Caterpillar 3126TA diesel engines, rated at 420 HP, and twin 17.5 kVA Onan generators.

For more information on Beyond Capricorn 1, please visit the powerboat section on our website or YouTube channel for videos.