Sailing Supernova · video

What this video covers

The crew of the 40-ft catamaran Supernova departs the Chagres River in Panama, transiting approximately 55 miles east to the San Blas Islands, also known as Guna Yala.31:47 During the passage, the crew motors in calm conditions to avoid headwinds, utilizing OpenCPN, satellite imagery, and visual navigation to navigate reefs with notoriously inaccurate charts.33:02 Upon arrival in the San Blas archipelago, the crew secures a cruising permit and a local flag from immigration officials.39:28 Before the transit, the crew stops in Portobello, Panama, to search for a yellow fever vaccination, which they ultimately determine is unavailable locally.28:02 The crew anchors in the San Blas Islands while monitoring an approaching thunderstorm, relying on visual identification of breaking waves to avoid shallow reefs.35:32 Navigating remote tropical waters requires redundant charting methods and constant visual watch-keeping to mitigate the risks of poorly mapped coral reefs.

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