Caribbean

23
Mar
2025
The sinking island of Gardi Sugdub

The sinking island of Gardi Sugdub

Last summer, a story went through the world press: «Klimawandel: Bewohner verlassen Insel in Panama», was the headline on ARD and «Gardi Sugdub: The Americas’ disappearing island» was the headline on the BBC. A sinking island is forcing its inhabitants to look for a new home on land. The island is called Gardi Sugdub and is located in San Blas, the autonomous territory of the Gunas, in Panama. An island paradise of more than 350 islands. Is Gardi Sugdub, the crab island, now deserted? Perhaps it has already sunk, we ask ourselves and set course for the island.

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17
Feb
2025

South America’s first climate refugees: the real story behind

The small island of Gardi Sugdub in Panama is in danger of sinking due to rising sea levels. As a result, almost all the inhabitants have been forced to leave their homes. This was reported by international media last summer. But reality is different.
Published in “Echo der Zeit” from 17.02.2025.

https://www.srf.ch/audio/echo-der-zeit/erste-klimafluechtlinge-suedamerikas-die-wahre-geschichte-dahinter

27
Dec
2024
A rearranged triangle relationship

A rearranged triangle relationship

Back on Mabul! Time for a brief review.

2024 is the year when everything changes again. It is also the year of a boat timeout. When we arrive in San Blas in Panama in January, we think we’ll be sailing through the canal and across the Pacific with our friends from SV My Motu shortly afterwards – but we don’t. Alex has nightmares for nights on end and constantly dreams of our rig failing. We listened to his gut feeling and stayed on the Caribbean side – as it turned out later: with good reason. Here is our review of 2024.

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13
Oct
2024
Jungle Boatjobs

Jungle Boatjobs

Boat projects hurricane season 2024 part 1

Our 2024 sailing season ends earlier than expected because Mabul breaks down every time we try to leave Panama. Well, I had put the Panama Canal on ice, but when trying to sail to the Bahamas, Mabul just soaked up the water in the anchor locker until it sloshed into the cabin. After I had repaired the damage in Cayos Albuquerque, I went straight back to the dry dock in Panama because of another problem, only to discover after four weeks of intensive work that the rudder bearing had significant play. Colombia? Nice try… Mabul wants to go back to dry dock. So she stays in Panama and I get to work on the boat projects for the hurricane season 2024.

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30
Aug
2024
Gallery – Hurricane season in Panama

Gallery – Hurricane season in Panama

Refreshed and energized, we return from Jamaica to the Turtle Cay Marina, where Mabul is patiently waiting for us. We actually want to replace the rudder bearing as quickly as possible and then sail to Cartagena in Colombia to spend the hurricane season there. After some back and forth, we decide not to sail to Colombia but to spend the hurricane season in Panama. Mabul will therefore remain in the Turtle Cay Marina for most of the time, so the rudder bearing can wait for the time being and its repair can be planned properly. This immediately takes off all the pressure and stress, and we can relax and enjoy the untouched nature here.
It’s already time for Karin to fly to Switzerland to work for the SRF for five months. Alex stays on board for another eight weeks and deals with lots of little things and some larger projects. Then it’s off to Germany and Switzerland for him too, for the first time in two years…

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09
Aug
2024
Gallery – Jamaica

Gallery – Jamaica

After Mabul is fixed, we make our way to San Blas. San Blas is over 200 nautical miles to the east, and we want to set off from here with an improved angle to Jamaica. The passage will be a tough ride upwind anyway. But we don’t want it to come to that. We continue to be dogged by bad luck and notice a loose rudder on the passage, the rudder bearing is completely worn out. As a result, we are unable to sail as far as Jamaica and Mabul has to be hauled out of the water again for repairs. While still in San Blas, we decide to park Mabul in the Turtle Cay Marina and fly to Jamaica for a (boat) vacation. It was a good decision. We enjoy two carefree and boat-free weeks on an incredibly green island in the best of company. We take a small rental car on a round trip through Jamaica, which takes us from Negril to Kingston and over the Blue Mountains to Portland and back.

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