San Blas Notes
Entrance
The entrance to the channel is very shallow, in places less than 6 feet deep at low tide.
Shawn and Heather’s chart is pretty accurate for the canal EXCEPT for the entrance. The sand bar shifts around and both the Navionics and Shawn and Heather’s chart are way off.
We came in near the end of the flood and saw about 10 feet of water at the entrance. We tried to follow our track back out at low tide and ran into sand at 6 feet marked by the X on the chart.
We prodded our way out of the channel finding deeper water (11 feet) much closer to the breakwater than any chart would have us go (see west-most track on chart).
Canal
No issues with depth inside the canal – 12′ to 18′ throughout.
Shoal areas
Besides the entrance there is a significant shoal just to the west of the marina. If you’re heading to the marina, hug the fuel dock all the way to the marina. If you’re heading to the anchorage, stay in 12′ of water close to the opposite shore. If you change your mind, go all the way back to the south end of the fuel dock before crossing the canal.
At low tide we couldn’t even get our dinghy across the shoal from the anchorage to the marina.
If you dinghy north past the marina and anchorage, you have to take the anchorage side until you’re past the first bend, then switch to the east shore for the next bend. Watch how the panga’s do it. The shoal areas are inches deep.
Marina
The Marina is small but reasonably nice. Limited number of slips available but there seemed to be a few when we were there. Onsite security was very friendly and helpful. Gated lot but open dock gates. $30 MX to tie up your dinghy (pay the security guard either on the dock or at the parking lot gate). No real dedicated dinghy dock, just find a spot on the inside of the main dock near the ramp and avoid protruding bolts on the dock that will gouge your dinghy.
Tunabreak, the restaurant at the marina, is surprisingly good.
Anchorage
Shawn and Heather’s chart was amazingly accurate for this portion of the canal. We anchored in soft mud on top where it showed a depth of 14 feet to the west and slightly north of the marina – 21º32.67’N 105º17.80’W
In Town
From the marina parking lot, turn left and follow the wide road out to the cobblestone Del Puerto, turn right and follow that into town, turning left onto Calle Juarez Pte. at the historic Aduana building. Short walk into town.
Awesome street churros at the triangular intersection of Av Benito Juarez and Sinaloa in front of the Pemex station. The guy is an institution in San Blas.
Longer walk up Av Benito Juarez to the fork in the road at Retorno to the road that leads up to the fort (Del Panteón). Interesting ruins and a fantastic view of the area. Great looking local outdoor grill restaurants at the intersection of Av Benito Juarez and Retorno.
No-See-Ums
OMG these things are BRUTAL. Seriously. You need a plan to avoid them. We talked with a restaurant owner in La Cruz who relocated because his new wife wouldn’t be able to handle them. They are notorious in San Blas.
We arrived after a full moon which apparently is when they are the thickest. We didn’t notice them during the day, but at sunset when we were breaking down the dinghy they invaded. Bug repellant helped only a little. The stings hurt more than a mosquito at first, but then 1-2 days later it gets even worse when each bite develops an itchy welt that lasts for days.