I thought the Pearl Islands was a much better cruising ground than the
San Blas Islands. The big problem is that cruisers don't have a nice
and cheap marina like Shelter Bay on the South side of Panama. But,
dropping the hook, and paying the dinghy fee at La Playita is the
best/cheapest way to go once you're through the canal. Don't stay in
Balboa YC for more than a few nights, if at all! The working boats
will drive you nuts, and one of them crashed into Aquarius causing
some damage. They had to haul Aquarius out in Flamenco Marina at a
high cost to repair.

Ken Powers
Aquarius SM2K#262
Currently in Indonesia