In and out of paradise! October 30, 2009

Leaving the San Blas Islands behind October 30, 2009
In and out of paradise!

Sea Star backtracked to the West Lemmon Islands yesterday to stage for our passage to Linton today and then Shelter Bay Marina. We found the San Blas as lovely and inviting as it was eleven years ago- and are sorry to leave so soon.

We entered Kuna Yala and spent our first nights’ anchorage at the West Lemmons, where with Cabaret, John and Suzi, snorkeled a sunken ship in only 20 feet of water at nearby Dog Island, marveling at the colors presented by the growing coral reef. Also snorkeling were guests from a Kuna hotel on the island. They seemed to be Panamanians and some Columbians on vacation enjoying the warm sand beaches and crystalline waters. Here we were prepared fully for snorkeling; lycra suit encased and full fins, mask and snorkel. Seems all you need to swim is a tiny bikini if you are on vacation. I wondered if the beautiful girls would be covered with welts from the corals.

As new boats enter the anchorage the Kuna Indians in their sailing Ulus approach to tempt with lobster, crab, sometimes fish and always beautiful handcrafted Molas that the women of the San Blas have been making for generations. Two of the best known Mola makers are actually men. One is Venancio Restrepo who was first to come to our boat in the Lemmons and another named Lisa who is a transvestite, common in the Kuna culture, who wears her hair long and dresses in colorful clothing. We remembered having bought Molas and taking a river trip with Lisa on our last trip to San Blas.

To make a Mola colorful cottons of various colors are layered, as many as six or seven layers and cut to allow the design to immerge through from the color chosen for the last layer to the first or the top color. The best made Molas are always hand stitched with neat and tiny stitches taking the maker three months or more to achieve the desired design. The maker or his/her emissary bargain at the boat with Molas strewn on the lifelines and deck for effect and to sell at the best price a cruiser will pay. Many are lovely, all are colorful, some of traditional design and others of colorful birds especially desired by the tourists who come to Carti by cruise ship.

The next day Tregoning who had been delayed a day by engine trouble in Linton joined us. By afternoon they had checked in and returned to our new anchorage in the East Lemmons, a turquoise paradise between two inhabited islands, where we were approached by our second set of hopeful Mola saleswomen. They were able to sell to Tregoning-the newly arrived boat.

Soon we moved on down the chain of over 365 islands with incredibly complex names to Kuanidup in the Los Grullos group just a few miles away arriving in 20 knots of wind and low visibility to avoid the surrounding reefs. After finally achieving a safe anchorage we dinghied into the island and were able to order dinner at their restaurant. The crab was sweet and succulent and the fish, served whole after frying in coconut oil, Dan said was delicious. We snorkeled completely around a small island there- recording the water temperature between 86 and 92 degrees. We wore our lycra suits for sun and coral protection, not warmth.

In our two weeks in San Blas we visited briefly the Lemmons,Coco Banderos Islands, the Western Holandes where we found wonderful snorkeling, seeing beautiful reef fish and using our Caribbean Reef Fish and Creature Identification books extensively. Los Grullos, where snorkeling held many different sights but most memorable to me this visit was the joined islands of Corazon De Jesus and the town of Nargana where we watched the Kuna version of the World Series of softball. Unfortunately the home town, Yandup did not take the final game although it was expected to.

Also unfortunate is the fish stocks in the San Blas appear severely depleted with few edible species seen on the shallower reefs, but some drift into view where the reefs drop off into deeper waters. Dan has not felt the desire to hunt or spear fish as the fish we see are wary of divers and move away quickly, or are so deep that an inexperienced free diver couldn’t stay down long enough. There are many Kuna Ulus working the reefs constantly and many cruisers and some restaurants to sell the stock to. Lobster is offered every day at about $4 per pound and a whole large crab might be $6.

The traditions and customs of the Kuna in the San Blas are in flux. Some areas or villages are very traditional and do not welcome western visitors, but do tolerate them for the tourist dinero. One way the Kuna have updated is that many now have cellphones. The only problem is their island does not have electricity to charge them! They have learned that passing yachts have inverter-chargers and that cruisers are usually willing to charge the phones. One sweet, elderly woman traditionally dressed in Mola, patterned skirt and ankle and arm beading with a gold piece in her nose paddled with her son to our boat and asked with hand gestures that we charge the phones. Since it was really no problem we agreed, and she motioned for the son to give us a nice fish. Good trade! They paddled back in the morning to retrieve the two phones with huge smiles. Their island was named Miriadiadup and it was spectacular. There the family hung swinging in their hammocks in the shade near the palm thatched huts.

San Blas 1

There is so much more to explain about the Kuna culture but my journal is getting too long and I need to attach the pictures to the last entries now that I am back where internet is available. I’ll pull some background material about the Kuna from the guidebook next time. Right now I’m way too busy thinking about our upcoming visit to family and friends in Massachusetts.