Breeze and Debbie of S/V Blue Sky came to the anchorage today and Breeze is a guitar player, so we had to all get together on Queen Mary for some music, even though it had only been two nights since we last played.  But, it is fun!

 

There is an organization in Panama that plans trips for backpackers to kayak to the different islands in San Blas and sleep on the different islands.   This afternoon, they paddled by our boat, and one of the guys asked, "Do you have any gray Poupon?" They said the website is www.seakunga.com for information on kayak trips.

During the evening the breeze died, and the noseeums made their presence.

Today, we headed up to the islands in the northwest corner of San Blas in Robeson.  We anchored at one island and dinghied around to the other islands and saw lots and lots of Kunas and molas.   I bought a mola blouse that a 100 year old lady wore.   I think she took it off to sell to me because she was scantily clad.  The blouse has two large molas sewn into it and it was all for $10.   The Kuna lady put it on for me to get a photo.

Isla Gerti is famous for making ulus.  We watched the local Indian working on an ulu, and digging the inside out with a chisel by hand.

The local bread-maker.   We bought 20 loaves for $2.  Gravy and bread in the morning.   Sonny is getting really good at making gravy.

After our exploring of the islands, we went a few miles further down and anchored in the mouth of the Nalia river.   It was very peaceful.   Sitting in the cockpit watching the small ulus  returning home as the sun was setting.

This morning, after the single side band radio nets, we headed back near Porvenir, to see if we could get some supplies, then headed to the Western Lemons.  We had not been there before, there are breaking reefs at the entrance, then a 7' sand bar you have to cross to get back into the anchorage.  It was close, but we did not bump.   The tide was a little high, so we will have to watch when we want to get back out.  This is a nice anchorage, surrounded by reefs and 6 islands.

A local came by this afternoon selling Cero Mackerel fish.   We bought two large ones for $5.   Fried them along with some French Fries.   It was just delicious.

Sonny and Gene went diving this afternoon around the boats.                               

Happy 3rd Birthday to our Grand-daughter

Riley Kay in Austin, Texas

About noon today, Queen Mary called on the VHF and asked if we wanted to go over to Porvenir, about 5 miles away, with them on their boat, to get some phone cards and see if we could get any vegetables.  So we all did.   We did find the phone cards and got some onions, potatoes, eggs, and bell peppers.   Then we returned to the West Lemons where Valentina was anchored.

Still no veggies, so we heard Tienda Eidi, from Nargana is going to the Eastern Hollandaise this morning, so we are pulling up anchors at daybreak and heading to the Hollandaise, which is about 11 miles away, hoping to catch him.

On our way to the swimming pool

We made it !

We arrived at the swimming pool at 8 30 and at 8:45......here comes the veggie boat!  Great timing!   After we arrived, we went over to Queen Mary's boat, and we were the second boat Tienda Eidi came to.

	Tienda Eidi brings vegetables from Panama City and sells them to cruisers out of his boat. He also has a great tienda on the island of Nargana.
Vegetables.....Vegetables......Everywhere ! We bought pineapple, papaya, apples, green beans, bell peppers, carrots, lettuce, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, limes, and three whole chickens, with the heads still on them. Our total bill was $66.00.   It is expensive for the islands, but delivered to your door, it is well worth it.   You don't even ask how much a pound anything is, just so thankful to get it.

We left after getting our vegetables and headed to Nargana.

Happy Valentine's Day from Valentina		We wish you love, happiness,  and much  fun.
Our thought..... Life is very precious and much too short.   It must be enjoyed daily and live each moment to the fullest.

Our Valentine's Day was a special one and began early picking up our good friends, Pat and Jim Kunard from Oklahoma, at the tiny Nargana airport.

For two weeks prior, we, almost daily, emailed them a list of items to try to find such as 220 sandpaper, vitamins, Old Bay Seasoning, my prescriptions, an X-D card for my camera, Zataran's Fish Fry and so many items you just cannot get in the islands.   

So, they came loaded with boat parts and every item on our wish list, and still had room for a few clothes.  (Hey, you don't need much down here.....).

We asked our friend, Peter, at West Marine in Austin, to send several items to their home before they left.   He is such a great guy.  When you need boat parts while cruising, I would certainly recommend him.  His number is 512  302 1406.    He really does take good care of you.  Thanks, Peter.

Ingy, is a beautiful Kuna girl who turns 23 in July.   She has made the decision to go traditional Kuna on her birthday and has spent the past several years hand making her molas for her blouses.   She is such a sweetheart.....

This morning, we went over to the island to get fresh Kuna bread, then we went to the beautiful island nearby in our dinghy.

At noon,  we pulled up anchor and headed to Gaigar.   After we settled in, we went to Maquina, where we first had to meet with the Sahiala, before we could walk around their island.    He was an elderly gentleman, who sat in a hammock in the congresso meeting place, and our interpreter rattled something in Kuna for a few minutes, and he shook our hands and welcomed us to his island.

This anchorage is surrounded by islands and  mountains in the background with the rain forest.  Just beautiful.    Kunas come by frequently to sell fish and molas.  

Pat, Jim, Sonny and I rested today on Valentina.    We did go out to walk in the surf near the reef looking for shells.   Pat found a starfish she wanted to take home with her, but decided not to.  We found a sand dollar and a few conch shells.

S/V Sol Surfin' (another guitarist and Celeste is a drummer) and S/V Icarian came to our anchorage today after hearing talk on the morning net that we had music on Queen Mary last night, so tomorrow night, we will play music again.

It is a beautiful anchorage.  It is near the mainland and the sunset over the mountain was nice.

The Kuna Indians of San Blas rebelled against Panama in 1925 and were victorious in becoming their own government in San Blas, so every year on February 25th, they celebrate with a reenactment of the revolution and fiesta.  San Blas is officially part of Panama, but is ruled autonomously by the Kuna general "congreso".

We went ashore after we arrived, and the locals remembered Gene and Brenda from three years ago.  It was so nice!  It just feels like home.   The Kuna Indians are so welcoming. 

The big parade and celebration is tomorrow morning at 7 a.m.     So it will be a big day.

We dinghied over to the dock at 6:30 a.m. dressed in our Kuna blouses with molas, our Kuna skirt, and our Kuna headdress.   The local Kuna Indians love you to wear their dress for celebrations.

The parade led to the basketball court where the whole reenactment story began.   It was very interesting to watch.  It led up to the battle with the Panamanians coming to shore by ulus and the Kunas being victorious over them.

The next event was the chi cha party.   Everyone packed into a large hut with men lining up, ten at a time.  The Kuna men would dance over to them, each carrying a large bowl full of chi cha for each one of the men to drink.  The men would drink their chi cha, then the next ten would line up.  Not sure how long this went on.  I guess until the huge pot of chi cha was gone.

The Kuna women would dance around and pour a small cup of chi cha to the other ladies in the circle.    We had heard of chi cha parties the whole time we had been in the San Blas, but this was our first one to experience.

The Kuna traditional belief is that if you drink enough chi cha, you will pass out, and be able to talk to your ancestors and loved ones that have gone on before you.  We did not experience that, but did see some that were passed out.   Not sure any communication was going on though.

At 1:30 a.m., we heard a noise and jumped up and saw a Kuna ulu paddling from behind our boat.   We began looking around on deck to see what was missing.   Sure enough, two of our 5 gallon diesel cans and one of our 5 gallon gasoline cans were stolen, of course, we had just filled them at Nargana, our last stop.

We called Gene and Brenda on the VHF radio, dropped our dinghy in the water, and Sonny and Gene, went to find the thief.  But, no luck.

At 8 a.m., Gene and Sonny went in to the police on the island to tell them of the incident, and also, went to our friend's house, Romulo.   Some ladies at Romulo's house said a guy was trying to sell gasoline during the night, and they knew who he was.

At noon, we went back to the police station, and they had already arrested two guys.   One stole the two diesel cans, the other stole the one gasoline.  The police brought them out of the cell for us to see.   They both admitted to stealing the gas.  The police already had one of our gas cans and told us they would try to get our other two back.  We could check back later.

When we were on our way to eat lunch in town, our friend Angela on S/V Side by Side, was approached by a Kuna woman who was unhappy that her son was in jail.   She said he was a good boy and would not do that and was crying,  talking loud and said the Americans were bad. 

We are, somewhat, concerned that the Kuna's may be angry with us, for their son's and family, being sent to jail, but, believe, overall they are thankful to put a stop to problems in their community.

Their homes are very, very modest.   It is a hut with one room and hammocks, but this is the first island we have been to that even have doors on the houses.   And......locks on the doors.

The Colombian trading boats come to the dock to buy coconuts and aluminum cans from the Kunas.  They pay the locals $.15 per coconut and $3 for one pound of aluminum.

At 4:00 p.m. Gene, Brenda, and Sonny were scheduled to play music at the square in Ustupu.    But, when we arrived, Sonny was called upstairs to a trial type of meeting.   Romulo explained what had happened to the officials, then, they handed Sonny one more of our gas cans, shook his hand, and said they have one more can to get.

The crowd liked the country and western music.   Some of the gentlemen worked in the Panama Canal in the early years as cooks, and remember and enjoy the American music.   They all speak English, which they learned while working on the canal.

Happy Birthday to our Grandson.....Kawika

We are getting to be close friends with the policemen.  There was a big meeting on the island with the Sahiala and they were tired of the bad blood on the island.   They had already arrested a total of four guys and was after one more, due to our incident.   One of them was going to jail in Colon.

In Panama, if you are in jail, the country provides nothing to you.   If your family does not bring you food, you do not eat.

This evening, the policeman was on the shore, waving his hands and hollering at us, so Sonny went to see what he wanted.   He said a lady came to the police station and said she had bought, what she was told, was kerosene, but it was actually diesel, and wanted to give it back to us.   She had paid $15 for it.  So, Sonny and Gene took our gas can in to get the diesel.

Sonny has a sinus infection or sore throat, so we headed to the clinic to get some antibiotics.  The doctor checked him out and said he needed a shot (actually four) for the infection.   He gave us prescriptions for cough medicine, some antibiotics, and four shots (one each day for four days).

Our total bill was:

Don't think we will file this with our insurance.

At 3 p.m. today, Gene, Brenda, and Sonny were asked to play music in Ogosacum.    Ustupu and Ogosacum are two separate communities on an island, separated only by a pathway between the huts.

Sonny, Brenda, and Gene	Some of the Kuna Indians in the audience	This is how they keep the children away from the stage.  This bush has some really nasty thorns, and the children are very well behaved.

The people were very receptive to the singing and Kay got some up to dance.   It was a fun time.

So, at 2 p.m. we arrived and sure enough, there was about 2 1/2 gallons of gas for us.  

Kay had made some cookies for the officials and some for our policeman friend who has worked so hard to help us.

Kay asked how long the thieves would be in jail and he said, "One 5 gallon gas can would be worth approximately $25 for the fuel, so they would have to spend 50 days in jail for stealing  $25 worth of valuables.   Two days in jail for every dollar they steal.   The local officials have been so very good to us.

We, so far, have received our three cans back, five gallons of diesel, and     2 1/2 gallons of gasoline.  Much, much more than we ever expected.