Adventures of the Sailing Catamaran Kuhela: San Blas, Panama

This is Nargana, San Blas, Panama the first city/village we came to since Columbia. It is a place where we can get wifi, groceries, medical help, and a flight to Panama City. Unfortunately, all toilets are in shacks that hang over the water. So, no swimming or water making as we anchor on the S side (wind and currents are from the NE). This is where we got back together with Rob and Lauren Dehaan of Southern Comfort who have been waiting for us since we parted company in Aruba.

San Blas is an autonomous area of some 340 islands where the Kuna Indians govern through regional chiefs. They make money thru taxing cruisers/foreigner and trading with same. They have generally preserved their culture and live at a subsistence level off the travelers, seas, and coastal land where they get their fresh water and farm. We've been here two months or so now and have had a ball: wonderful people, honest and friendly, and a idyllic climate.

This is Green Island about 4-5 nm NW of Nargana. It is a typical palm forested, sand beach fringed 3 acre coral mound. We anchor on the lea side to be out of any swell, but far enough around to still catch the NE trades which are to the right in this picture. Wonderful swimming and water making. The island is not permanently inhabited, so no $2pp fee to land (how else did you think we got so rich?). Just a temporary camp infrequently used by the Kuna on the E shore.

A young girl had her baby boy here the other night. While she was in labor her husband sailed up to the sand bar off the eastern tip so she could have the baby in the water if she wanted. Not necessary she and the cops said who arrived from Nargana because some one called them because of her labor cries. Mother and son are doing fine says the proud pop. This is the second child she's had here. The first one, also a boy named Jagi (dolphin in Kuna), is two.

In the lower right corner, just off the chart is Nargana. At the top is Green and the route leads towards the Lemons where we went next.

Another typical island. Beautiful, huh!?!

Here's a fisherman in his cayuca. Note the lack of freeboard. His vessel is chopped out of a single log hauled down from the rain forest on the mainland.

Rob's West Marine 11.5' grungy is along side. You bet he's constantly bailing.

Linda at the E. Lemons with Kuhela in the background.

$2pp stop, but at least you get a beer.

Linda and I have decided not to transit the Canal at this time. Linda's Mom is going to be 90 and if anything happened to her and we were on a 30+ day passage or somewhere in the hinterlands of the S. Pacific... So, a week or so after our decision, Millie developed a pulmonary clot which sent her to the hospital. She's fine now and back home. But, it necessitated Linda flying back to settle Aimee who had been stuck with the sole responsibility for her Grandmother on top of her very hectic schedule of nursing classes, home, kids, husband, etc. 'cause Marnie was out of town 4-5 days a week with her job. Yup, great decision!

Looks like we'll hurricane season it in Bocas del Toro about 30 miles short of Costa Rica. It supposedly has a better "wet" than does San Blas which has tornadic winds off the coast with lost of lightning. If not there, then Rio Dulce, Nicarauga. But the Dulce is just back in the hurricane belt, so... Looks like Rob and Lauren might be doing the same, which will be great, as they both recover from various age related ailments.

Once we're past the hurricane season, sometime probably in November/December we'll head back to Puerto Rico. From there we'll be close to Family and friends and still able to cruise to the islands and places we missed the first time.

Panama so far has been wonderful. The pictures below show a trip up one of the rivers that flows down from the mountains, saw a Kuna cemetery where our guide Lisa, a transvestite master mola maker, has shim's family planted, saw the Miraflores lock on the Pacific side, Panama City which is bigger and more affluent than Miami.