San Blas Islands
Bondi Tram
Peter Colquhoun and Sandra Colquhoun
Mon 28 Mar 2011 19:06
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The San Blas Islands lie along Panama's south eastern coast. We
arrived there after a 5 day passage from Curacao.
From east to west the islands stretch for a hundred miles, with some
close to the coast and others
further out such as these ones at Lemon Cays.
 We entered the southern pass into Lemon Cays, which is narrow and shallow,
with the assistance
of our friends on Steel Sapphire (blue hull) and Connect 4 (the catamaran)
who came out in their
dinghies with torches.
 Waking up and viewing our surroundings, we felt rewarded after a sometimes
uncomfortable passage
to get here.
 Below is the island we would most like to own!
 On this island is a small bar and restaurant. All the islands are
owned by the Kuna indians, who have
managed to retain their culture and a fair degree of autonomy. Every
coconut tree is owned by someone,
so you can't just go and pick them up.
 In the background below you can see the mountains of Darien, on the
mainland of Panama.
      The Kuna travel between the islands in dugout canoes, sometimes sailing,
sometimes just paddling.
The canoes are hollowed out of one log and are very heavy.
 Dropping the sail means lifting the mast up and laying it down.
 Kuna woman come to sell us Molas. These are panels of cloth with
needlepoint designs, very
elaborate.
  The master Mola maker. His whole family, including children, make
these. These designs are
traditional, but they also make very colourful "tourist" designs.
 At the island bar. They had internet available here, and of course
they all have mobile phones!
     Kuna girl with traditional headscarf.
 We had hoped to spend longer here, but we had torn our jib on the way
from
Curacao, so had to move on to find a
sailmaker.
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