Feeding Pigs

Salsa af Stavsnas
Ellinor Ristoff Staffan Ehde
Thu 14 Mar 2013 12:46
Far out in the oceans we throw our "natural" leftovers to the sea. Hoping that a fish will appreciate it.
But what do we do with it when we are in a nice archipellago and do not like to spoil the beauty?
Some Kuna indians have pigs on their islands, and yesterday we had a chat on the radio with Chilly Cat ( an Australian boat on her way home from Italy), and Charles told us to bring the leftovers for the pigs, the kids will love it....
And they did. Yesterday we went ashore and met a few Kunas, and we where also approached by some in a dugout canoe, they want to sell Molas. Molas are beautyful pieces of cloth made by the women, their work is artistic and they work with cloth on cloth on cloth. Creating abstract or figurative pieces of art. If you do not know the Kunas, are a matriarchy, so the women rule the villages and  the families. We might be wrong but so far no woman has been seen smiling, they are always serious, dead serious, but the men are laughing, social, and even touch your shoulder or something.
On the island a woman followed us, very friendly but no smiles, she was curious about the childrens age etc. She had two children of her own.
After feeding the pigs we took all the Kids (Karl from Windarra and I) to a small island with the most beautyful sand, and the colors in the water are just unreal.
Our women took time for themeselfe on board.I also had Isobell, 4 year old from Sunrise as they came in yesterday and we let them sleep undisturbed. They had a story to tell of course, like everybody coming here. They had a tought sailing and all got seasick because the movements where more than usual, so they took some medicine they never had before, it said you would not feel dizzy.
But they did, the one on watch had a terrible time trying to stay awake! 
 
Yesterday I probably had the most beautyful kayak tour in my life. I mean it! I left the boat on my own and went towards an island behind us.
As I rounded the island I came into shallow water with orange coral heads on white sand, and on my left was this beach that felt untouched! Birds screeming and singing, a couple of turtles dived in front of me and the whole scene was just never to forget. A huge tree probably coming from the rainforest on mainland, had been there for some years and being polished by sea and sand, was like a sculpture, everything about what I saw was fresh, and if I looked to my right there was just sea to the horizon, some waves breaking over a reef.
I'm trying to convince Ellinor to take tours on her own like that but have not succeded so far.
 
Now it looks like we will have bad weather the coming three days, with thunderstorms and lot of wind, so we migth just stay in this anchorage, there is a lot to see. We have not snorkeled seriously yet, but from what we heard you can see Manta Ray, Reef sharks etc etc. 
 
Weather permittng we might sail to a Kuna Villlage by Rio Diablo, it is supposed to be a great experience. 
 
We truly enjoy being here, we are priviledged! We think this might be a little taste of the coming atolls in the Pacific.