09.19N ;078.15W

Around the world with the Aqualunies
Jonathan & Gabrielle Lyne
Sun 31 Jan 2010 04:06
Monday, 25/1/10
We have worked our way further north inside the outer reefs, always
somebody on the bow checking for the odd unmarked reef. There are places
where the outer reef does not exist and the sea comes rolling in with huge
waves, we were head to wind so unable to put up a sail to stop the
rolling. Stopped off for lunch at a village, hundreds of ratten houses
close together on an island looking as though they are coming straight out of
the sea. The 'cafe' had no food or beer but did have juice and we walked
around the village. We felt a bit intrusive, there is a move to stop some
of the tourisim as, quite rightly, the Kuna's feel that some of the tourists
come to view them as though they are in a zoo and the younger generation are
picking up western ideas. I couldn't agree more but at the same time some
of them have satalite dishes and telivision so come what may the sad fact is
that westernization will change them from such a fantastic community which is so
eco freindly to something too comercialized. You have to pay the Kuna
ladies, by law, if you want to take a 'photo of them, but many of them will not
allow you to do so even for money. There was a lovely lady with a
fantastic blouse on with beautiful embroidered molas and beads around her legs
which look like socks with an intricate pattern I asked her if I could take a
'photo but she said 'no' so you have to respect that. Her teenage daugher
was in western dress and looking trendy so the change is already
happening.
We are in Snug Harbour now, having picked our way through reefs, Jonathan
having done his homework beforehand putting in way points, you can't rely on the
electronic chart plotter as that often put us through land! Much of the chart
shows the area as unsurveyed which makes navigation even more interesting!
We did bump gently on one reef as we came in to anchor, it just appeared from
deep to shallow in seconds and when Tony and I spotted it it was too late.
Now at anchor under a full moon, almost like daylight with a silver sparkle
across the water, just like our battle flag, we have small palm covered islands
between us and the reef and mountains with jungle on the otherside which is
mainland.
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