Jack says:
We left Ponce, Puerto Rico nearly two weeks ago and have had nearly perfect sailing conditions during our passage to Panama. After five days sailing we spotted land at 6AM and checked into customs at Porvenir, San Blas Islands, Panama. We spent two and a half days visiting remote islands inhabited only by the Kuna Indians. The Kunas live nearly the same way they did centuries ago in Palm thatched huts. We were invited to tour their island and we gave gifts of balloons and small toys for the children as well as pencils and simple coloring books for the school. Gifts of lemons, yucca root and mangos were brought to us the following day. The Kuna women make and sell a colorful handicraft called "Mola" which they actively present and sell from their dugout canoes. We bought several and also traded for a Liz Claiborne purse and nail polish. The Indians are short in stature and wear colorful beads around their legs and colorful fabric skirts and headwraps. They wear blouses with a handmade mola (mola means blouse) on the front and back. Their children are their pride and joy and are fun to have around. They rowed out to our boat and peeked through our windows because they were curious bout us and because they wanted more "globos" (balloons). The Panama Canal Zone is very industrial and dangerous to walk around. Except for taxi rides we stay in the vicinity of the Panama Canal Yacht Club. There is a great deal of red tape prior to transiting the Canal. Tomorrow, May 4, we will be measured by the admeasurer from 8-12 noon and then be sent to pay our fee which will be approximately $950, and be given a number which will be put in queue for transit. We are hoping that won't be too long. In the meantime we are gathering old tires and covering them in plastic bags to protect the boat's sides in the Canal locks.
Elizabeth says:
The San Blas Islands were a joy. After clearing into Panamanian Customs we jumped into the warm clear water. Kuna Indians came to our boat selling lobster and handicrafts from their dugout canoes. The Kuna women, many of whom have facial tattoos, dress in colorful beads and print blouses with molas sewn on the front and back. The molas are a reverse appliqué technique sewn in geometric or animal designs. The molas are a source of money for Kuna families and the women are expected to sell and bring home cash. For this reason trading is limited although I did trade a Liz Claiborne purse, needles, thread and Mary Kay nail polish for a very nice mola. These women are ruthless bargainers.
The villages are palm covered huts, the pig pens and latrines are built out over the water. We met with the chief consul, he sat in a hammock wearing a baseball cap and nodded and welcomed us to the island. We took books and pencils to the school "escuela" and the "professora" took Jack on a tour and explained the educational system. Both boys and girls attend through the sixth grade. We blew up and took to share a dozen balloons - Jack was mobbed by laughing children and gave out all the balloons "globos" before I could take a picture.
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