Kuna Yala

Feb 13

So quickly do people and experiences become fond things of the past, as you are thrust into the future!

I left Piriapolis, Uruguay Thursday: just 28 hours after arriving aboard Josephine; bound for Southern Belle in the San Blas Islands.

Staying in Panama City, I did a massive grocery shopping trip for Melinda, George and Josh in the early morning, then awaited my 'transport' from the hotel. I'm not sure what I was expecting: certainly not the beat up white SUV already stacked and loaded with luggage and packed with eight passengers. The driver surveyed my mountain of groceries and bags, and began heaping suitcases ever-higher on the roof, then distributing the sacks that wouldn't fit in the trunk amidst the feet and few wasted spaces surrounding the others and I.

Then began a trip through first the grimy but approachable city of Panama; past the tidal flats and rocks of the Pacific; along highways and then rugged streets … where we picked up yet another passenger. Continuing on, we detoured a final time, where one of the men stopped at home (he must be extremely viral as it was absolutely TEAMING with small children) to pick up even more plastic bags of stuff. At last, stuffed to the gills, the car began its journey over the mountains and across the narrow isthmus to the Atlantic side.

We went increasingly higher, on winding roads freshly cut into recent mud- and landslides, and even at one spot waited an hour while teams of men with bull dozers and steamrollers re-tarred and graveled the narrow twisting road. Underway again, the truck sped (now 'late') along muddy and rutted roads slick with rubble and skree, rimmed with giant leafy plants that disappeared down ominous grades; knowing that one bad skid would shoot you off the edge and you'd become one of those CNN reports … but hopeful that the cram of luggage, groceries and warm bodies might be like 'airbags' and protect us in a fall.

And then, we drove through the river.

The road ended and the driver looked left and right across a 20-meter flow of muddy water. He inched us midstream and took a stab left, then backed up, and drove right with the current, then cut across to shore and were back on our way. Straining over the mountains (I'm surprised when the car stalled, that he didn't ask us to get out and push) we came over the other side - where finally, after four hours, under sunny skies, we arrived in Carti in Kuna Yala ('Land of the Kuna' - 'San Blas Islands' being the Western Name) where SOUTHERN BELLE was beautifully anchored and awaiting amidst button-sized islands of lanky palm trees and sandy beaches. Heaven!

After a lovely night of catching up (we last saw each other on the Baja HaHa Nov. 2006) we're now (Sat AM) at the Western Lemon Islands: Melinda is fixing breakfast while George runs the ham net, Josh (9) is swinging like a monkey on a rope off the rig. I'm sending this via SailMail so might not report again 'til I return ashore next week. Just know please we are all safe and HAPPY and enjoying this piece of paradise!!

Love & blessings to all ~ Betsy

Addendum: After swimming around the boat this morning we moved to a proper dive site called "Dog Island" to snorkel the wreck of a old boat. I cannot quickly describe the myriad of beautiful corals and fish: suffice it to say it is GORGEOUS here and I am going to go snorkeling again soon!

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