The San Blas Islands

We have finally arrived and anchored in the San Blas Islands!

The islands are beautiful, pristine and the water is crystal clear “Tiffany & Co.” blue…my favorite color and store :)

Everyone that I met said the San Blas Islands are like "Heaven on Earth", a place to unwind and decompress in utter solitude; a very accurate description. Life in its simplest form. If one wants to be completely alone this is the place – on the other hand it can also be a very social place.

I met ex-professionals, retired couples, young families with children (they are "boat" schooled) that have left the “real world” with all its hustle and bustle for paradise and a carefree existence. They follow the dry season in their sailboats; maybe fly home on the holidays or visit family and friends from time to time. It’s a lifestyle choice – and takes some adjusting at first, but seems to be well worth it to those that have made the decision to escape!

The cruisers are very friendly and kind, most have been sailing the islands for years and people get to know one another and they look out for one another. They have volleyball games, potluck dinners, DVD and CD swaps, drinks and dancing on different secluded beaches. It really is a warm environment with people from all over the world. I met sailor’s from, Idaho, NY, Kansas, Michigan, New Hampshire – all over the US, France, Italy, Germany, Australia…England, Spain, etc.

It’s a way of life that all these people have in common and may not have had anything in common during their “other” life – when they were in careers, or starting families back on the main land. Now, they help each other with sailing tips, repairs, supplies, emergencies, and create long lasting friendships.

“The Panama Connection” is a VHF talk radio service that comes on every morning at 8:30AM hosted by one of the cruisers. They do weather reports, conditions, who’s in the area, who’s coming and going (Boats underway) – if anyone is selling something, needs help, any kind of service or if they are trying to locate another vessel. They also pass word along if there is going to be a volleyball game or dinner and what island it’s being held on. Just a wonderful way to stay connected. I honestly looked forward to drinking my morning coffee and listening to all the chatter.

To me the islands looked like sandbars with coconut trees and maybe a few huts – some had complete villages or more than one family living on them, but for the most part they are not inhabited. There is no running water, electricity, septic system…some have generators or batteries so they can have a radio or maybe a small TV. The huts have sand floors and they sleep in hammocks. Outside over the water is an outhouse.

The Kuna women make “molas” during the rain season and sell them during the dry season to cruisers and other tourists. The men paddle around from boat to boat in an ulu selling fresh vegetables, fruit and the catch of the day. The Kuna women also dress in traditional Kuna wear - gold nose rings, arm and leg bands of beads, sarongs and the colorful "mola" blouses worn in combination. The Kuna men have adopted a clothing style more like the men of the western culture.

The islands are owned by the Kuna Indians - Kuna Yala. The Comarca de San Blás includes not only the Archipiélago de San Blás with its 378 islands but also a strip of Caribbean coastline from the Colon Province almost to the Colombian border. The Kuna have a matriarchal society.

Our first day an ulu pulled up alongside “Layla” – there were several Kuna men, wearing New York Yankee t-shirts and caps (my sweet husband used to laugh and say no matter where you go in the entire world you will see someone with a NY Yankee logo – he passed away in October 2007 from lung cancer, he was a cameraman for the YES Network – NY Yankees) in the boat and a woman – she was dressed in western style clothing, not the traditional Kuna wear, all made up with full make-up and long polished finger nails. Her name was Lisa and she was selling molas – they were beautiful, pieces of art. I of course bought some from her. The Kuna do not speak English…some do a little and some speak Spanish. The Kuna have their own language. Lisa spoke very few English words, but did speak Spanish. Later I found out that Lisa is a man and that homosexuality is very common on the islands and to my complete surprise so is Albinism.

Every once in a while the Kuna men would have an ulu filled with lobster! They would hold up these huge lobster…7 maybe 8 pounds or larger and would sell them for $5 or $6 a piece – not a pound – a piece! Compared to what we pay in NY…beyond a bargain!

Life is simple in Kuna Yala...my hope was to try and put the pieces of my life back together after the loss of my husband - maybe find some clarity or direction...it has been a journey that continues with very little shift in my sadness. I am grateful for the opportunity to have gone to San Blas and spent some time with some wonderful cruisers.

Some of the sailboats we cruised with:
Bluesky
Respite
Moon Dancer
Dream
Nema
Inshallah
Que Linda
AWAB (All women are beautiful:)
La Cardinala
Illusion