On the Road again

November 1991. Chichimé in the San Blas Islands off Panama. Bijou anchored.

November 1991.  From the Canal Zone, we headed to a set of islands to the East of Panama, called San Blas.  These islands are known for their Molas, a hand-made textile that forms part of the traditional women's clothing of the indigenous Kuna people from Panama, Central America, and Columbia, South America.  Layers of different colored fabric are put together and then cut and sewn to reveal the various colors underneath.  Boats paddle out to the anchored boats with a variety of goods.  Fish, beer, crab, and Molas.  We started buying almost right away and continued to buy throughout our stay.  We tried to buy something from each boat that came to us.  Lisa was our first experience.  She and her family had come out to the islands to fish and bring wares out to sell.  They get a permit to stay and do what they can to earn a living in the time they are given through their permit.  The huts and buildings reminded us of the fish camps in Mexico, but these were much nicer and the families who stay in them keep them clean and litter-free.  

November 1991. Carl sailing Clover around the bay. We're anchored in Richardson Bay in the San Blas Islands, Panama.

November 1991.  We spent about three-and-a-half weeks in the San Blas Islands.  All the time we were there we bought seafood off the fisherman and Molas off the women.  In the end, we had spent $209 on Molas.  All are beautiful and what a way to get them.  We loved the idea of a cayuco (canoe) paddling out to us so we could buy from them.  This was not a short trip, nor would these cayucos come from a town or village on the beach.  We were pretty remote and so this was work for them to come out to us.  

Us!! in the cockpit of Bijou.

While in the San Blas Islands, we had to do quite a bit of preparing for the passage north to Honduras. Traditionally a "wild" ride that could take several days, we needed several days to get ready. Lori is re-caulking the deck prisms to avoid leaks on the beat north.

Mola decorating the head.

Bijou under full sail, caught by a passing cruiser going much faster than us!!