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Exody - Days 15/16 - The boat - eating islands of Kuna Yala



Three wrecked yachts, one less than a week old marked the danger points on our arrival this morning at Porvenir to clear formally into Panama. The locals were still busy stripping the hulls - apparently usually done in less than a week - the masts were already gone (we understand they use chainsaws!), three of their long ulus tied up alongside one boat. Then on arrival at Lemmon Cays later today a large 90 foot motor sailor was on the reef right by the clearest and recommended route in- still fully masted and all deck gear and sails present - so must have been even more recent - we are looking out for lights tonight in case there is anyone on board still guarding the vessel. All sorry sights and fully justifying the warning from the local cruiser friend of one of the fleet that these islands eat boats!

This is our fourth day in this delightful archipelago which the pure bred Kuna indian population prefer to be known as Kuna Yala. They have a fairly primitive, subsistence living, paddling dugout canoes, fishing, making molas, housed simply in shacks built from materials immediately available on the islands.

The ARC rendezvous at Chichime on Sunday 25th was a sociable affair - organised as efficiently and effectively as ever by the welcoming ARC yellowshirts. We took our mahi-mahi kedgeree for the pot luck lunch and the three local Kuna families provided drinks to buy, local dancing and of course Molas for sale etc. One new UK boat Aretha with three young kids has joined the fleet here so now we are 16 boats in all. Only Aretha, Ayama and ourselves anchored in the lagoon, with its entry reef marked by yet another grounded yacht!

Had we listened to the local cruisers net on Channel 72 more carefully we would have clocked that the Australia Day party today 26th was at our selected anchorage of Lemmon Cays just 3 miles from Porvenir - but there is ample space in the large protected anchorage for all - we counted 50 or more masts which includes one of the two Aussie cats in our fleet, Aquilon III.

Martin and Marian went fishing in the dinghy late afternoon targeting barracuda just off the mangrove - they returned with two spanish mackerel bought from a Kuna! However a baited line hanging from the boat at anchor has just delivered a small snapper! Seems that amongst all the fishing gear Marian has been recommended to purchase(by brothers and various fishing emporiums), none of the hooks are small enough for some of the fishing we can realistically do- another item for the Panama shopping list!

Peter (Skipper)


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