After a 24 hour sail from Colombia, we arrived in Obaldia, our check in point for Panama. Unfortunately, it was a very rough and rolly anchorage, so Andrew and Jamie (Totem) decided just one person from each boat should go in as there was no safe place to land the dinghy and leave it or to get everyone off safely. Some 5 hours later, Andrew and Behan returned back to the boat, turns out their computer system went down so they had to wait to get it working again, at least they had lunch ashore. It was too rough to stay, so we continued on to Puerto Perme.
After the last anchorage it was a very welcome relief to be somewhere calm and enjoy a night of uninterrupted sleep. Near where we anchored is a small village and although we didn’t go to shore to meet the locals, they came to meet us or rather Andrew and Tristan as I slept through it. Andrew had one gentlemen and his son come aboard and sell us a lovely woven basket with some plantains, coconuts and limes for about $5 US, he did ask if Andrew could take a photo of him and his son and give him a copy, (unexpected as Kuna normally shun being photographed) which he did. We were also invited ashore to participate in basket weaving, which unfortunately we didn’t do as we were moving on.
There are no roads linking this small village to anywhere in Panama, the only means of transport is by either boat or dugout canoe. Whereas in our society teens learn to drive cars to get around, these local teens do so in a dugout canoe.
Dugout canoes are not only used as a means of transport, but also for an early morning fishing expedition and not just the adults are involved. The man in the photo below has his kids with him too.
