Kuna Yala or the San Blas
The Kuna’s prefer to call their area ‘Kuna Yala’. I try to respect that and
continue to name the San Blas
It has a special status as part of Panama. The Kuna’s rule it themselves
for the biggest part.
This is a sailing and snorkeling paradise. We were there from September to
middle of December 2005 and had a real relaxing time. Sometimes even a bit
too much relaxing to our taste. The sheer solitude of coconut trees, white
sand and blue water caan be a bit overwelming.
Squalls, Thunderstorms and Rain
In the hurricane season, or for this area, because there are no hurricanes
here, it is more correct to talk about the wet season, thunderstorms and
squalls are very common. One night there was a thunderstorm that really hit
the East Holandais Cays. The result was that of the 15 boats at anchor
there, that night, 10 got medium to severe damage on their boats because of
the lightning.
The squalls can look really frightfull. They can be quit some wind for a
few minutes. The nice thing, they bring rain. Without regular supply of
rainwater, we could have stayed for no longer then a few weeks there.
After a month you get more or less used to the squalls. They come in the
late afternoon or during the night.
Tienda Eidi
Slowly there are some services available in Kuna Yala. Tienda Eidi is a
very welcome floating tienda that comes every week or 2 weeks. Depending on
the transport of vegetables and other things from Panama to Colon and then
by tiburon to the Kuna Yala they make their schedule to visit the boats at
anchor.
Everybody is curious what tienda Eidi will bring and if it will be enoug
for the whole sailors community. Some boaters are even so nervous that they
attack the tienda Eidi-tiburon by dinghy without waiting for their turn,
because they will come to all the boats at anchor. No difference here with
a busy butchershop in a big city in ‘the other world’. There are always
people that want to be first.
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