Our friends Pat and Brad came to visit us in the San Blas . After their early morning flight into the island of Nargana we motored up the Rio Diablo in the dingy for a ways. There were dugout canoes along the shore, coconut palms and native cemeteries we could see tucked into clearings in the jungle. It felt like we were in a river scene from African Queen with Humphrey Bogart. Back at Nargana we searched the little tiendas for vegetables but didn't find any, just the usual canned good selection of sardines, soup mixes and ketchup, so we had to be creative with our menus. The local trader boats hadn't been able bring anything from Panama City for a week due to protests in the city by natives over mining explorations on their lands. After a gentle sail five miles to the East Cayo Coco Banderos the anchor was set in sand in the lee of a palm covered tropical island group surrounded by coral reefs. That night while lying on the deck watching the stars the ocean came alive with phosphorescence glow as tiny microbes drifted by. We spent our time swimming over the coral reefs for hours, and walking the beaches. As the Kuna paddled by in their ulus ( dugouts ) in the afternoon we waved them over and bought lobster and fish. After a couple days Brad and Pat were as endeared to the Cocos as we are.
A morning sail took us to the East Cayo Holendes. We worked our way through the reefs into the center of the island group with Dawn spotting from the spreader at the top of the ladder. When the anchor was down Pat looked around at the sand beach, palm covered islands and clear water surrounding us and asked if they would ever have to leave here.
After filling the days with spear fishing, beaches, happy hours and suppers with our boating friends anchored by sandy palm covered islands surrounded by coral reefs, same old same old, you know how it is, it was time to get to the Carti Island Group for Brad and Pats' connection to Panama City. Arrangement had been make for a launch to take them to shore and a two hour 4X4 taxi ride along a mountain jungle road to the luxury resort on the Pacific coast where their daughter was getting married the next week. It was the same ride Arlen took a few weeks earlier. Brad's version was our driver raced along rough mountain roads talking on his cell phone while adjusting the radio station while shifting gears. A real talented man. Must have been a different driver.
Have to go and get the boat ready. Dawn's newlywed daughter and her husband are coming out on the taxi taking Brad and Pat away.