We went ashore on Porvenir on Saturday to confirm that indeed the port captains office is closed, so we moved 6 miles to a new anchorage called Kuna House. There we anchored near three other boats and counted ourselves lucky since many of the anchorages have 15-25 boats and the high season isnt until December! The entrance to the anchorage like most in the Kuna Yala are a long series of waypoints that has you twisting and turning around reefs to enter and area that is safe for anchoring. We seem to be anchored in the middle of the ocean with a few scrawny islands near by but not close. We are well protected behind a series of reefs so quite peaceful. We swam half way to "Sunny side Up" a boat we had first met in El Salvador and were met half way for an impromtu "pool side " chat. This was broken up by a squall so back to the boats and an evining of rain.
Just before sunset an official boat from the Kuna Yala stopped by to check cruising permit and passports. They asked if we spoke spanish so I tried in my best Spanish to tell them we had arrived yesterday afternoon, had gone ashore in Porvenir to get the cruising permit but the office was closed.
He told me that it would be open Monday, we asked what time he said 8 am and he left to go to Kokomo. Kokomo calls and said dont you want to check in??
Denny told me he spoke English and he bought the cruising permit and one for me. My problem was I failed to ask if he could sell the permit now rather than go to the office as I was instructed. Alls well that ends well we are now free to move about the country.