Sunday, January 22, 2012

Back in the San Blas Islands

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Just a scene to remind our friends in the Pacific Northwest that it isn’t all snow and ice. In the Kuna Yala, winter means trade winds and clear waters.
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A Gobi hanging low on the reef edge.
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A bug eyed lobster trying to stay out of the dinner pot.
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A helmut gurnard running away from me while trying to imitate a I’m big fish, don’t eat me.
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Hard nosed brain coral next to hard nosed sweet thing. You pick.
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Anemone and corals still life. It’s sunny, no rain, water temperature 81*F.



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Our good friends in Southern Cal, Seung and Zahra, just had twins. So we invited master mola maker Venancio to come onboard and show us his wares, as we wanted to buy a mola for gift for the new girls. Something with a twin theme… Here is Venacio showing the mola of twin parrots we finally bought. His stash of molas are kept in the bucket with the yellow top on the right. If you blow the picture up you can see his ‘signature’ on the embroidered thread work.



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The Kunas cover many miles on these dugout ulus, sometimes by paddle sometimes sail. Greg and Deb on Lions Paw had an old headsail that they didn’t want. They gave it to these guys, who promptly fashioned into a well cut sail for their ride. Here they are in a good breeze a few days later passing us anchored in the East Lemon Cays.
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There are a lot of cruisers who never seem to make it out of Kuna Yala. They come for a few weeks and end up staying five years or more. Here’s an older couple, I think off a Canadian boat, who have been here what seems like their whole life – fighting over the banana that Chris left on the dock for them.



We’ve got another couple of weeks here in Kuna Yala till we meet Meghan and Tyler down in Cuzco, Peru for some cold, wet high altitude tourism.
Paul

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

The Difference Between 48* North and 10* North

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  • 48N – high of 31*F, 90% chance of snow
  • 10N – high of 87*F, 90% chance of sun
  • 48N – sorry boss, the roads are too bad to make it in today
  • 10N – can’t get out of this anchorage because the winds are blowing too strong
  • 48N – good day to sit around and read a book
  • 10N – good day to sit around and read a book
John, thanks for the weather report from Seattle.
We are anchored in Isla Grande waiting out an ENE blow. Hopefully it will lighten up a bit tomorrow and move closer to NE – then we can actually sail back down to the San Blas.
Paul

Monday, January 16, 2012

If You Can Write a Blog, You Can Write a Book

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I figured if I can write a blog for a year and half then I ought to able to write a book. While Chris was in Nigeria for 3 months, I spent my early morning hours cranking out a book. You’ll love the character build up and the plot twists – plus the discussion of intellectual property rights for software companies adds some flair. Finally got it finished with some good review from my old partner Seung and some tough editing from Chris. She’s big on using complete English sentences while writing. Published it on Amazon’s E-Books. Got 174 downloads so far – but no reviews. Maybe they are slow readers. You can buy a copy on Amazon and consider it like buying me a beer in a warm, open-walled, ceiling fanned tropical bar with raw wood and garish paint color decorations all around. Well, at least the beer is cold.
Paul
The Entrepreneur's Guide to Creating a Software Company

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Amuri Mina Baby Pics

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According to Dad, “Mr. Uagi Yala is doing perfect”
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Clearly Dad and Grandparents have recovered nicely.
Paul

Monday, January 9, 2012

Jeorgia Gets a Clean Bottom

sbIMG_8557 Decided to haul Jeorgia at Shelter Bay Marina, Colon, Panama while Chris was up in San Diego for her Mom’s 80th birthday celebration. The bottom paint was beginning to show through in a few spots and its effectiveness wasn’t so hot. She was wearing 19 month old Petit Trinidad SR. I ordered 3 more gallons of Trinidad and had it shipped in from Miami via Marine Warehouse – pretty painless.
sbIMG_8509 The yard here is good. This is a picture of Victor, the yard manager, diving on the keel before hauling to ensure the TravelLift straps are positioned correctly. Labor and hauls were less than US prices, but not way less. Paint a little more. $160 to sand and prep the bottom.
I’d haul here again if I needed it.
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So what do you do here while waiting for paint to dry? Shelter Bay Marina is on the premises of the old US Army Fort Sherman. Lots of trails to hike on, old buildings to look at and rusty things to find. Here’s an old mortar battery used during WW I and WW II to protect the entrance to the Canal.
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sbIMG_8545 SBFortSherman If you click on this old, previously SECRET map to enlarge it you can see Battery Mower in the upper center.  The marina is in the enclosed bay on the right. (map photo from Jedi blog)
Paul