In January 2018, while on tour with Septimo Dia, Cris and I were in Panama City, Panama waiting for the site of our show to be finished. Since we had a week before we could load the show in, we decided we wanted to visit Guna Yala, formerly San Blas. I looked at tons of “hotels”, all of which were more hut than a hotel, and finally decided that the best way to see Guna Yala was from the water! We booked 5 nights aboard The Maluco with captain John and his wife Eileen.
Early in the morning, a car picked us up at our hotel in Panama City and drove us across the width of the country to a tiny boat dock in the Gulf of Guna Yala. The trip was relatively uneventful other than its length, it took about 2 hours to cross most of Panama. Once we arrived to Guna Yala Territory we had to show our passports to the armed guards that were protecting the jungle and this is when the ride got interesting. The remaining hour drive was curving through the jungle on small winding roads, this would not be for the faint of heart. Finally, we reached the small boat dock where a water taxi would take us to our awaiting sailboat.
An Hour Later we were stepping onto the Maluco, a 11.6M (38 Ft.) sailboat that would be our home for the next 5 nights. We stowed our bag in our cabin and set sail for the hundreds of picturesque islands in the archipelago.
The following days were some of the most relaxing days that I have ever had. There was no cell service once we were on the water so all we had to do was take in the incredible surroundings! We spent the days sailing, swimming, floating in a unicorn, eating, and lounging on the beaches of remote islands. A little piece of advice, no matter how remote the place looks, there is always someone that can see you.😳 For the full story you will have to ask me in person! Nonetheless, It was truly paradise!
One afternoon a boat of local fisherman pulled up alongside the Maluco, after chatting with the men for a few minutes we had fresh lobsters on board for dinner. As a veggie this is always a bit strange for me, I don’t mind the idea of eating animals but the idea of picking live ones to kill and eat always gives me pause. The good news is that Eileen took care of that chore and soon we had a delicious dinner while watching the sunset.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and thus was the case with our sailing trip. We woke up early and had one last breakfast with John and Eileen, soon a water taxi arrived to take us back to our real lives. I can’t imagine sharing my home with guests all of the time, especially when it is a sailboat, but I do envy the relaxed life that John and Eileen get to live. They are truly living the dream.
