Splendid is heavily laden with fuel, food, water, love, and dreams. She is ready to set sail and we have all the equipment needed to make a film. My pockets have a large hole once again but the pantry is stocked for 4-6 months, and I even have an extra spear for my gun. I can’t think of a better way to start a journey, I like to travel lean, funnily enough so does Carla.
Carla and I rented a friend’s old beat up pickup truck to go to Colon and do some provisioning & fueling. We spent over $700.00 that day but we spent it wisely and on staple items.
There is an evil fuel station here in Puerto Lindo that charges over 50% on their fuel because it’s 30 miles to the next station. Truthfully I’d rather throw money away then support such a shyster, hence, renting the truck.
Carla has never been sailing and is excited to see the islands I believe to be the most beautiful in the world. It’s not the white sand, crystal blue water, or warm breeze that gently blows through the coconut palms that makes the San Blas my favorite place. Nor the lack of ciguatera, hurricanes, shops, cars, or bars. It’s the fact that the Kuna people live at the heart of minimalism. They are Indians, and live in harmony with their environment.
When I first visited the San Blas I envied the children growing up in the grass huts spending their lives on the reef, playing, hunting, and growing old. Like oil rising over water I believe the small amount of my Native-American blood dominates my being. My soul gravitates to having less, living simple, hunting and most of all living free! This philosophy, forged with sailing, is the message I wish to convey in my next film.
Carla and I will be filming a lot and I told her the other day I want to shoot a “if I die” video clip. Something my buddy could post on Project BlueSphere explaining how absolutely content, and how focused I am on my path.
A man realizing his path is one thing. I hope Project BlueSphere is a beacon for a few to help them with this, but arm-chair “entertainment” cruising is not my intention. My intention is for a few of my readers to realize their dreams, and more importantly take the first step. Realizing your path is the easy part. Perhaps its time to walk it, I know it is for me!
I’ve been many things in my life, but it’s time to put the chapter of shipwright behind me. I still have many projects but I am a sailor who finally believes his ship to be sound. It’s time to go sailing. I’ve only seen a small part of the San Blas, perhaps 15%. When I was here so many years ago the jungle between Panama and Colombia was infested with the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), basically gorillas like the IRA, ETA, with good intentions that end up as corrupt and blood-thirsty as the forces they try to fight. Anyway the area was quite dangerous, and now it is not. I hope to explore more of the eastern San Blas to the Colombian border.
We had friends over for a dinner last night. Jim & Heather (Scottish) from SV Charmer, and Mani & Raffi (Brazilian) from SV Brava. Our good friends from Brava are sailing to Bocas Del Toro, and Splendid to the San Blas. Saying goodbye to good friends is a part of a sailor’s life.
In the next few days I will point Splendid into the sunrise and sail east starting yet another chapter in my life. I have many questions I wish to ask. Where will we go? Will we have money? Will we get sick, will we be safe? Will Carla be here forever? Will we sail across the Pacific or Atlantic? Will I loose Splendid on a reef without insurance?
The answer is simple, I don’t know, and I’m good with that!
Once again I wish to thank all the contributors who have helped me over the past few months. I gave my friend Mani a spare alternator yesterday that he needed. He gave me a Balmar Duo-Charge a few weeks ago, and a nice sheet of stainless this morning. Some of you contributed money to “the cause” and hopefully my/our words, pictures, and films will render some value.
I have a wind generator a friend gave me a while back (Hornet) and it’s just too big to mount on Splendid. I’m going to give it to a family I know in the San Blas to help them power a light on windy nights. I’m really quite opposed to introducing technology to the Kuna but the reality is it’s happening one way or the other and I feel assisting them with natural power versus fossil fuel consumption is probably a good thing?
I surely don’t want everyone to buy boats and come cruising as the anchorages are getting more and more crowded every year. However I do hope that some of you that really feel the call of the wind/sea take the step you need. I was so very lost in the system waking up, going to work, paying bills, and waking up to go to work so I could pay bills, and working more to pay my bills. Success shouldn’t be weighed by possessions, financial worth, or the illusion of “security”. In my humble opinion a man should measure himself with a very small stick in one hand, and the other extended for the man behind him. Perhaps it’s time for your step?
My next blog will be written from the San Blas.
Peace, Love, & Coconuts.
Sail far & live Slowly
-alex