This is very close to Paradise Picture this if you will...

 Clear turquoise water with white sand underneath. The sound of the pounding surf in your ears.  The wind blowing any bugs away.  A round island 400 metres across with palm trees and a white sand beach.  Now close your eyes and imagine this in your minds eye.  I'm sorry we don't have internet and I can't post a picture. The water is 31 or 32 degrees C. 

So what has been up since my last post.  I think we were off to a lobster dinner held in the home of a local Kuna who befriended us.  We had a lobster tail, with coconut rice and refried beans with coleslaw.  We sat in a hut with bamboo walls that were 1 1/2 inch across bamboo standing vertical and lashed together. The roof was a special kind of palm that they have to get on the mainland.  I believe the meal was prepared for the 6 of us by Nestor's wife.  The next day was involved doing boat repairs with Captain Rob and I getting to sail in Nestor's dug out canoe around 4 PM.  Rob unfortunately on his second step into the canoe lost his balance and went kersplash.  Unfortunately we missed that moment on camera but did get lots of photos of Rob and I in the dugout canoe sailing.  Nestor has a pole that goes into a hole in the seat & then into a resting point carved into the bottom of his dugout.  The main sail has a boom that has a point on one end and goes into a knot in the rope from the tiny foresail  He has a piece of rope to hold the mast from falling over and a piece of rope on the end of the boom. Like the Laser I used to sail on Glenmore Lake in Calgary you need to lean out so the boat does not tip.  Nestor steers with his paddle for a rudder.  The winds were strong and we flew across the water.  It was a neat and exciting ride.  The Kuna in the area have a regatta in February and Nestor has apparently won the sailing race 3 different times in a much faster dugout than the one we were in.  It was easy to see he was an expert and handle the dugout canoe with it's sail with great skill.

Yesterday we got a few more boat chores done then sailed 30 nautical miles to BBQ island where we are now anchored.  Today at noon we had a lunch for all the boats on the BPO which included those that started in Martinique and those that started in the Florida Keys. It was great to finally meet everyone and catch up on their trip to this point in time.  Many stories were shared, new friendships were started and old acquaintances were rekindled.  The start time was delayed by a rain shower but soon everyone arrived and the party began in earnest. Fish, lobster and sausages where cooked and shared as was fruit and baking. On our return aboard it was agreed it was a fabulous get together.  A half hour later our weather buoy (that we will deploy between Panama and Galapagos) arrived from Chapter 2 (another sailing vessel). It is large and heavy and wrapped in plastic.  More on the weather buoy on a future blog.