|
Scott, Betty, and
daughter Kate (names changed by request) set off on a remarkable exploration
when they chartered the 107-foot Askari (see top photo) for a
ten-month trip beginning last summer. Embarking in Trinidad, they and
Askari’s seven-person crew headed to Venezuela, Bonaire, the San
Blas Islands, Panama, Costa Rica, Cocos Island, and other South Pacific
atolls. Betty and Kate, with help from her teacher Michelle, who came
along, sent e-mails home to share their experiences with family and
friends (and, in Kate’s case, fellow students, thanks to a Web
site she and Michelle set up for them). The following are excerpts from
Betty’s diary.
SAN BLAS ISLANDS,
AUGUST 2002
We arrived [from
Bonaire] after 68 or so hours at sea. We used most of our time to make
gifts for the local children—about 20 sock toys. We stuffed small
socks with beans and then glued eyes and noses on them. One had skis,
one had a bikini, and we also made a bumblebee, bunny, and crab. We
even made a Rasta sock. We named all our sock guys “Bob.”
So we had RastaBob, BumbleBob, SkiBob, etc.
There are about 300
islands in the San Blas, with 20 or so populated by Kuna Indians. They
say there are about 40,000 Kunas here, and they live primitively—no
electricity, no running water, and no TV! The males fish, catch lobster
and crabs, and pick the local fruits (both for their families and to
sell). The women sew molas (beautiful, finely sewn designs on cloth),
and most wear bright clothing and lots of beaded decorations on their
arms and legs.
Yesterday morning
we were approached by some Kuna Indians in dugout canoes. The first
boat was full of women and kids selling molas. Of course, we bought
many! We also gave the kids sock toys and took photos of them, which
Scott printed quickly and gave to them. It was neat to see the kids
get so excited.
A little later we
were approached by a boat of men and boys selling lobsters. They had
about 20 crawling around on the bottom of their canoe. We bought ten
(for less than $2 apiece). We also bought a small turtle ($5) they had
caught. We took photos of each of us holding the turtle, and then we
set him free in the ocean. We couldn’t stand to think that someone
would eat the turtle for dinner.
We’re having
a blast—hope ya’ll are, too.
COCOS ISLAND, OCTOBER
2002
We made the
crossing from Costa Rica to Cocos. We left at 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday
and arrived at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday. We had great weather, and the
seas were fairly calm. The only thing we saw (besides birds!) for the
whole 34 hours were two boats going in the opposite direction.
Cocos [four miles
long, two miles wide, and 2,000 feet tall at its highest peak] is known
for some of the best scuba diving in the world. It’s also the largest
uninhabited island in the world. For five miles around it, the water
is a protected marine park, so no fishing is allowed. As a result, you
can see a huge amount of fish, and many different kinds.
We’ve been here
two days and have done four dives. Yesterday on our first dive, we saw
our first shark. On the same dive we saw our second, third...and hundredth!
They are everywhere, mostly white-tipped sharks, and they are gentle
and nonaggressive. I got close enough to one to actually pet it.
Next page >
Askari, Part 2 > Page 1, 2,
3, 4
|