[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2PPX7buh-cg/UVSKmtQNvoI/AAAAAAAAUME/vYTiiZYae88/s144-c-o/P3241959.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage13PanamaBoarderColombiaPacificToBoarderColombiaCaribbean#5860461412703125122″ caption=”‘Road sign’ in the archipelago de San Blas” type=”image” alt=”P3241959.JPG” ]

Pos: here
Loc: Punta Akwasuitmurru
Acc: tent
Dist: 50,6 km
Start: 6:20 End: 16:20

The lucky following wind kept on going today, as I keep on going 110 degrees. But I will have to pay it all back at the entrance to Colombia after I cross the Golf de Uraba 🙁

First there was simply no wind, and dead calm water inside the reef. I crossed under a pedestrian bridge from the airport island to the village island of Playon Chico, curiously watched by the locals.

Another village had something special – a soccer field! Not sure about the size and quality though, but it was a playground on a seperate island with low to no vegetation.I am just wondering how often they’d kick the ball into the water or into the nearby mangroves – and how the “parking lot” would look like when teams and spectators are present – a long line of cayucos! 🙂

[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0sfEsKDqJOw/UVSKq7JwSTI/AAAAAAAAUME/cpGXA8nYwz4/s144-c-o/P3241963.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage13PanamaBoarderColombiaPacificToBoarderColombiaCaribbean#5860461485153601842″ caption=”Another ‘road sign’ in the archipelago de San Blas” type=”image” alt=”P3241963.JPG” ]

All other villages had eventually cell phone antennas again, but just close to the last one I could get network reception – do they switch them on only at night? No idea…

[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dbnf3eg5hj8/UVSKr_mF7QI/AAAAAAAAUME/I3Lozj07txA/s144-c-o/P3241964.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage13PanamaBoarderColombiaPacificToBoarderColombiaCaribbean#5860461503526071554″ caption=”‘Marine Protected Area'” type=”image” alt=”P3241964.JPG” ]

I crossed over to that island on the long landspit of Punta Akwasuitmurru, and spotted plenty of white beaches. No houses – just one mototboat on the left side of the island, with about five people looking like having Sunday afternoon pleasure. I landed right on the spit, in a bit of crossed confused water (but not as much as on Isla Galrea!), and put up camp. Sure two of the men came over after a while to have a curious chat, as they saw me landing and it is easy to spot the “gringo”. Not sure if they expected a “gringa”, as they both came over with their long sticks in their hands they use on the boat to stake it off the reefs… I don’t think they needed them as hiking sticks?

We chatted nicely, and both got away heavily impressed…still I didn’t take them up for their offer to have a mutual beer on their spot…I was happay to be alone again after a while, as the many sandflies were biting hell out of my legs.

I quickly jumped into my tent after the shower, but soon noticed the sandflies here were of the tiniest size going through the mesh. Happy night!

I was fighting  non-stable computer for a while, and fell asleep at 8 pm as usual. But I woke at 10 pm again, as I needed to have a “scratching orgie” – you can’t believe how this feels…my lower legs got scratched and scratched and scratched… I couldn’t stop. Usually at some point I am done and add my itching jelly on top, but this time…maybe it was the healing cream I put on before I fell asleep? In combination with the soothing jelly it made large bubbles on the lower legs and ankles, so that my skin looked and felt like an alien.

I remembered I had a last secret weapon – a small tube of anti-itching – anti inflammable Cortisone cream, which I put eventually on after I wiped and cooled the legs with baby wipes. This worked to a degree, but Cortisone is a heavy stuff. My night was quite short and not very relaxing, as other parts of the body also itched and got scratched, but not as heavily as the ankles and calves…I am looking forward to be back on the sand fly free water, and cool my skin and legs all day with the water, which works to a degree. I mostly have a deep puddle in the boat, where I splash each calf pumping my legs paddling…

I really hope, when I am in Colombia in two more days, the boarder Navy station has an air conditioned room I may be able to use. But not sure if they have such luxuries there…