FIVE DAYS KAYAKING IN ALASKAN PARADISE

Hélène and Bruno show off some skin, Prince William Sound

This Steller Sea Lion shows us who’se the boss of these waters, Glacier Island

Hélène and Bruno enjoying the ice, Columbia Bay

*This trip itinerary can be found here, and is called Glacier Island to Columbia Glacier Discovery Trip 5-Day*

This Strawberry, Arugula Walnut Salad dwarfs the face of Columbia Glacier, Alaska

I love traveling. It runs in my family. I love seeing how other people live their lives. I love hearing about other people’s passions and what they find to be beautiful and inspiring in the world. I love hearing what makes others crack up laughing (and delighting that we are all quite similar in this department). I love catching glimpses of people living in different weather conditions, speaking different languages, eating different foods, and dancing to different music.

On this trip I loved hearing about Hélène and Bruno’s perspectives on all of the different cultures and places that they have visited.

For Hélène and Bruno (from France!) our five-day kayak camping trip together was a mini journey within a much larger journey; a journey of a greater scope that has taken them around the world (and not for the first time). Check out their blog (it’s in French) with beautiful photography and trip descriptions (and one day a blog in their own words about our trip). While I am inspired to learn about their year-long around-the-globe trips, what is most inspiring from Hélène and Bruno is the amount of time that they choose to spend in each place, be it country or state.

Hélène and Bruno discover a waterfall, Heather Bay, Alaska

They rarely touch down for brief visits of a week or two. Much of their journey includes stays of a few months to explore, discover, and experience a place on a deeper level. One of these levels that I am grateful to have shared with them for 5 days is the beauty and wildness of a place. Alaska provides wonders for many visitors who are seeking a deeper (or different kind of) connection with their natural surroundings. Prince William Sound is where I feel this the most. It was a pure joy to see Hélène and Bruno be inspired by the majestic and impressive land- and seascapes, which grabbed hold of all of our attention. I often caught them gazing at the mountains across the sea with a look of awe on their faces. (Most people get this look.)

Iceberg in Columbia Bay

Paddling by the Steller Sea Lion haul-out, Glacier Island

Looking north, Glacier Island

Serenity in Growler Bay, Glacier Island

Through the ice at the face of Columbia Glacier

Proudly sporting my Anadyr Adventures hat:)

Ochre Sea Stars, Glacier Island

Blueberry Pancake Morning! Glacier Island

Hard to tell that the face of Columbia Glacier is a couple 100 ft. above the surface of the water

I hope that you have been inspired by the travels of Hélène and Bruno, as well as the spectacular Alaskan scenery. Keep traveling, whatever it is that grabs your attention and piques your senses. Share it with the world.

Contact me for information on guided multi-day trips in Alaska and Panama.

THREE SPACES AVAILABLE ON A 9-DAY KAYAKING TRIP THIS JULY 5-13. MEARES GLACIER – COLUMBIA GLACIER, PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND, ALASKA

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ileneinakayak. I look forward to hearing from you! Thanks for reading.

Side story: On our 3rd morning, we woke up on one side of a peninsula. As soon as I crossed to the other side of the peninsula (in Heather Bay), I was amazed by this rainbow, which at one point was indeed a TRIPLE rainbow! I ran back to get Hélène and Bruno and we all delighted in this beautiful and surprising sight.

Hélène joyfully displaying a rainbow, Heather Bay

KAYAK CAMPING WITH A 7-DAY VEGAN MENU

The chefs hard at work on Vegan Burritos

Vegan. Gluten-free. Paleo. Pescatorian. Vegetarian. There’s a lot of dietary preferences and restrictions to consider these days. It can get a little confusing, not to mention overwhelming. Now throw a 7-day camping trip into the mix!

Vegan menu

Someone who is vegan does not eat any animal product whatsoever. No meat. No dairy. Here are some foods that vegans do eat:

Legumes (Beans, Lentils, Peas, Peanuts)
Vegetables and Fruits Galore
Nuts, Nut Butters and Seeds
Whole Grains (Barley, Brown Rice, Millet, Bulgur, Buckwheat, Oatmeal, Whole-wheat Bread, Pasta, and Crackers)
Hemp, Flax and Chia Seeds
Tofu, Tempeh and Other Minimally Processed Meat Substitutes
Calcium-Fortified Plant Milks and Yogurts
Seaweed
Nutritional Yeast
Sprouted and Fermented Plant Foods

Whether you’re a guide who has to prepare all of the meals for your vegan guests, or you’re going camping with a vegan friend for the first time, there’s no need to feel overwhelmed with menu-planning. There are many online resources with recipe ideas out there. It’s also easier than ever to find vegan products at grocery stores. Plus, I’ve included a vegan menu for a 7-day camping trip!

Hearty Bean Salad

The menu link (above and below) is the exact menu that we used on a recent 7-day sea kayak camping trip in Prince William Sound, Alaska. The group consisted of two omnivores (we eat practically everything), one vegetarian, and one vegan. This particular vegan is not fond of the substitutes available, such as vegan cheese, condiment, and meat substitutes. But if you are vegan or have to prepare food for a vegan you might look into these. Some of them are quite delicious! Tofu and tempeh (fermented soybeans) are typical vegan and vegetarian additions, which we did not utilize. There are many meals on the menu that you could easily add these.

Keep in mind accessibility of certain foods due to geographical and seasonal factors (i.e. we weren’t delighting in many tropical fruits that are much easier to find for my trips in Panama).

Doing the dishes

Omnivore Additions

There were a few meals that I added cheese and salami for myself and the other non-vegan. The vegetarian only added the cheese. You could also add smoked or canned fish if that’s available. It’s extremely easy to accommodate for different preferences while at the same time providing nutritious and filling vegan meals. To get the extra calories that we were getting from adding cheese and salami, the vegan supplemented with extra dried fruit, nuts, and vegan snack bars. Nobody went hungry on this trip!

This menu is for 6 breakfasts, 7 lunches, and 6 dinners, and includes some snack ideas.

Vegan menu

Bean Salad for lunch

“The Soup” for dinner

Spaghetti a la Veggie for dinner

Beautiful Heather Bay, Prince William Sound

I hope that you have found this helpful. I certainly learned a lot and have many more vegan meal ideas from this recent camping trip. Please share your meal ideas with others. What worked? What didn’t work? There’s no excuse to not eat like royalty out there:) After all, we’re not backpacking!

WHAT A TRIP: 7 Days Paddling from Columbia Glacier to Valdez, Alaska

7-Day Glacier Island-Columbia Bay-Valdez Itinerary

Map of Itinerary

Jack, Sarah, Miki, and I proudly sporting our Anadyr Adventures hats!

The Opportunity

When my manager asked me if I had any interest in leading the 7-day kayak camping trip to train the 3 new guides we’d be welcoming this season to Anadyr Adventures (the company that I guide for), I didn’t have to deliberate. I gave an enthusiastic “Yes, of course!” What an amazing opportunity. This trip happens at the start of every season (early May) and teaches the new guides paddling and camping skills, as well as introduces them to all of the areas in northeast Prince William Sound where we guide our clients. In addition, it’s an incredible trip that gets them excited to be working in one of the most spectacular paddling destinations in the world. Let’s begin!

Sawmill Bay, Prince William Sound

Tranquility in Shoup Bay at 11 PM, Prince William Sound, Alaska

The Itinerary

Roughly 70 miles this itinerary starts in Irish Cove, in the northwest corner of Glacier Island, and quickly rounds Iceberg Point. It follows the entire coastline of the south side of this rugged and beautiful island, which is a wildlife lovers’ paradise. This is where I had 5 Orcas surface directly underneath our kayaks in a camping trip in 2017. The south side is also where Tufted and Horned Puffins spend their summers, alongside hundreds of Steller Sea Lions at their haul-out. The Sea Lions often accompany us around the island, as they leap and twist around our boats.

Rugged mountains on Glacier Island

Time to pack boats, Glacier Island

Summer sunset on the south side of Glacier Island

Steller Sea Lion haul-out on Glacier Island, Prince William Sound

After Glacier Island we made the 4-mile crossing to Elf Point, the southeast point of Heather Bay, where we camped for two nights. During the day we paddled the beautiful and serene Heather Bay to get into Columbia Bay, a highlight of this itinerary (and one of our most popular day tours). Columbia Bay is where icebergs float that have broken off (calved) from the face of Columbia Glacier, the largest tidewater glacier in Prince William Sound. This glacier experienced much fame during it’s catastrophic retreat in the 80s and 90s. The glacier has since slowed down this retreat, however it still pumps off lots of interesting ice sculptures for us to marvel at.

Sarah showing us a Harbor Seal skin she found

Heather Bay

Sunrise at Elf Point, Heather Bay

An ice-free Columbia Bay

This year brought an interesting surprise. Where was all the ice in Columbia Bay? There was none to be found! Usually this bay is filled with ice for us to paddle around. Apparently, the ice was stuck further up the bay, where it was blocked behind a constriction filled with chunks of sheet ice. It was a shame to not be able to introduce the new guides to paddling around ice on the training trip, however, days later the ice broke out of the constriction and Columbia Bay was once again filled with ice.

Columbia Bay often looks like this

With 3 nights under our belts we headed east, paddled around Point Freemantle and spent a night in the lovely Sawmill Bay. This is one of my favorite stretches of coastline and we were lucky enough to paddle it during the lowest tide of the month. At a negative tide, the rocks were covered with life and we were delighted with thousands of different kinds of Sea Stars and seaweeds. This is also where Jack got “high-fived” by a Sea Lion. If you come to Valdez, ask him about it:)

The paddle from Sawmill Bay into Shoup Bay goes through the Valdez Narrows and along a coastline filled with glacial waterfalls. We spent our final two nights in the Shoup Lagoon, with a gorgeous view of Shoup Glacier. We paddled up to the face, where we explored and I explained how much the glacier has changed since last season, as well as historically (Shoup has gone through a couple of advance/retreat cycles in recent history). And of course took the obligatory jump shots!

The face of Shoup Glacier

What Did We Eat?

I have to mention how good we ate out there! One of the points of the training trip is to practice our backcountry cooking skills. Each of us had to provide meals for the group. No one was disappointed or hungry on this trip. Due to dietary preferences we enjoyed a vegan menu (meat and dairy options on the side), which I will write a separate blog about with recipe ideas.

Spaghetti a la Veggie for dinner

“The Soup” for dinner

The chefs hard at work

Hearty Bean Salad

Make It Happen!

I’ve paddled this particular itinerary a few times. It’s a winner:) This is an incredible trip with lots of opportunities to experience wildlife, glaciers, and to be awed by the remote ruggedness and beauty that Prince William Sound has to offer. However, if seven days scares you off or doesn’t fit with your schedule, have no fear. This corner of the Sound has many amazing trips to offer; overnight excursions to Shoup Glacier, or longer trips to Mid-Prince William Sound’s Unakwik Inlet to see Meares Glacier. All that you have to do is check out my other Alaska itineraries and contact me to start planning your trip-of-a-lifetime. See you on the water!

Black-Legged Kittiwakes at their rookery, Shoup Bay

Miki enjoying an afternoon paddle, Prince William Sound

SAY HELLO TO YOUR NEW KAYAK INSTRUCTORS IN VALDEZ, ALASKA

Beautiful day to hit the water in Kachemak Bay, Homer, Alaska

I’m a kayak instructor now!

Along with 4 of my kayak guide work mates, I’ve been sworn in as an official Level 2 ACA (American Canoe Association) sea kayak instructor. Our swearing-in ceremony involved many cold dunks in Kachemak Bay near Homer, Alaska. Unfortunately, I don’t have any photos of these frigid dunks. Just take my word for it. Brrrr. Good thing I packed enough warm layers to last me a month for our 4-day course. Having 3 sleeping bags helped too:)

The ACA is the leading organization in the U.S. for all things paddle sports. Whether you are looking to get certified as an instructor, or simply want to learn and develop skills (canoe, sea kayak, SUP, raft, white water kayak, surfski, rescue, adaptive paddling), check them out here.

I’d also like to give a special shout-out to Levi Hogan, our wonderful instructor and new paddling friend. Levi and his wife operate Turnagain Kayak (located in Hope, AK), who specialize in outfitting groups for paddling in South Central Alaska, as well as kayak instruction. Levi is a BCU (British Canoe Union) 5 Star Sea Kayak Leader and ACA Level 4 Open Water Coastal Kayak Instructor Trainer. . . he’s kind of a big deal. For those of you who don’t know what the stars or acronyms mean, essentially Levi is a badass kayaker and loves to share his skills and knowledge with others in the courses that he offers. I highly recommend him as an instructor.

View from our campsite on Right Beach, Kachemak Bay, Homer, Alaska

Aidan and Jared making lunch on a sunny day, Kachemak Bay, Homer, Alaska

We only have a little bit of gear. . . Homer, Alaska

Five of us returning guides for Anadyr Adventures (Valdez) piled into a company van and took off on a fun road trip to Homer. It’s impressive that we didn’t end up killing each other in the van. Just kidding (?). We love each other. We spent 4 days with Levi camped at Right Beach in Halibut Cove (Kachemak Bay, less than an hour water taxi from Homer), working on refining paddling skills and teaching each other. Forward, sweep, reverse sweep, draw, sculling draw, low brace recovery, T-rescue, self rescue, towing, scoop rescue, Hand-of-God rescue. . . these are all paddling strokes and skills that we practiced and taught to each other. We also taught each other about paddling topics, such as cold water immersion, communication and signaling devices, weather and tides, and paddle and kayak design. Good stuff!

On the drive to Homer, Alaska

Black-Legged Kittiwakes fly around Gull Rocks, Kachemak Bay, Homer, Alaska

I’m super excited to practice and teach to others the paddling skills that I’ve been developing over the past decade. As much time as I’ve spent playing and working on the water as a sea kayak guide, it’s great to take the time to slow down and go back to practicing and refining foundational paddling skills, such as the forward stroke. After this course, I feel better equipped to teach the subtleties of these foundational skills to beginner paddlers.

Gorgeous May sunset over Kachemak Bay, Homer, Alaska

Paddle with certified instructors

. . . Which brings me to Valdez, Alaska. There are two sea kayaking companies in this beautiful coastal town. One is Anadyr Adventures, for which I am going into my 7th guiding season. Anadyr has been in operation since 1989, and is the leading tour operator when it comes to kayaking. In addition to myself, this year Anadyr welcomes back 4 returning guides, of which 3 are returning for their 4th season! That’s pretty impressive. I’m not going to say anything negative about the other kayak company, as we have a friendly and professional relationship. However, they tend to have almost all-new kayak guides each year. This says a lot about Anadyr and the level of experience, commitment, and passion that the guides have. There is a reason that we keep coming back to paddle in Prince William Sound with the same company. Simply put, we love it! For Anadyr guides, especially myself, kayak guiding is a lot more than just a summer job. Paddling is a huge part of our lives. We do it for work. We do it for fun. We talk about it all the time. And most of us are planning on continuing to work towards higher-level kayak skills and instructor certifications. So, come join us. Come paddle with certified kayak instructors in one of the most breathtakingly beautiful places in the world! Check out these amazing kayak camping itineraries for an unforgettable Alaskan adventure. We’ll see you on the water.

We like to eat good. . . Alaska salmon with a tarragon butter sauce

TRAVELS IN PANAMA: ISLA COIBA, The Largest Island in Central America

Isla Coiba, the largest island in Central America, is a spectacular paddling destination

I want to kick this blog off with a cool video that I took snorkeling with a sea turtle. What an amazing experience! (If you’re reading this in an email, it looks way better on my website.)

Hello everyone! I’m back in Philadelphia with my family, basking in the afterglow one experiences after months of travel, sharing photos and telling stories of my recent adventures in Panama. One of the most memorable trips this past season was a 4-day/3-night sea kayaking and snorkeling trip to Coiba National Park, located on the Pacific. It is one of my favorite places to explore in Panama. I’ve traveled pretty extensively throughout the country and Coiba is a place that I return to every season. Each visit I discover something new and wonderful. It is a bio-diverse paradise, brimming with life and opportunities for adventure. A must-see if you travel to Panama! A sea kayaking and snorkeling tour is highly recommended, as it is surrounded by one of the largest coral reefs on Americas’ Pacific coast. Plus, it’s pretty cool to say you’ve been to the largest island in Central America (194 sq miles), and the biggest uninhabited island on the whole Pacific coast! Coiba is worthy of quite the accolades.

White-headed Capuchin Monkey in our campsite, commonly seen on Isla Coiba

Underwater life, Isla Coiba

Beautiful coral, Isla Coiba

A Fascinating Past: Penal Colony turned Bio-Diverse Paradise

Located in the Gulf of Chiriquí, Coiba National Park is a marine reserve comprised of 38 islands, including the largest, Isla Coiba, where our kayak and snorkel trip took place. It is actually part of the same underground Coco Ridge mountain chain as the Galápagos Islands. Isla Coiba was established as an offshore penal colony in 1919, under the dictatorships of Omar Torrijos and Manuel Noriega. It housed more than 3,000 political prisoners, known as “Los Desaparecidos” (Missing Persons). It was said that being sent to Coiba was like a death sentence. The last convict was released from the prison in 2005, the same year it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Paddling in the mangroves, Isla Coiba

To give you an idea of the biodiversity that awaits you, Coiba is home to 147 bird species, 760 species of fish, 33 shark species (including the Whale Shark), and 20 species of whales and dolphins, as well as many endangered and vulnerable species (Loggerhead, Leatherback, Hawksbill and Olive Ridley turtles, Tiger Sharks and Crested Eagles). Because it remained untouched and undeveloped for so long endemic species evolved on the island, including the Coiba Island Howler Monkey, the Coiba Island Agouti, and 21 species and subspecies of birds. In fact, Coiba is the only area in Panama where the Scarlet Macaw is found in significant numbers. Check out this lovely article with gorgeous photos of some of the flora and fauna on Coiba, as well as conservation information. Coiba is worth protecting. Check it out!

A spectacular place to snorkel and practice underwater handstands, Isla Coiba

Our Trip: Santa Catalina to Isla Coiba

My home-girl, Liz, and Captain Kiri, joined us for a day of snorkeling, Isla Coiba

Coiba is about 25 miles (1.5 hour boat ride) from Santa Catalina, a small laid-back beach community in the Veraguas province. I come here every year to visit friends and adventure on the ocean (and sometimes get washing machined in the surf between catching small waves in the whitewash). I take a bus from Albrook Transportation Terminal in Panama City through Santiago to a town called Sona, where there is a bus switch to Santa Catalina. It is worth spending a few days here if you like relaxing by the beach, swimming, surfing (SC hosts international surf competitions, and has great options for beginner to advanced surfers), stand-up paddling, and yoga. Santa Catalina also has a number of Scuba/snorkel businesses, and is where tours to Coiba can be booked. I’m friends with the owner and guides of Fluid Adventures Panama, the sea kayak company in Santa Catalina, and was thrilled to have their help in the trip logistics. It certainly always helps being friends with local tour operators. Kayakers are such friendly folks:)

A gorgeous day for a paddle, Isla Coiba

Sunset paddle, Isla Coiba

Los locos kayakistas
Nemesio, me, and Kira, Isla Coiba

My travel companions were Kira, fellow sea kayak guide and la otra chica loca (“the other crazy girl”), who I had the pleasure of adventuring with in Panama the past few months, and Nemesio, who I guide kayak trips with in the San Blas Islands (Guna Yala) on the Caribbean. As a kayaker I must say how amazing it is to go on a kayaking trip with fellow kayakers. We camped on the same beautiful white sand beach for three nights and paddled to different islands and along the coastline during the day. We probably spent more time out of our boats with them tied around our ankles while we snorkeled, as we did sitting in them:)

Snorkeling is as easy as hopping out of your boat (then you have to get back in), Isla Coiba

Snorkeling with friends, Isla Coiba

Nemesio enjoying the blue waters, Isla Coiba

Snorkeling on Isla Coiba

It’s like snorkeling in an aquarium, Isla Coiba

This photo is not zoomed in. . . I was actually this close to this sea turtle, Isla Coiba

The snorkeling on Coiba is absolutely amazing! My good friend who guides there says it’s like snorkeling in an aquarium, as there is an incredible amount of life to discover under the water (rays, reef sharks, turtles, tropical fish of all colors, sea stars). We were as happy as clams to spend hours each day hopping out of our boats to snorkel. We also took full advantage of the fact that we were guides on vacation and enjoyed lots of relaxation. . . lounging around on white sandy beaches, lounging around in hammocks, lounging around in the tent. . . you get the idea. Actually, I spent more time in the hammock while Kira worked to open coconuts with her bare hands. She was so determined. Good thing she had Nemesio to teach her the ways. This video is pretty hilarious.

Getting some hammock time in, Isla Coiba

After lunch siesta, Isla Coiba

Kira displaying her pride and joy of opening coconuts with her bare hands, Isla Coiba

Beautiful coastline to discover ~ Great for paddling, Isla Coiba

Sunset-to-Moonrise paddle, Isla Coiba

Sea kayaking here is spectacular! Contact me if you’re interested in a trip to Coiba. There are lots of options for different types of paddling, and one can often choose a more (or less) conservative path. There are calm and protected bays, beautiful mangroves to explore, lots of small islands to circumnavigate, secluded beaches, and fun areas with rock gardens and swell for the more experienced paddlers. And it’s just so easy to hop out of your boat and snorkel!

Join me on a paddling and snorkeling trip to Isla Coiba

I hope that you have enjoyed this virtual trip to Coiba National Park, and that it has inspired you to visit this gem of a place in the beautiful country of Panama. Until next time, happy and safe adventuring. Thanks for reading!

I leave you in the same way that we left Coiba Island, with dolphins leaping joyously out of the water to our delight. Chao!

JOIN ME IN CROATIA IN 2019!

Paddling in Croatia

Hola! I hope this finds everyone well:) I’m still in Panama, getting ready for the final sea kayaking trip of the season to Guna Yala, on the Caribbean. However, I’m always dreaming of future padding destinations (the list is long!). I’ll spend this summer guiding my 7th season in Prince William Sound, Alaska. . then my sights are set for Croatia in October. I’ll be doing an exploratory trip to plan an amazing itinerary that I am excited to offer in 2019. It will include paddling the gorgeous Zadar Archipelago, with day trips for hiking to the surrounding National Parks, wine-tasting at local vineyards, and city tours with local guides. More updates to come about this exciting trip offering. Please stay tuned and contact me if you are interested.

Paddling in Croatia

As for now, I’d like to share a wonderful blog post written by the local operator which I will be collaborating with for my upcoming trip. Paddling Croatia in winter! Looks amazing. Please check it out.

Sea cave exploration, Croatia

Paddling in wintertime, Croatia

Stay tuned for an upcoming blog about a recent 4-day sea kayaking and snorkeling adventure to the beautiful Isla Coiba National Park on the Pacific side. Isla Coiba is a gem of this magnificent country, and any trip to Panama should definitely include a visit here. Here’s a sneak peak from the adventure, which included close encounters with monkeys, sea turtles, and reef sharks, a spectacular sunset paddle, and so much snorkeling right from our kayaks:

Sunset paddle at Isla Coiba, Panama

This Sea Turtle swam directly under our kayaks, Isla Coiba, Panama

A hammock is obligatory, Isla Coiba, Panama

I could have touched this Sea Turtle (I didn’t. . . but I could have!), Isla Coiba, Panama

Isla Coiba is the best place to snorkel in all of Panama. It’s like snorkeling in an aquarium.

Thanks for reading. I hope that you have enjoyed these adventures!

MY TRIP TO SAN BLAS TO CELEBRATE THE GUNA REVOLUTION

Why am I writing about this? Why does it matter?

I’m sharing this with you because the Guna Revolution is a unique celebration of a fascinating culture that YOU can experience for yourself. This is something that you can travel to witness and even participate in. The Guna want people to see their Revolution celebration. It is open to the public and they are very welcoming and eager to share their culture with visitors! In fact, they asked me to tell as many people about it as possible. For those of you who are up for real adventure travel, you will be grateful for the journey. Following is my story from the 93rd Anniversary of the Guna Revolution:

The traditional Guna dance to celebrate the Revolution, Isla Tigre

I made it back from the Guna Revolution! It was quite the journey to get out to Isla Tigre, which included getting left behind by the only boat of the day to make the long-distance journey. Now I know. . . if you want to go to Isla Tigre, you have to show up with the Guna passengers and NOT when the tourists show up. It was a happy accident however. I spent an extra night on a beautiful island called Nurdup and got to spend more time with this little guy, Cristian, who is the closest thing to a Pokemon that I have ever met. Adorable!

Tigre is my favorite community that I’ve been to in Guna Yala (formerly known as San Blas) on the Caribbean side of Panama, which is where I guide kayaking trips. I’m not going to go into too much detail about what the Guna Revolution is because I recently wrote a blog about that, which you can find here. However, in a nutshell, the Guna are an indigenous group of Panama, who fought the Panamanian police, which culminated in a battle in February 1925. The Guna won and gained semi-autonomy. February 25 is a day of grand celebration on some of the communities in Guna Yala, the territory that the Guna inhabit.

Guna kids celebrating at the beach after their dramatic reenactment of the fight against the Panamanian police, Isla Tigre

The first day that I was there (Feb 24) the youth performed a dramatic reenactment of the fight between the Guna on Isla Tigre and the Panamanian police, who had been pressuring the Guna to cease practicing their traditional way of life. This had been going on for many years, building in intensity for the Guna. I was the only non-Guna there on this day. I was encouraged to sit in the front and had a few eager “interpreters” by my side, who were explaining the events to me.

The following day (Feb 25) was the reenactment performed by the adults. It is an hours-long, fascinating unfolding of the most significant event in “recent” Guna history. I’m extremely impressed with the acting of the Guna, who take this dramatization very seriously. It was actually quite amusing when young Guna kids would cry and run away because they thought that their parents were actually getting beaten up by Panamanian police. Don’t judge me. . . you would have thought it was amusing too! The following photos are of Guna actors and actresses during the reenactment of the fight with the Panamanian police.

Community members of Isla Tigre watch the reenactment of the fight between the Panamanian police and the Guna

After the impressive reenactment there was traditional Guna dancing and merriment:) All of the actors and actresses held hands in a large circle and took a few moments to remember and to respect what their elders had experienced during this time. It was a very emotional display by the community. The youth on Isla Tigre will certainly not soon forget what their elders went through to enjoy the freedom that they experience today. I was told that this reenactment is obligatory to attend by all community members.

I hope that you enjoyed reading about my experience during the Guna Revolution, and that you will consider making the journey with me in the future to experience it for yourself. We’ll go kayaking to celebrate:)

Guna youth actresses relax at the beach after performing in the reenactment, Isla Tigre

SUNRISE HIKING IN PANAMA: FROM THE BREAST OF “LA INDIA DORMIDA”

*If you’re getting this blog in an e-mail, it is much prettier to view it on my website.*

Hello everybody! I have so many adventures to share with you! Stay tuned for upcoming blogs about the amazing experience of celebrating the 93rd Anniversary of the Guna Revolution, and a wonderful 4-day sea kayaking and snorkeling adventure to Isla Coiba on the Pacific side of Panama. First, I’d like to share my experience in a lovely mountain town called El Valle de Antón, where I recently spent two days adventuring with my friend, Kira.

Sunrise over El Valle

The hike: La India Dormida (The Sleeping Indian)

The Legend: Luba, who they called “Flor del Aire”, or “Air Flower” was the daughter of Urraca, the most successful Chief in Panama fighting against the Conquistadores. It was her misfortune to fall in love with one of the Spanish soldiers. Yavari, one of the strongest fighters of her tribe, vied for her affection. When she did not return his love, in despair, he jumped to his death from a mountain top before the Princess’ eyes. In sorrow Princess Flor del Aire left her home and never saw the Spaniard again.
She crossed mountains and valleys bitterly weeping over her fate. Above the beaches of the Caribbean she fell dead looking back at the beloved mountains where she had been born. The mountains were so touched by this sad love story they decided to form the shape of the Princess, and that is how the India Dormida arose.

Our sunrise view-point on the breast of La India Dormida. Can you see her?

El Valle de Antón is only a few hours away from Panama City by bus, which is how I got there. It’s inexpensive and easy to get to from the Albrook Transportation Terminal. This was my second visit to El Valle, and this time around I did one of the “quintessential” El Valle hikes, which is not to be missed if you like gorgeous views. Kira, who is one of my favorite adventure friends, is always up for anything! We had planned to do some hiking, so when I suggested that we wake up at 4:30 AM to watch the sunrise from the top of La India Dormida, she was super excited. I admit that one of the main reasons to wake up so early was to beat the heat of mid-day, which is pretty unbearable hiking weather if you ask me. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves. Morning bliss!

It was super windy from where we watched the glowing ball of orange rise above the mountains to spread a golden light over the town. To our delight, we ended up watching the sunrise from the breast of La India Dormida:) It was definitely one of the most beautifully inspiring sunrises that I’ve ever seen. It made me think how many opportunities we have to experience this amazing (and FREE!) natural phenomenon. Every single day of our lives the sun rises (I certainly do hope), and watching it no matter where you are is a special experience to take in by oneself, or to share with others.

Kira doing Sun Salutations to greet the day

I hope that you found some inspiration from this sunrise adventure. Please stay tuned for more from my recent travels in Panama. You don’t want to miss a reenactment of the bloody battle that the Guna fought to gain their autonomy in 1925, nor do you want to miss snorkeling with sea turtles and sharks in one of Panama’s most precious national parks, Isla Coiba. Gracias!

¡Viva La Revolución Dule! ~ Celebrate the Guna Revolution with me

Guna kayak guide, Nemesio, and I pose with a Revolutionary flag on Gardi Sugdup. This year is the 93rd anniversary, so they need to add one more year:)

*If you get this blog in your email, it looks way better if you view it on my website.* Enjoy!

I leave tomorrow morning at 4:30 (yes, in the morning) to go back to Guna Yala! Join me (if not physically, then vicariously by reading this) to celebrate the 93rd anniversary of the greatest event of 20th-century Guna history. ¡Viva La Revolución Dule! Long Live the Guna Revolution! By the way, the Guna are an indigenous group who inhabit the beautiful tropical islands of the Comarca Guna Yala, their semi-autonomous territory in the Caribbean of Panama. There are about 365 islands to explore in the Comarca. This area was formerly known as the San Blas Islands. The Guna are the wonderful people who I guide sea kayaking trips with in the winter months. Check out those trips here.

Guna Revolutionary flags abound during the entire month of February, Gardi Sugdup

I have spent considerable time in many different Guna communities and my favorite one is a community called Digir, or Isla Tigre. It is one of the more traditional and “tranquilo” communities that I have encountered. I work closely with the people from Digir and have developed strong friendships with many community members. They have enthusiastically taught me an incredible amount about their fascinating culture. I am constantly learning new things from them.

Adrian teaches me and my friend, Morgan, about Guna culture, Isla Tigre

THE GUNA REVOLUTION (IN A NUTSHELL. . . LET’S SAY, A COCONUT SHELL:)

It is common to see phrases like this painted on walls in Guna communities ~ “Long Live the Guna Revolution!”

Ninety three years ago on February 25th, 1925 (during Carnival, when the police would be drunk) the Guna launched a rebellion against the Panamanian police, who had taken up residence in their communities. For over a decade, the police had been suppressing many customs they considered uncivilized, including the traditional practice of bathing outdoors, curing rituals, puberty ceremonies, meeting at the gathering house, traditional dance, and women’s dress. By the mid-1920s, police and bureaucrats had pacified about half the islands on the coast. The police had also quashed Guna resistance through jail and guns. Enough was enough for the Guna! They fought. . . and they won! They continue to celebrate this significant victory.

“For our Culture, for Religion, for Tradition and Custom – Long Live the Revolution!”

Fast-forward to the present; Many Guna have maintained much of their traditional way of life. Of course, they are also an adaptable people and certain aspects of their culture have changed, enabling them to be active citizens in the modern world. They believe (and I believe too) that a culture can succeed only if it can adapt to a changing world. A culture that tries to stay the same as it was a century ago will struggle to survive.

A friend’s (Orais) daughter and niece celebrate their puberty ceremony on Isla Tigre

Traditional Dance (Danza Guna) during the Revolution Celebrations, Isla Tigre

Each year the entire month of February is celebrated, especially on the islands that threw off police rule, such as Digir (Isla Tigre). The Revolution is commemorated with speeches, parades, traditional dances, Revolutionary banners and flags, and dramatizations recreating the events of 1925. Actors portray the abuses of the police, the traditional practices they suppressed, and finally the revolt itself. Through these dramas, the Guna address the continuing threats to their autonomy, as well as the value of traditional ways, currently threatened less by government policy than by changes they themselves are making.

Revolution dramatization (actors)

Guna acting as Panama police for the Revolution dramatization

Actors for the Revolution dramatization

Revolution dramatization

Revolution dramatization on Isla Tigre

Below is an awesome video of the Guna dancing in revolutionary celebration on Isla Tigre. If you watch closely you will see a flag that resembles a swastika. If you have been to Guna Yala you will have noticed many of these flags. (This is often one of the first things that people notice.) This is NOT a German Nazi symbol! I’m Jewish, so trust me, I wouldn’t be associating with that ideology. This symbol has a completely different meaning to the Guna. The Guna adopted this “well-being” symbol in the early 1900s. This symbol has been used by many different cultures and religions of the world to signify well-being, good luck and good fortune.

Guna Revolutionary flag

More recent Guna Revolutionary flag

And now, because I am a tour guide at heart and extremely passionate about sharing what I have been blessed with, in this case the opportunity to be immersed in Guna culture, I must say that it is well worth it to experience the Guna Revolution in Guna Yala, especially on Isla Tigre! It’s exciting. . . entertaining. . . fun. . . fascinating. . . and like nothing else you will experience in your life. So mark your calendars for February 25th, 2019! Don’t miss it. Contact me for more information, and to come paddle with me in Guna Yala.

Phil representing with the Revolutionary flag

Guna men ready for the Revolution dramatization on Isla Tigre

While I was doing a bit of research for this blog I came across this YouTube video by Guna musicians. In this video, which features traditional pan flutes and beautiful scenes from Guna Yala, they sing, “For you I’ll fight and die. It’s all that I have. My land is wounded. For you, I’ll give my life,” referring to their islands, their land, their culture.

I leave you with ¡Viva La Revolución Dule! Long Live the Guna Revolution! Stay tuned for future blog posts, including one that I will write about my experience over the next 4 days participating in the Guna Revolution. I’m charging my camera, so there should be some great video footage. I’m looking forward to watching the little kids’ version of the Revolution dramatization, which I’ve not seen before.

Revolutionary Mural on Gardi Sugdup

Just because I love this photo, Guna Yala

YOGA/KAYAK RETREAT: A Coast-to-Coast Adventure in Panama

Are jump-shots ever not a great idea? Guna Yala, Panama

Deep breath. Aaaah. I’m back in Panama City with a computer and time, so I can tell you about the awesome Yoga/Kayak Retreat that yoga instructor, Leigh Lubin, and I guided this past Jan 6-14. We’re excited to announce that we’ll be offering this trip again in January 2019. I’ll keep you posted with dates. Contact me if you’d like more info.

Denali and I getting our SUP on

Leigh, Ulrika & Meghan excited to be in kayaks

YOGA RETREAT ~ THE PACIFIC

Beautiful sunsets every night on the Pacific Coast – 5-minute walk from the yoga retreat

We started our 9-day journey together on the Pacific Coast, with 4 days at a gorgeous Yoga Adventure Retreat, just a 5-minute walk to the beach. Relaxation paradise! It was pretty easy to sink into holiday mode at this lovely place. I mean, we were greeted with ice cold hibiscus tea and there was a hammock pavilion!

Vacation mode

Everybody loves hammocks

The beautiful grounds at the yoga retreat

Leigh guided us in morning and afternoon yoga sessions with her Vitality & Vayus series, which invited us to deepen our yoga practice. She taught and encouraged us to notice how each movement and pose effected us energetically and mentally. A gifted yoga teacher, she created a beautiful balance of uplifting and energetic practices in the mornings, and grounding and calming practices in the evenings. I don’t have too many photos of practicing yoga, as I didn’t want to be behind a camera during practice. I wanted to be doing yoga!

Leigh practicing on the beach

Twist it out

Beautiful flowers

Enjoying the labyrinth

Yoga studio tucked into nature

We also got to play around with stand-up paddle boards. Leigh delighted in practicing her SUP headstands:)

SUP yoga

Getting into a headstand

Headstand!

Then there was the food. . . delicious! What a delight to come out of morning yoga practice to be greeted with fresh fruit and juice. Buen provecho!

Asian stir fry with mung bean noodles

Fresh fruit and juice after morning yoga

Fresh fish with a mango salsa

Happy. . . smiling. . . feeling good!

GUNA YALA ~ THE CARIBBEAN

After the yoga retreat, we traveled to Guna Yala for 4 days of tropical paradise; sea kayaking, snorkeling, lounging in hammocks, and immersing ourselves in the fascinating culture of the Guna. Check out a video of this tropical paradise.

This.is.paradise.

Perfect hammock tree

Phil representing with the Guna flag

Sunset on Nurdup

A little background: I have been kayak guiding in Guna Yala since 2010, and have been in love with the place ever since:) Guna Yala is the semi-autonomous territory of the indigenous Guna of Panama. The tropical coastline stretches 140-miles and borders Colombia. It also comprises about 25 miles of mainland rain forest. We stayed on a tiny island called Nurdup (“Almond Island”, in Guna), and used that as our “basecamp” for day excursions to nearby rivers, mangroves, beaches, and Guna communities.

Click here for a video of our first sunset in Guna Yala. Beautiful.

Check out a cool video of snorkeling. And a kayaking video (this was my first trip with my new Olympus Stylus TG-Tracker camera, so you’ll have to excuse the warped quality of this one).

Welcome to Nurdup

Here are some highlights:

A sunset dip

A heron passing in front of Guna fishing huts

Oh, what fun!

Meghan enjoying a river paddle

Beautiful Coral

Fan Coral

Gone snorkeling

A lobster hiding under Brain Coral

Paddle to a Guna community. The underwater pipe brings fresh water from the mainland.

Selfie time!

Leigh in underwater Dancer pose

Leigh in underwater Eagle pose

“Patacones” (savory plaintains=yum!))

Fresh fruit at every meal

Leigh continued with early morning yoga practice on Nurdup, and we were joined by our Guna kayak guide, Nemesio, who entertained the other Guna with his joyful interpretation of the poses. Namaste, Nemesio!

Morning yoga on Nurdup

Our yoga “studio” surroundings

We also took our yoga off of the mat and donated many gifts to the Guna, especially art supplies, clothing, and books for the kids. Here is Meghan searching for Waldo with our new Guna friends. Dónde está Waldo? I don’t know why the girl looks so sad in this photo. She was pretty excited about her new Fairy book.

Dónde está Waldo?

While on Nurdup we learned a lot about the fascinating lives of the Guna, who have fought to maintain their traditional customs. They are enthusiastic to share their culture with us.

We heard Guna legends from Nemesio
We learned Guna phrases (Nuedi= good, you good? i’m good, we’re all good!)
We went mola-shopping and marveled at this incredible craft. The mola is the beautiful hand-sewn panel that is sewn onto the front and back of the women’s blouse. Many Guna women spend much of their day sewing molas. Click here for a video of trying on a mola.
We learned about the intricate bead work that the women display on their forearms and calves (called wini, much to our amusement). Here is a video of Denali getting her wini on.
We participated in the traditional dance with a youth dance group from a neighboring community. Check out a short video of the dance. Here is a longer one (it starts off a bit slow, but it picks up and is is worth the watch).
We went for a ride in one of their small wooden sailboats (called urbipi). Click here for a video of Leigh and Phil going for a sail.

The ladies getting their “wini” on

The beautiful hand-stitched “mola”

Denali trying on a “mola”

Youth dancers performing the Guna Danza

With the youth Guna dancers

“Wini” close-up

Leigh and Phil go for a ride in an “urbipi”

And, of course, we went kayaking and had loads of fun splashing around in the water. One of the highlights were the post-dance festivities. We enjoyed the Guna Danza so much that we wanted to share with the youth dancers something fun from our group. We invited them to play around in our kayaks. Whoa! I’ve never seen such an enthusiastic reaction (I wish I had it on film). These teenagers (and one adorable 6-year old) leaped out of their seats, shrieking at the tops of their lungs and jumped right into the water with the kayaks. None of them had ever been in a kayak before. However, growing up practically in the water, they did just fine:) Future Guna kayak guides! They even organized themselves into a race. Click here to see the video of the kayak race. Check out this video of a fun, music-filled river paddle (and now I know who Charlie Puth is). Note all the kids we stuffed into the kayaks (that sounds bad, doesn’t it?). We just couldn’t turn them down when they wanted to join us for a paddle.

Guna kayak race

Guna kids playing around

We invited them to return later that evening to join us in a party! Meghan and Denali, two of our participants, had brought all kinds of fun gifts to donate. They even brought glow-sticks, which everyone went crazy for! We used my paddle as a limbo stick and attempted a conga line:) Click here to see a video of our paddle limbo. Of course, the Alaskans put on the country tunes.

Glow-stick party on Nurdup!

CASCO VIEJO – PANAMA CITY

After departing Guna Yala we made a visit to the Panama Canal and caught a large ship going through the Miraflores Locks. Check out the video. We then had a few hours to roam around Casco Viejo, a scenic part of the city, before an entertaining farewell dinner that included delicious Panamanian food and traditional dances from other areas of Panama. Check out the dancing here.

Cruising around Casco Viejo

Typical Panamanian dancing

At the Panama Canal

What a trip! Besides the gorgeous places that we visited, including both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts of Panama and Panama City, what made this trip so exceptional was the people. As a tour guide, it is a gift to be in the company of such open-minded, kind, adventurous, and fun people as Leigh and I had on this trip. Thank you to all of them! You made this trip extremely special.

I leave you with the one of the most adorable Guna kidlets that I have ever seen.

Hi, I am adorable

Cutest Guna kidlet:)

And because I loved this little boy so much, here’s a video of him playing catch. What a little biscuit!

Well, I think that’s enough photos and video links for now. Stay tuned for the next blog about a most wild and crazy kayak trip to Guna Yala with my parents and our friends.

Please follow me on Instagram to check out my photos of traveling and paddling in beautiful places (mostly Panama and Alaska). I love hearing your comments. Contact me for trip information (or just to say hi).