Cartagena to Aruba

Chris Parker, our weather forecaster, finally gave us a heads up. We asked our agent to get our departure papers and paid up our bill at Club Nautico. Early on October 1 we filled our water tanks, did a quick last minute grocery run and left the dock at 9:00 AM for the fuel dock. Seven hundred and fifty dollars later we pulled away and temporarily anchored off the marina. It is 22 hour trip to the Five Bays anchorage so we have decided to leave at 6 PM to cross the River Magdelana in the early morning when the winds are calmer and we can watch for debris - and still anchor in Guayraca, the middle bay of the five before dark.
It's always eerie to leave a harbor in the dark. The channel is pretty well lit and we've been this way before so it's safe. Still I held my breath a little as we negotiated the narrow entrance throught the breakwater. The rest of the night was really lovely - calm and full of stars. We had a positive current so we really had to turn the engine down so as not to get to the Magdelena before daybreak. It was calm as we approched but once the wind came up against the currents steep waves with short intervals crashed over our bow and tossed us a bit around. We knew this often happens here so we were prepared and it only lasted a few hours. Then it was a nice the rest of the way.

Approaching the Five Bays in Tayrona National Park is always wonderful. The highest coastal mountain range (peaks over 19.000 ft) in the world looms up behind the rocky cliff lined harbors. Our favorite is the middle bay with it's small fishing village and coffee colored beach. Our friend Reynando came out to visit with us and we spent five days snorkeling, kyacking and admiring the view. We were waiting for Chris to give us the go ahead for our next passage and he finally said, "GO"
This next part of our journey was full of possibilities and timing arrival in daylight at the potential anchorages was tough. We left early in the morning and at 3:00 AM passed the first possibility, Cabo de Vela (Cape of the Winds). It had been a good passage with some great positive currents and we were making good time.

Some squalls and a second oil platform not marked on our charts gave us some exciting moments but we were feeling pretty good. We decided to keep going and at least make it to Monjes del Sur, a rocky Venezuelan outpost we had visited last October (see posting for all these anchorages in October 2007). The weather still was great late in the afternoon but if we continued on to Aruba we would be there at 2:00 AM so we tied up onto the rope at Monjes at 5:00 PM and settled in for the night.
The next morning gave us an unexpected challenge. I was up early and noticed that we were lying in a strange position relative to the wind. We had somehow been pushed over the line and our keel was caught. Scott had to wake up quickly that morning for a swim to free it before the wind came up. We cast off not long after and set our course for Aruba and the Renaissance Marina - luxury ahead!
This is a first class establishment and a good value. We pay $50 a night to stay there and the rest of the hotel guests pay $300 and up. Three nights refreshed us completely. We also met a very nice couple from Scotland on "Atlantia", Margaret and Will that were heading west.


Our first day there however was spent on the internet and on Skype. We had decided not to continue on to Trinidad if we could change our plane tickets. These were frequent flier ones on American and Continental so this was a difficult process. It took a day but we managed. Unfortunately it meant I couldn't be home for Thanksgiving and my planned sister Paula's visit. This was very disappointing but frankly it was a huge relief not to be transiting the Venezuelan coast at this time. Security problems have been rampant. Just last week a French cruiser was killed there on his boat by robbers in front of his wife and 10 year old son. There have been many incidents within the last month. The Russian navy is off the coast till November in joint exercises with Venezuela. To top it off I've been suffering from bursitus and sitting for long periods of time has probably caused it to flare up again.
We emailed and then called all our family after we made the changes. Everyone has been understanding. Our next port of call is Curacao and we had a lovely day to motor sail the 50 miles over there.

Sitting and Waiting - for a window

A weather window to be precise. This next leg of our journey east to Trinidad is about 450 miles along the Columbian coast to Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire (off Venezuela). We would love to go direct from here to Bonaire, taking about 3 days (and nights). But it is unlikely the weather will hold long enough for us to do this. The prevailing currents and winds are against us and this is a notoriusly windy and stormy area. Squalls and thunderstorm are predicted pretty continuosly. So it's a little nerve wracking waiting.
Meanwhile we've had workers swarming over the boat. Scott and they have fixed the generator, the air conditioning, the ice maker, and the shore power relay. He's been searching out boat parts to accomplish that. We hired a young man to clean and polish the stainless steel and fiberglass. He's on his third day ($25 a day).
I've been cleaning the inside of the boat; washing down all the inside surfaces to get rid of mold and dirt. And then there is shopping at the supermarket and the public market, followed by repackaging, pre cooking, stowing and inventorying.
Every morning we walk for an hour or more around the old city. There had been a happy hour evening and pot luck here at the marina with the whole cruising community showing up. We've met a lot of new friends and seen many old ones.
So waiting around isn't boring - or scary, but we're still hoping to take off soon and get this section of our trip over and done with!

Cartagena's a lot of fun!

We are going to be very sorry to leave Cartagena and we'll be back for sure. We take a walk every morning and often again later in the day. At this point of course, after several months here (Scott Free has of course been here longer), we know it well and to know it, is to love it. The scenery is beautiful overall but there are millions of little details that surprise you every day.
Inside a simple doorway you can glimpse a beautiful courtyard. A door is decorated with a lizard and fountains spray water high in the squares. The people here are very nice and we have never felt the slightest concern for our safety. The weather is hot of course, but really only in the middle of the day. Even then if you stay out of the sun, it's fine. The food is great and inexpensive for the quality. We've eaten in some restaurants the equal of those in NYC and for half the price! That's Scott eating a selection of desserts from the Sunday buffet at the Sant Clara Hotel on the left.
We take spanish lessons five days a week and we've learned a lot. Scott can chatter away in Spanish and I at least can manage a conversation now. We expect we'll improve in Peru when we'll be forced to converse more often. Here we hang out with the cruising community a lot and haven't made too many local friends. And those want to practice their english!

Back to "Scott Free" in Cartagena, Columbia

We flew from Boston to Panama City and were supposed to stay there two nights and see some of the area. Unfortunately a snow storm canceled our flight and we left the next day. Our hotel was too far out of the city centre so we just spent the night and flew on to Cartagena the next day. "Scott Free" was waiting for us at Club Nautico Marina. We had installed the winter canvas cover over the

entire top so it was a job getting that off and folding it up. The decks were a mess, covered with dirt blown in under the edges, but it was surprisingly clean down below. Of course we had as usual four huge bags stuffed with things so unpacking was a long chore. This time two of the bags were repacked with all the clothes and gear for our two months in Peru and put in the V-berth until we leave May 1.
Club Nautico is a bit run down in places but they keep it brightly painted. Here's a shot of the front and another of some painters working on a mural on the side.
The 58th Annual Cartagena Film Festival is this week and it's a big event. Hundreds of films are being shown and seminars on every film subject are scheduled throughout the city. We went down to the office to get schedules and see what's playing.
This year their special guest nation is France and many current French movies are being shown, along with a retrospective of Francois Truffaut.
Cruiser friends of ours on Panacea, Rick and Sue, had met some of the organizers of the festival and they invited us to several events. One night they came over for drinks and then we watched movies on a screen in Plaza Trinidad. Every night during the festival they showed films under the stars in four different plazas throughout the city. We saw a very clever cartoon that needed no translations first. An old women tries to buy cat food for a reasonable price at a frightening futuristic super supermarket.
She gets thrown in jail and manages to escape using some great lock picks. Next was a short atmospheric film featuring nuns, archeologists and we think, vampires. Last was a surprise - John Sayles 1984 film "A Brother from Another Planet"! Afterwards we had dinner at a good Columbian restaurant "Cuchina del Soccorro" until the private party at Club Havana opened. We were one of the chosen few let in and the place was rocking. The cuban band was excellent and the free mojitos flowing. A guest performer from Hawaii, Tony, performed with the band. We don't stay up past midnight very often, but this was worth it!

Two nights later Rick and Sue gave a party for Tony on board their Cheoy Lee 48anchored in the harbor. Columbian friends George, Luna and Mimi came, along with a Italian journalist living in California, Alfredo. Two other cruiser couples came - Natalia and Luis on "Vagamunco" and Alan and Fiona on "Seabisket". There was a lovely spread of food and Tony gave us a concert. What a terrific time.
That's Rick, Sue and Tony at the top with a shot of Tony performing. Then Natalia and Luis next, followed by myself and Fiona. Lastly are Alan & Fiona and Luna & Mimi.

Leaving Cartagena and going home!

We have had such a wonderful time here in Cartagena. We arrived over a month ago and the time has gone by so fast. After our first few days at anchor we moved into our slip at the Club Nautico Marina and "Scott Free" will remain there in our absence. On the left our boat with our day glow orange kyack on the bow is at anchor while a tall Argentine training ship passes before us (we're just to right of his stern).On the right is the view from our cockpit over the dock and the harbor towards Boca Grande, the wealthy residential high rise district along the beach. Club Nautico is the cruiser hangout here and we've made many good friends and renewed our friendship with others.

We had planned to haul the boat and leave her "on the hard", but the extensive festival holidays made that difficult. We've settled into a daily schedule and will miss particularily the walks in the city every morning. Still we are so looking forward to seeing our family and friends back home. In just one week we will celebrate Thanksgiving with many of them at our new home in Vermont, the Hundred Acre Wood.

Getting the boat ready to leave, even in a slip, is still several days work. All the fresh food needs to be thrown or given away and the frig emptied and cleaned. The beds stripped, linens cleaned and put in plastic. Scott had last minute repair jobs and the new wind generator to install on the radar arch. We also put the "winter" canvas cover over the whole boat at the last minute. Terry and Chuck from "Maker's Match" next to us (shown here) gave us a hand that last day.

And, of course, we look forward to skiing (and for Heather, teaching). We plan to continue our Spanish lessons in Vermont and will be looking for a tutor as soon as we get back. Our teacher Amaury is shown here to the right with Scott and I. So tomorrow we fly to Panama City, stay one night and then fly to Boston on Friday. In January we'll spend 10 days in California seeing our our daughter Zoe and her family - husband George and two sons, Nicholas and Thomas. And then on February 25, after a few days in Panama City, we'll be back home on "Scott Free".

Parade of the Candidates in Cartagena

We are lucky to be in Cartagena for their biggest yearly blowout. This is around their Independence day and the contest for Miss Columbia. Candidates from all over the country are competing for the title and this country takes it's beauty contests seriously. This is the only news for almost a week.
The holiday is five days long but the celebrations go one for over a week! Every day there are parades. The first day was a formal presentation of the candidates, all in white, with their escorts through the center of the city - a small affair with only a few bands and dancers. See our blog entry labeled San Fernando Fiesta for two pictures of a few of the girls and their partners.

The big parade was the next day, the first out of work holiday, and the whole city closed down for it. Hundreds of police and army personnel kept the thousands in some order and shut down the streets to cars. The candidates are on big floats, standing and dancing, surrounded by dancing groups and bands, and cheered on by their supporters The dancers vary enormously from the very young to the very old, men and women both. The energy shown by the older ones amazed us all, and there were a lot of dancers over 70. Many of our cruiser friends were frightened off by the crowds and we were one of the few who stayed for the whole parade (and were close up). Eight of us went down an hour before the parade was supposed to start.
Of course it was three hours before it actually came past us. But we had front row seats on the curb as you can see from my pictures! This festival has a trick or treat quality to it. Motor oil, corn flour, water and paint figure into the "trick" component. Young men/boys wander throughout the city all week covered in motor oil or paint and carrying small buckets
You either give them a coin or get a sample. Water and flour are just generally thrown around! One young women came up to Scott and decorated his face for him - doesn't he look pleased (she was very pretty). You can see the crowds in this shot here with the army patroling the city walls. Waiting all that time worked up an appetite in most of us. Restaurants and bars were all closed but every vendor in the city was out supplying the crowd. We enjoyed the crisp plantain chips, popcorn, ice cream and cervezas. Once the parade was over it was a long walk home through the city among the crowds but we had plenty of change and it was fun watching people. The next day the candidates moved onto the water! Each one stood in a boat rowed by four naval officers and took part in a huge boat parade through the harbor. Finally the judging itself took place in the beautiful convention center down town.

Churches, Convents and Monestaries

The variety of churches here is remarkable and most have been wonderfully restored or maintained. The Convento de San Pedro Claver now serves as museum in part. It was founded by Jesuits in early 17th century and is named for Spanish-born monk Pedro Claver, called the "Apostle of the Blacks" or the "Slave of the Slaves", he spent all his life ministering to the slaves brought from Africa. He was the first person to be canonized a saint in the New World in 1888. The Iglesia de San Pedro Claver is above left and was completed in the first half of the 18th century. The remains of the saint are in the alter surrounded by beautiful stained glass windows. Above right is the Catedral-Arzobispado of Cartagema - a massive church with a lovely dome that rises above the city. The signiture building of the University of Cartagena is a former convent, Claustro San Augustin-Hoy. The tower is beautifully restored and painted, shown here above immediate left. Two smaller lovely churches in pretty squares are the Iglesia Trinidad (right) and the Iglesia Santo Toribio de Mogrojejo (right below). The College of Beaux Arts now enjoys it's location in a charming brightly colored church in the square of San Diego shown below on the left.

San Diego Fiesta

Scott went downtown to the San Diego district with Richard, Tom and Colleen to see the local fiesta parade on Sunday afternoon. They didn't know what to expect but it turned out to be a mini carnival parade. Groups of dancers (children & adults), musicians and individuals (like the fellow in red with Richard) thronged through the streets. It was a colorful display and our little cruiser group was




inspired to join them. At first they stayed in the back but later were moved forward among the groups. Our carnival in Grenada last summer was very much like this, although much bigger. Later this week however we may see similiar displays on a larger scale. Richard and Debra saw a parade to present the candidates for Miss Columbia on Saturday. They and their escorts made a beautiful sight. See two shots below.

Halloween in Cartagena

Halloween is now celebrated in Cartagena, although it isn't a local holiday. It is part of a week long carnival which ends with the crowning of Miss Columbia. This includes days of parades, fiestas, competitions and of course eating and drinking. Orange and black ballons and decorations hang outside many of the bars and costume parties are a new fixture. As in the US, occasionally a home will be decorated with a stuffed figure and other elements. Here at the Marina cruiser families went from boat to boat and "trick or treated". Two young children from "Blueprint
Martch" visit in their costumes here. Most of the cruisers attended the party given by the management and there were some wonderful costumes. Buddy and Melissa from "Indigo Moon" are shown on the right. Buddy was pretty impressed that I was able to kiss him with those teeth! There was live music and the crowd danced all evening. One of our cruiser friends is obviously having a wonderful time above right. Corn floor is
traditionally rubbed on people's faces during this whole holiday period. Water ballons are also thrown and it is necessary to carry small coins to buy off individuals covered in motor oil (from hugging you). Scott and I found doctor's uniforms downtown and they looked very realistic with our blood pressure cuff and syringes. Colleen had a clever spoof of the Mastercard ad - Priceless! Richard and Debra made fabulous pirates and won a prize in the contest (bottles of rum). Another prize was won by a family that all came covered in ballons (see picture below). They got a big round of applause as they landed in their dinghy and piled out. We had a witch and a wizard, and a skeleton and a fortune teller, among many others. Most of the locals wore what looked like carnival costumes. They uniformly looked really elegant and nice (especially compared to the crazy motley looking cruiser types).

A local meal of chicken and rice was served on a banana leaf. Drinks were passed around on trays most of the evening. During the first hour they included scotch and wine, but later rum and beer predominated. This cost $12 per person and was more than worth it! In fact as you can see from these pictures there was more than enough alcohol available for all!