Thursday 15th was press day for World ARC at Santa Marta and, as it happened, Exody's timely arrival at lunchtime suited them all perfectly - so we had cameras and notebooks vying with customs officials, event organisers, marina staff and WCC yellowshirts all at our busy finger pontoon. Martin kindly helped out with the Spanish interviews - the TV reporter's face in particular was a picture of inscrutable non-comprehension when faced with my enthusiastic response in English.
This after being escorted in and welcomed by radio from more than two miles out by two coastguard/marine police vessels, one of which led us all the way into the marina. What a welcome - Colombia and Santa Marta have pulled out all the stops for the World ARC fleet!
The new-ish and attractive marina, home mostly to large sport fishing boats, forms a centerpiece bisecting a wide sandy bay right in front of the city centre so we are well placed to explore.
The current had been against us for the last day or so at up to 2 knots which, with a spell of light wind, resulted in our resorting to the engine for a few hours before the wind returned to give us a good final sail in close past the deeply indented and dramatic coastline of the Tayrona national park and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta further inland - claiming the highest peak next to the sea in world (about 6000 metres). We had sailed closely ahead of Hugur for the last day and reckon we were 9th boat in out of 14, a full 18 hours ahead of our estimated ETA.