Thursday 16 Jan began as the previous 5 days with us forging ahead under
twin headsails with a 10-12 knot wind astern. Later that forenoon we began
to see the loom of the Colombian Sierra Nevadas and calculated that we could
be alongside in to the new marina at Santa Marta by early the next morning.
As the day progressed the impressive mountains took shape, (the highest
19,000 feet) and the wind and waves began to rise. From yachts ahead of us
came messages that in the last 20 miles before entering Santa Marta harbour
they were experiencing winds of up to 40 knots (Gale 8 +) and high seas.
Shortly before sundown we took down the port foresail and stowed its
spinnaker boom in anticpation of things to come. The wind was already rising
25 knots and knowing what was to come, at 8pm under spreader lights we
stowed the starboard spinnaker pole and took some rolls in the starboard
foresail. By 10pm we too were experiencing gusts of 40 knots and huge seas
which towered over our stern lifting Lydia as they rushed by with the
roaring hiss of an express train and phospheresence dancing everywhere.
There was no possibility of sleep for those off watch so all 5 of us crammed
into the cockpit to enjoy this exhilerating experience. We could see the
headland in the distance on our port bow and the stern lights of those just
ahead of us as we crested the waves. Lydia is so solid and soundly built
that we all have total confidence that she can manage any sea thrown at her.
Suddenly we notice a green light that had been slightly astern of us
abruptlychanging course and at one point coming straight for us. Fortunately
the yacht passed clear astern before again appearing to violently alter
course.
Shortly after midnight we reached the headland and turned in towards the
lights of Santa Marta which suddenly came into view. Once we were in the lee
of the headland the seas calmed and the wind dramatically dropped to
5-10knots and we crossed the Finishing Line at 1.34hrs having never used our
engine once, unlike the vast majority of other yachts. Eventually we were to
learn we came 4th in the monohull class of 19. Once we had secured
alongside in the marina Matthew, (who is good at these things, apart from
others!) made the strongest rum punches all of us had tasted, 80% neat rum
and fruit mixture just for flavour and colour. We invited over the yacht who
had steered at us earlier in the evening just to show no hard feelings. In
fact the retired German couple sailing her had experienced gear problems in
those winds and seas and we all became great friends with the party
finishing at 4am.
The World ARC organisation had been optimistic regarding the time of arrival
of the majority of yachts so had held a Welcome Party and escort of
coastguard vessels prior to our arrival and many others on the Thursday.
However, once we had sorted ourselves out after a late start that morning,
all crews were taken on a bus tour of Santa Marta beginning with the city
museum. Here we leant that the Spanish hadfirst arrived in 1501 and the city
was formally founded in 1509. The three unfortinate indigenous tribes which
had separate, interesting and sophisticated cultures were almost all wiped
ou
by the diseases, smallpox, etc that the Spanish brought with them. It was
explained
that Colombia has a population of some 60 million and the main exports are
coffee, gold, oil
and that Colombia is the largest emerald exporter in the world. We also
learnt about Simon Bolivar who is highly revered in South America. Those
uninterested in history please skip to the next paragraph. Bolivar was born
of rich Spanish colonists in Caracas, Venezuela in the late 1700s. He was
orphaned by 9 and brought up by a close and inflential friend of the family.
We were told that he did not work at his studies, was a bit of a rebel and
was far more interested in soldiering. As a young man he travelled
extensively in Europe and was particulary influenced by Napoleon and the
French Revolution. He also visited the recently independent USA and met
Washington. When he returned to South America he was fired with
revolutionary zeal and set about his mission to rid South America of its
Spanish rulers. He began his liberation crusade in Columbia of which Panama
was then a part. His first battles were in 1809 and by 1819 he and his rebel
national forces had thrown out the Spanish rulers from Colombia. In
subsequent years he led successful liberation crusades in Venezuela,
Ecuador, Peru and finally what is now Bolivia.
During the rest of the afternoon we visited the beautiful Roman Catholic
cathederal of Santa Marta where Simon Bolivar is buried and finally went out
to visit the hacienda/museum on the outskirts of the city where Bolivar
spent his last months before dying premately of tuberculosis aged 47.
On the Saturday all World ARC crews were invited to a beach BBQ at a
beautiful, exclusive, beach accessed down unmade roads through rain forests.
The setting was perfect with tables under shady trees on the water's edge
where crews intermingled, played cricket, (cheating uproarously) and
children happily splashing in the clear blue sea with their parents. Waiters
bought us seemingly unending trays of different drinks and later an
excellent meal
all supported by "Manuel" who owns a large part of Santa Marta including the
new marina.We got back on board early to host a drinks and nibbles party for
the English crew of Carango, ex cavalry officers and their wives and then on
to a dinner ashore.
Sunday 17 Jan we were all up early to catch the tour bus to see the old
coffee plantation at Minca high up in the Sierra Nevada. Parts of the road
were newly made with strong fencing as the drops down into the valleys were
precipitous. In due course we arrived at the main plantation factory which
had been started by an adventurous English couple in 1892 and who had
brought out all the specialised plant machinery made by Gordon Ironworks of
London and which is still working today. A German couple bought the
plantation in 1950 and their family still run it, not as a commercial
venture but as an interesting tourist attraction. We were told that
Colombian coffee is
possibly the best in the world and that the Santa Marta produces the best of
that.
After our visit we explored some local waterfalls, but alas being a Sunday
the world and his wife and children were happily filling every available
pool and cascade. Steve and I being adventurers at heart continued to
scramble up the rocks lining the river and waterfalls until we ran out of
people and any method of going further up stream, much to the concern
of our guide who thought we might have drowned.
Monday 18 Jan we were again up early (8am) to join another coach trip to the
famous Taymora National Park created in 1964 by removing the cattle farmers
there since the land contained many fauna and flora of national importance
that needed to be saved. The park is to the north of Santa Marta and has a
coastal area. Soldiers guard its entrances which are strictly controlled. In
spite of correct paperwork it still took us half an hour before the teenage
soldiers allowed us in. With our guide we walked along trails surrounded
often by seemingly impenetrable rain forests with the guide pointing out
flora and fascinating brightly coloured little birds, humming birds in
particular. We came across the tracks of ocelot and jaguar and saw long
flights of pelicans wending their way this way and that. Near the mangroves
we were warned to be careful of the cayman allegators, however we were
reassuringly
told that they normally only eat people in the nesting season of April to
June so all was well. After an excellent lunch of locally caught fish in a
hotel built to resemble an indigenous Indian's home, we all went for a swim
on
another of the beautiful deserted beaches in a tiny little area 50m x 50m.
Apparently over 200 visitors have died in the last few years at these
beaches because of the vicious undertows and currents. Now swimming is
banned throughout the National Park apart from our tiny area by the hotel.
On our return to our marina, we met up with the crew from "Belafonte", Tim a
computer systems engineer and Magda a specialist nurse both from Canada who
only bought their yacht a year ago but are highly competitive racing day
boat sailors on the
Great Lakes. They are taking a year off to sail round the world and meet new
people. Their other two crew members are Steve and Belinda
from Margaret River south of Perth in Austrailia, Steve is in oil
exploration
among other qualifictions while his wife is a Flight Lt in the Australian
Air Force and a top flying instructor about to help bring in the new small
version of the Hercules
transport plane into the RAAF. Needless to say she had some stories to tell
of the male chauvinism and harrassment women like her have experienced in
following traditionally male careers in Australia. One of the great benefits
of this World ARC(which I had not fully appreciated ed when I first signed
up,) is the
fascinating people you meet doing this sort of thing; all have interesting
stories to tell if you do a little digging.
Tuesday 19 Jan the day before we are due to set off for the San Blas Islands
and then on to Shelter Bay near the Panama Canal entrance. Steve and I do a
complete inventory of what food we have got on the yacht already and where
it is stowed. This will prove invaluable. Steve, Andrew and I then set of to
a smart supermarket we had recced the previous day. One, or should I say me,
tended to think of Colombia as 3rd World totally down at heal and forever
fighting FARC rebels. However as I understand, a lasting peace with FARC is
about to be signed and certainly we have seen little evidence of either the
Army or Police behaviour normally seen in live terrorist situations. There
is undoubtedly a significant gap between rich and poor with many Chelsea
tractors in evidence and shops selling everything you can imagine yet shanty
districts
on the outskirts. All the people we saw appeared very friendly and happy.
and everything appeared very inexpensive in comparison to Europe. A smart
new luxury 2 bedroom flats overlooking the marinaare priced at £120K and
seemed an outstanding investment in a country which is stable by South
American standards. The
supermarket we went for our provisions could have been mistaken for a large
Tesco in England or possibly even a Waitrose. Suffice to say we bought all
the provisions we felt were needed and to a taxi back to Lydia where we then
had
a challenge stowing it all! That evening we invited our next door yacht, an
American Lagoon 400 catamaran owned by Dan and Paula who are sailing round
the world with the 14
year old daughter Ariana and young son Ryan. Dan was ex US Navy, Annapolis
then
flying but after 12 years decided to study medicine sponsored by the USN
specialising in radiography.
His charming wife Paula has a PhD in Social Psychology and advises law
firms. After our drinks we all went on to a formal Farewell Dinner andPrize
Giving arranged by World ARC and again supported by Mr "Manuel" at the
Marina Hotel. A good time was had by all. We later learnt that Lydia had
come 4th in our
monohull division out of 19 yachts which was not at all bad.. We retired
early as we expected to be on the Start Line just outside the harbour by 8am
the following morning.
However when Wednesday 20 Jan dawned we had a message over the radio that
the start had been postponed until further notice as the Port Captain had
closed the port so nothing could go in or out. His reason apparently was
that the winds outside were 40knots + and the seas mountainous and he had a
duty of care for us while we were in his port. While this was frustrating,
it was entirely understandable. It took all day of delicate negotiations to
finally peruade him that the crews were all highly experienced sailors with
safe yachts well able to
cope with gale force winds and high seas. By evening he agreed to let us
sally forth the following morning.
On Thursday 21 Jan we actually did make the Start Line at 8am and, just as
predicted, once we had rounded the point we were hit by 40knot winds and
huge seas, all of which we could cope with but made sleeping, when you got
the chance, well nigh impossible. Lydia never seems to stop rolling. Steve,
our doctor, says this is very good for us since we are using our core
muscles all the time to keep balance and to do the simplest of things. A bit
like
Charles Atlas's muscle building by dymanic tension. Meantime I fear that our
lunches
and dinners are becoming the high points of each day so I am not now quite
so sure I shall be coming home noticably slimmer than when I embarked! With
the winds as they were we reverted to just a full yankee as even a little
main made her unbalanced. We also have a minor problem with the mainsail's
reefing system which we will sort out when we are safely anchored in the San
Blas islands.
Friday 22 Jan, The winds and waves are at last easing and have dropped to
10-15 knots with waves bumpy rather than huge seas. Mid morning Steve our
keen fisherman caught a very respectable Dorado or Mahi Mahi. It was a
beautiful fish and he played it well. However, we do not have a gaff so when
we started to pull up out of the water to land him, the angry Mahi Mahi
somehow jumped just as we were hauling him on board and then, like Tarzan
"with one bound he was free!" much to the consternation of us all gathered
on the afterdeck. However Andrew savedthe day and caught a lunch sized tuna
shortly after which Matthew duly cooked excellently and we all ate with
gusto. We have continued to sail very stably
and peacefully with just the yankee foresail making a steady 4-5 knots and
expecting to reach our destination of the San Blas Islands by midday
tomorrow. Whereas we could put on more sail, it would mean arriving in
the dark which is dangerous as all the islands are unlit and the unlit
passage into them is only 200 yards wide.
I fear this blog may be too much detailed so next time I will just put in
the
highlights and amusing bits.
With best wishes from all the crew of Lydia,
Nigel
.