Neill – Page 20

Side trip to Cartagena

We are currently in the marina at Puerto Velero so in the middle of nowhere on a mosquito infested sandbank but only a hundred kilometers away from the legendary city of Cartagena. Yesterday we caught a ride on the back of a motorbike up to the main road and then took a bus to Cartagena. It took a total of two hours to get there and saved the Colombian bureaucracy of clearing the boat out with the port captain of Baranquilla and back in with the port captain at Cartagena.

We arrived mid morning and began by finding a coffee shop to get our bearings and escape from the sun. Once coffee had been taken we set off for the skyscrapers of the new city and and the office of the telephone company to refill the data on our SIM cards. On the way street sellers tried to sell us boat rides but understood our refusals when we told them we actually own a boat.

With freshly filled phones, we returned to the old city with its city wall, cathedral, quaint streets, university, pretty squares and street sellers. How I hate street sellers. If I am not wearing a hat or sunglasses it is because I don’t want them. I do not need a painting as I don’t have a wall to hang it on and don’t need a taxi as I can walk where I want to go. I have no interest in a restaurant as the street sellers are cheaper and their food tastes great. I don’t want anything! Go away! Leave me alone!

By three in the afternoon we had seen enough “stuff” and read enough signs about the history so we went to our hotel and checked in. Funnily just as we arrived outside a nice building with the flowers of the roof garden hanging over the parapet Heidi said “this looks a nice place.” Good choice – it was our hotel. Inside we enjoyed the shower, the swimming pool, the wine from the mini-bar and the shower again. Never ending water is such a luxury!

In the evening we ventured out back out on to the streets and visited the part of town known as “Getsemani”. The street entertainment was not as good as billed but the street sellers were still selling tasty food so we worked our way down the menu. The banks frightened me stupid by all saying they had a technical problem when I inserted my credit card. With visions of a blocked card we got Heidi’s but eventually found a working machine. On the way home we finished the evening with refreshing Limonade de Coco and Limonade Frigo being sold in a bookshop.

Day Two can be summed up as sleeping, showering (remember the unlimited water) brunching, shopping and the bus home. Back at the road junction the mosquitoes were waiting expectantly.

In the bowels of the boat

Boats have marine toilets. They look a lot like the toilets you are used to on land but work a little differently. You don’t just press a button and empty a days drinking water down the drain. Instead you pump a lever which sucks sea water out of the ocean and uses that to wash everything clean. At the same time the pump empties the contents out of the bowl. There is a switch with which you decide if you would like to empty straight in to the ocean – the preferred solution out at sea – or in to a holding tank on-board – when in a harbour or a bay. The contents of the tank can later be pumped out once you are back out in the middle of nowhere.

A great system that is flexible and reliable – until it breaks. The first indication we had that something was amiss was when it became harder to work the pump to empty the bowl. Shortly thereafter the pump to empty the tank began to sound as if it was working harder and then stopped working.

I was pretty sure the problem was a blockage in the outlet pipes as this is a “standard” problem on most boats that occurs every couple of years. I disconnected the outlet from the tank pump and was rewarded with a spume of dirty looking slurry. After that is was “just” a case of bending myself in to the hot, tiny space in front of the toilet, dismantling all the other pipes, beating them on the dock to break the calcium build up, washing them through and re-assembling. Really important was to assure that absolutely everything was very tight as most of the piping is below sea level and a break could lead to a sunken boat. Four hours later, and with Heidi’s help to feed hoses through tight spaces, everything was working again.

Once I had showered off the sweat and the all pervading smell of slurry, I was happy that everything was working. I drew a plan of the system so I would know how everything works next time and searched the Internet for some way to avoid the problem. Unfortunately the expert opinion seems to be that it is just a part of boat ownership so learn to like it.

Eating on the streets

Here in Santa Marta, there are stalls on the pavements selling everything and that includes great food. Therefore this evening we went out for dinner.

We walked up past the large police station and found some one selling something that smelt nice. We ordered a bag of five for $1000. We still don’t know what it was but it managed to be sweet and spicy at once and tasted great.

Once we reached the big crossroads we really went to town. We started with an Empanada which we knew from Curaçao. That set us back another $2000 as we ordered it with a drink. Next we crossed the road and bought a hot-dog for $2000. Demand was high so we were given two plastic stools to sit on and watch the nightlife until it was ready. After that we went to our favorite seller of “hot cheesy things grilled between leaves”. Another €2500 but worth every cent.

By now we were stuffed but splashed out $4500 for an ice cream at a mini McDonalds in the supermarket.

Back on the boat we finished the evening with a rum punch and now we feel round, fat and satisfied.

The total bill was 12000 Peso so €3.14. As Heidi rightly pointed out, you can’t cook food for that price.

Up in to the Columbian rainforest

We are at Santa Marta in Columbia and from the boat we can see the surrounding jungle covered mountains looking adventurous and inviting.

This morning we cycled through the sleeping city and up the mountain road to the tiny village of Minca at 650 meters above sea level. We weren’t the only bikes out; the trip seems to be a popular sunday morning ride for the locals as well and the cars, taxis and buses all gave us plenty of space. The road is strewn with signs warning of everything possible. The collage is only a selection.

The village is deep in the jungle and the high street full of restaurants and bars so we stopped for Cappucino and chocolate bread – think french baguette with bits of chocolate baked in. We ate two of them!

After the village the tarmac stopped, the bamboo started and the call of strange birds. And the none stop uphill continued. We saw a sign off to the left that showed the way to the Pozo Azul waterfalls so followed that track. Amazing! A muddy, rocky, narrow jungle track shared by walkers, motorbike taxis and us on our mountain bikes, no rules on left or right and no one got annoyed at each other. An example for most of Europe.

The waterfalls were over run by people so we paddled, took photos and headed back up hill.

At one point we had to pull over to let a jeep and a quad pass coming the other way. Of course Heidi knew rhe occupants – a local surgeon and his American relative whom she had met at the village cafe earlier. They recommended visiting the coffee plantation and brewery at the Finca Victoria so we took their advice and were very glad we did.

Beer or coffee? Decisions! But luckily they have coffee flavoured beer so we could have both. And a really delicious home made sandwich to go with it. As we ate, and talked to the American on the next table, it began to pour down. Not really surprising in a tropical rain forest. Luckily we had our waterproof clothing with us and by the time we got back down to the village it had stopped anyway.

The trip home was about thirty kilometers and we lost about a thousand meters returning to the boat. With all the ups and downs we actually climbed 1600 meters! We enjoyed a fresh pressed lemonade at the beach and then cycled home after another great day. Our route is here.

Alone at Sea

Tuesday

I am writing this as we sail across the Gulf of Venezuela. We lifted anchor off Aruba yesterday morning in the dark and the island is now over a hundred miles behind us. We headed north west to keep well clear of Venezuela and, after rounding the Penisular De Le Guadjira, turned more southerly heading to Santa Marta on the coast of Columbia.

It is now over twenty four hours since we saw any sign of land or humans – except a solitary plastic bottle floating past. No ships, no planes; just the sea around us and the sky above us. Last night was a new moon and overcast but there was lightning all around us which provided a non stop spectacle. Over towards Columbia the lightning bolts were jumping from cloud to cloud and occasionally we saw them discharge in to the sea.

The weather forecast was variable and was absolutely correct. We are not even half way to Santa Marta and have experienced everything from dead calm to a passing squall. We have proved that we still know how to change the sail plan every hour and twice before breakfast. The wind changes and we change or adjust the sails accordingly and it is a source of wonder to head for a new continent driven only by the wind.

People ask if this “loneliness” is not frightening but we both agree it is anything but. It is beaufiful, inspiring and a great joy. How many other people have the privilage of two or maybe three days alone and undisturbed with nothing to do but work the wind and enjoy the vast empty spaces and our time together.

Wednesday

Almost as soon as I finished writing yesterday the wind dropped and we were left drifting at just over a knot with the current. At about one in the morning we felt a small breeze and tried setting the genoa with little effect. Before breakfast we tried the Parasailor which added a half a knot but flopped every where.

A sea bird spent the night on board and three starlings. One starling just died after sitting staring listlessy at us all morning. A second one understood Heidi’s offer of water and was back flying before we had the luncheon meat out of the tin for its lunch. So far from land and with no wind or drinking water is obviously not good for small birds.

Just now we were swimming surrounded by fish who seem to enjoy the shelter of our boat. It is cooler and refreshing in the water and you don’t notice the two thousand meters of water below you. As we got out a few dolphins swam lazily past with a small one showing off by jumping completely out of the water.

And now we can just sit and wait for the wind to return before the current takes us on to Panama.

Thursday

Yesterday a breeze eventually picked up and, with the parasailor, we could very slowly head south-west. Just after dark it increased to something that could be called a wind so we changed back to just the genoa out. It is a good thing we did as, at about one in the morning, we found a huge black squall hiding between the thunderclouds. The wind speed increased to thirty knots, the bow buried in to the sea sending plumes of spray across the deck and it chucked rain down. I called Heidi from sleeping and was, as always, totally impressed as she calmly knotted her hair out of the way before entering the fray.

We are now some fifty miles from Santa Marta and finally look like every one imagines our life to be. The sky is blue without a trace of thunderclouds, the wind is just the right amount from exactly the correct angle. Breakfast tasted great and a huge bird of prey is sat above us in the spreaders which is good as it keeps the “shitty birds” away who, eat fish and then spread their remains as white goo over the deck.

Friday

The previous evening finished with another squall that had us soaked through. The final day didn’t start any better. We rounded the last cape to meet a wind on the nose. We tacked continually to port and then to starboard but as the wind increased we started to lose ground and go backwards. Things were made more interesting by trying to avoid a ship and hoping the lightning wasn’t going to come any closer.

Eventually, 12 miles before Santa Marta, we switched the motor on and fought against the wind making 0.8 knots in the correct direction. Just before the port, the wind abated, the rain stopped, we docked in the marina and fell in to bed. It was 04:30. We had taken four days and one hour.

The ABC Islands

IF things go according to plan we will sail away from the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao) on Monday after clearing out on Sunday. We arrived in the islands at the end of May having left the Leeward Islands before the hurricane season started.

Four months during which we enjoyed two weeks with Gertrud and Jon on board and left Artemis for a few weeks to visit Allgäu. We also managed a few cycle trips but most of the remaining twelve weeks were taken up with repairing or upgrading our Artemis. Everything from cleaning rust off to a complete new sunshade (bimini). A new water maker to some clever little socks that stop the karabiners rattling.

The work has often been frustrating as “tomorrow” doesn’t mean “the day after today” but rather “one day but definitely not today and probably not tomorrow either”. Parts have had to be ordered and flown in from Europe which wasn’t helped by the customs strike or they have to be collected from the local chandlery which is 5 kilometers with the bike upwind. The temperature has hovered round the 30°C mark which makes working with epoxy or varnish fun as the tins suggest that 15°C is optimal.

We have met lots of great people here in the islands. Both other cruisers and locals. It is definitely the people who make a place and not the scenery – although the scenery is also worth seeing; everything from white beaches, through desert and cactus forests to crashing waves on the north coast.

But we are sailors so it was wonderful to sail out of the marina yesterday and anchor off Eagle Beach. Finally back at sea with the wind to take us on to new adventures.

Caribbean music

We have been sailing around the Caribbean Sea since January. In those nine months we have taken a lot of photos, met many people and collected plenty of memories. Some of those memories are forever linked to songs. Here is a selection.

One way wind

We climbed to the summit of the island of Bequia to enjoy the view north to St. Vincent. At the top the wind was blowing from the East – as it always does here where the trade-winds blow. The tree at the top could have been the one in this song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkOy4T3jRIY

All of me

This song by Jah Cure was playing in a bar in the Grenadines. The barman was impressed that we knew all the words to sing along.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr3hf2VARNY

Everything’s Gonna Be Alright

This is the song we sing when things “could be going better” but also the song that reminds us of Antigua. We were cycling up a hill and a market stall was playing this full volume. We adjusted our speed to sync with the music and started singing. The market seller joined in. Great memories.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3nar3xoJ7A&feature=youtu.be

96 degrees in the shade

THE Aruba song. We first heard it in a bar and after that we sang it as we cycled through the burning heat of Aruba in August. “Real hot!” was so appropriate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwE5gfZlMZY

The gypsy Rover

We have been singing this since Ireland. A lady leaves everything to follow her love. Always seems appropriate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfmsIjknYFc

Bosch power tools

“I wish I had a set of tools like Heidi and Neill!”

How often have we heard this from tradesman that we have had on board? They work on boats all day but arrive with a motley assortment of tools and when they need “something special” they need to go back to the workshop to find it. Or – they borrow ours 🙂

Before we left we bought a set of Bosch power tools and they have definitely been one of our best investments.

We charge the two 12 Volt batteries up using the excess power that we generate with wind and sun and most of the time they are plugged in to the torch and vacuum cleaner both of which get used all the time. Vacuuming up dirt is so much better than redistributing it with a brush and a good torch is vital for looking in to the dark corners or searching for Artemis in the night with the dinghy.

We also have two drills, one of which can also be used as a power screw driver, and a reciprocating tool which we can use to saw woods, plastics or metal and use as a sander. Very useful when maintaining a boat with so much wood work.

After sixteen months of use, the power tools are still paying for themselves every day and hopefully will continue to impress tradesman all over the world.

Ups and downs!

Friday morning and our second package had arrived from Ocean Chandlery the previous day. A quick breakfast and then we attached the new anchor winch motor to the anchor winch gearbox – or rather we tried to. It didn’t fit, the mounting holes are the wrong size in the wrong place.

-1: running total -1

A waitress came round from the local bar and showed us that one of her colleagues had “added” a $20 tip to the bill hoping it wouldn’t be noticed. The manager apologised but (as of Monday) we still don’t have our $20

-1: running total -2

We finally received a replacement wrist strap for our outboard motor. The young guy from the yard tried to start the motor and broke the mounting bracket on the boat.

-1: running total -3

We hoisted the new jib and it fits and it looks shiny and white.

+1: running total -2

On Saturday we discovered rust on our brand new stainless steel solar panel and sunshade frame.

-1: running total -3

We installed the pre-pump and the pre-filter for the watermaker and switched the system on. There was a small leak but we stopped that. The system is now finished and waiting for us to go to sea to test

+1: running total -2

On Sunday Heidi began the sewing of our sun shade. The sewing machine works and she looks like a real professional.

+1: running total – 1

Hans and Katrin came and convinced us to leave working and cycle up to the island for a drink. Afterwards Heidi made Pina Colada and we all had fun.

+2: back in plus.

Restaurant Artemis

Many people visualize us sat round the camping gas stove eating warmed up food out of a tin can. Even some other sailors think that is how to live on a boat. Luckily we actually live in a very nice restaurant and enjoy a huge variety of home cooked food.

Last night we had a Swedish neighbor round for dinner so after the Rum Punch we sat down to home made pizza with a salad. I (Neill) love making pizza. Until we set off sailing I thought pizza came frozen from Aldi. Now I know that you make the base with flour, water, salt, sugar, oil, yeast and sunshine. The sauce is made of finely chopped tomatoes and garlic with a bit of Heidi magic and the topping is whatever you can buy locally. Pizza that we make ourselves tastes amazing. Yes I’m biased but ask the neighbors – they agree.

In Martinique we ordered a Beefburger but as Martinique is part of France we received a Burger de boeuf with the meat and sauce in a baguette. Since then our burgers are always french. This is not the only recipe we have collected on the way. Scotland added chocolate brownies, England scones and from an “ancient mariner” we learned about corned beef hash. In Italy we discovered amazing white pizza and since the Caribbean we make our own Baileys – tastes better than the original and costs a fraction.

Cooking is fun and eating home made food is always a joy.