Cartagena, Columbia

10° 24.480 N 75° 32. 548 W

Last night while we were trying to set the hook we were using all the anchored boats around us as reference marks. The big beautiful sailboat to the left of us was an easy eye catcher. But, when we were backing down and setting the hook in the mud I noticed that the sailboat behind us appeared to be moving away from us. After we were done we determined that it was drifting. There was an anchor light on and we figured someone was on board and did not know that their anchor had unseated and they were drifting. John and Alan dropped the dinghy in the water and went over to tell them. The owners were thankful and very startled of the situation. When they were tying the dinghy back up and getting on board somehow the fill tube on the hand pump for the inflatable tubes of the dinghy got lost. The flexible fill tube is black and separates easily from the pump. Once it is in the water in the dark it is as good as gone. This happened before and now we have 2 pumps with no fill tubes. We now don’t have a way to put air in the dingy. So many things happen on passage-making vessels. In a way it is almost funny that we are leaving a trail of waste and boat parts. The other most recently lost part was one of the oars that fell out of the dingy when we recaptured it underway.

Woke up to a clear blue sky and slightly humid warm air after a comfortable smooth sleep. We hopped in the dinghy and made a run to the marina we had a reservation at in order to do some recon. John had been here before and he knew that it might be a challenge and a good idea for us to see the lay of the land. The slip they had us scheduled for was absolutely impossible. We could not make the turn, as the avenue was too narrow. The marina manager then took us to another filled slip on the outside and it was the same slip that Amor Fati was in 4 years ago. It was just right. The tenants were Americans and agreeable to move to another slip. They had a trawler and were very kind. John and Alan went on board to handle their lines and I got in their dinghy and motored it to the next slip. Actually, she asked me if I would take the dinghy and I said of course I would and thank you very much I could really use another dinghy. She had a good sense of humor about herself. Unfortunately, when they were backing in they hit a concrete piling that holds up the dock and did extensive damage to the teak swim platform. The piling is recessed a little and that added to the mishap. This marina is alive with workers and they were able to find a woodworker to repair it.

John talking to the owner of the boat.

Alan & John, respectfully, handling dock lines.

Me, in the other guy’s dinghy, the boat following.

Ouch!

Club de Pesca Marina (converted old fort Puerto Pastelillo)

Cartagena, Columbia

10° 24.940 N 75° 32.699 W

There have been enough times when the boat has pulled away from a slip or weighed anchor with me not onboard and it now seems to be a recurring event. It’s kind of a weird feeling when the mother ship moves away. This time I was in the dinghy and followed the boat over to the slip. John wanted to use the dinghy to push the bow like a bow thruster. It took several attempts to get the boat between the pilings and lined up well so no damage occurred. This is a tough boat to handle in close quarters and the weight and length add to the difficulty. What’s nice about marinas is that other boaters and marina employees always lend a hand. It is so nice to be tucked in and tied off and in flat water again. The showers at the end of the dock are brand new, marble, tile, glass, private heads and showers. This is a great marina. It is small but well taken care of. It was startling to see the security guards armed with pistols. And, they are very attentive. Our first night here I saw the night guard carrying a 12 gauge pistol grip shotgun. I feel safe here. Really! I like seeing the man everywhere.

Hired ship’s agent for checking in.

We don’t know where the stain came from.

Club de Pesca Marina

John immediately made friends with everybody including the boat workers. He arranged for a guy to repair the teak railing that got destroyed in Barbados. I have been watching the guy and he is a master. He has done fantastic work. He is also replacing teak screw caps on the deck. When a teak deck is installed the screws leave a hole. A plug is hammered in and sanded level with the deck. Over time they pop out and disappear.

Some other guys are cleaning the boat and doing some minor repairs. What’s nice about all these guys is that they are industrious and they show up on time and work full days. They have fantastic skills.

After Nancy arrived from her hotel we took a cab into old town. I don’t know why there aren’t more car accidents around here. They drive crazy! You stick your nose out there, they don’t stop, and you stick your nose out farther.

Old town has been renovated and is currently still being renovated. It has a fantastic old-world feel to it since they retained the old architecture and buildings. This place is alive with people and activity. The street vendors are everywhere and hawkers prowl the streets to bring you into their shops. Donkeys are leading carts down the streets, people are leading carts down the streets and then some carts just don’t move. They sell everything from fish, fruit, trinkets and even the use of cell phones. I heard from John that some guys are sitting on the sidewalk with a typewriter and selling typed pages. I guess pretty much everything is for sale here. We also went in to several emerald jewelry stores since Columbia is famous for them. We got to see some museum style displays as well as heard presentations about the stones. Overall, this is a place that I would like to see again and spend more time going through it thoroughly. It has a special feel about it and it is hard to describe.