Plan 'B' Cartagena, Columbia

A short blog this time. I should be writing this while drinking a cold beer in San Blas, Panama. My last blog said I was on my way to Panama, non-stop, from Aruba. On the third day of a 5 day passage, Dolce Vita said she was tiered and needed a rest. Damn women! So to make a point she blew the seals on my fresh water pump which is as important as gas since this keeps the engine from over heating. I used up all of my bailing wire, tape and bubble gum to stop the leak temporarily, looked at my charts and set sail for South America. I had no plans to stop there. Dolce Vita thought differently.

This was late Friday so I didn't have time to check in with immigration so I settled in for a nights rest after a couple of beers and dinner. The next day I found an agent to do my check-in for me an a mechanic who took my pump to a man that could rebuild it. This was Saturday. The next day I received the pump back, cleaned, painted and fixed. I installed it, ran the engine for an hour and everything is back in order.

Now it is Monday and I was hoping to check out today and resume my trip to Panama. Today however is a holiday. These Latin countries have a holiday every Monday to honer yet another saint. God knows how many people the Catholic church has named as saints over the centuries. Sorry for the bad joke, Hector.

Enough of this. I have a few photos to share that are not that interesting but that is all I have taken. Cartagena, after the Spanish settled it back in the 18th century is the only fortified area in Central and South America that Captain Morgan and other British Captains were never successful in over running the Spanish.

I was surprised to see this skyline of Cartagena thinking it was a small city. Not the case. As you scroll down to look at the building, you see that their designs are very similar if not the same. Now i am thinking that the minister of building codes has a brother-in-law that is an architect and if you want to have him to approve the building on the site, you must use the in-law. Now thinking this, I am sure this is not the case. RRRIIIGGGHHHTT!

Yet another revered saint I am sure. Which one I couldn't say.

This looks like the shipping harbor in Oakland. They must import and export a lot of goods through here.

I would love to sail one of these big boys. You would need to study the purpose of all of the lines for a week before you could be accepted as crew.

That's all until next time which might be awhile. After I reach Panama, I will be sailing in familiar waters again reaching areas that I have sailed before after circumnavigating the Caribbean sea and all of its islands. Now with each mile I am getting closer to home. I should arrive back in San Francisco in three years to be greeted by a parade of fair maidens. Wild dreams of late.

Take care and be safe out their.

Denny

Curacao and Aruba

As promised, when I reached Aruba, I would do a short blog of photos and editorial comments from my visit in Curacao and Aruba. Promise made...promise delivered.

You will see building that are painted light colors making it look like a story book sketch. I was told by one of the locals that in the past, when kings and queens ruled the Netherlands, that they issued a new law that all buildings henceforth should no longer be painted white. All buildings at that time in history were white and the rulers found that it was painful to the eyes during sunny days. You now see colored building, to this day, as the result of this ruling. Can you imagine building colored as such in our towns across America? We should try it. We could have contests for the best chosen colors and trim.

But first.. For you bird lovers out there, What is the name of this bird? No Sam, seagull or pigeon will not win you first prize.

These photos are from Curacao.

There is a floating bridge that moves aside so boats can enter the harbor. I called the port captain and asked that they open bridge so I could enter and a week later so I could exit. My wish was his command. This sign tells a little about its history. Photos and movies to follow.

Scores of people crossing the bridge after it closed following a boats crossing.

A fruit and vegetable market that is open daily. Each stand sells about the same stuff. I guess everyone has their favorite vendor and there is enough business to support everyone.

I took these photos during the evening, DA!, so it is not as brilliant as it otherwise would be if I were closer. This is at the harbor entrance in downtown Curacao where tourist off of the cruise ship spend their money.

Here is a short movie of the moving bridge

This is from Aruba. Another colorful building.

Along with a colorful bus.

Aruba is a cruise ship haven. As many as 4 cruise ship have been docked here during a single day. Tens of thousand souls leave the boat when it arrives and they walk around town in a haze. The wives pleading with their husbands; Oh honey, can I buy something nice for myself.

Well that is all for know. I am again sorry that it will be some time before the next blog. I will be in the remote islands of San Blas, Panama. Although the WiFi site here is slow, it at least exists.

Until next time, be safe out there.

Denny
s/v Dolce Vita

Visited friends and ABC Islands

It has been awhile since my last blog and my life has been threaten by some of you if I don't come across with a blog update. So here it is.

The internet connection is slow, as usual, so the number of photos attached may be limited.

Life has had very high moments and very low moments since the last blog. On the high side I have two sailing buddies, Bill and Bob, from back home that flew down to Grenada to sail with me for a couple of weeks. We island hoped north to St Lucia island enjoying the sights and food along the way. On one island we enjoyed Lobster pizza. That's correct, lobster pizza. Eat your heart out. On another island we enjoyed a huge lobster dinner for $25 each and yet on another island a great fish dinner and on and on. We of course did our fair share of drinking. All in all we had a great time.

When people visit or crew for me I have a policy that everyone shares in the cooking and cleaning. Learning of this, Bill said he was not a very good cook compared to Bob and I. Bill did fine, making several breakfasts and one great dinner. Bob and I did have our doubts however. Bill making breakfast one morning surprised us with his cooking talent. In the galley there was a plastic bottle of dish soup and a plastic bottle of corn oil. The color of the liquids were similar. I found out as I was the first to taste his cooking that he had used the soap as oil by mistake. Now one would think that squeezing the soup out of the bottle would have been a clew since the cooking oil is poured from the bottle. I was blowing bubbles all day. The three of us got a lot of laughs over this.

A great anchorage

El tres amigos

An island atop of sea shells. A great place to drink

Wonderful sunset with Dolce Vita awaiting our return

Another great anchorage

Bill and Bob. I called them the BB twins

What can I say

Bill and Bob flew back home from St Lucia. I was sad to see them leave. Now it was time for me to plan a three day voyage to the ABC islands. Bonaire being the first island I landed on but first I have to regress to something I forgot to share. This is on the low side. Three days before Christmas I went to the emergency room at a private hospital in Grenada. I had a very serious infection in my left lower leg. I was hoping that they would shoot me in the butt with something and send me home to rest for a few day. The doctor said, Son you are going to enjoy your stay here in our hospital for 1 - 3 days. They put an IV on me and shot me with meds 4 times a day. I went back to the boat after they released me and took medicine for the next 15 days. The infection is gone but what remains is a swollen leg that is slowly returning to its normal size. I was satisfied that this was behind me and I can get back to a normal routine if there is such a thing. What's next? Kidney stone...Damn this was discovered in Bonaire and now I had to look forward to pain that makes child birth seem like a picnic. Lucky for me I passes the stone with NO pain at all. Other than a few problems with my boat, that are now hopefully fixed, life is good.

The ABC islands.. Bonaire, Curacao and Aruba belong to the Dutch. I am now on Curacao and will be sailing over night tomorrow to Aruba were I will remain until there is a 5 day window of fair winds and seas to sail to Panama. Panama is 800 miles from Aruba.

Photos of this years Carnival parade in Bonaire. Much smaller than last years carnival in Grenada.

This is from a youth sailing club that was on shore from my anchorage in Bonaire

These are two very wonderful people I met in Bonaire. Both Eddy and Katie were worried about my kidney stone and suggested that the two boats sail together to Curacao where Katie could jump on my boat if the stone passed while underway. This was not necessary as the stone passed before we left. They both live in Germany. Eddy is German and Katie is Irish. Can you imagine the arguments that they can get into? This photo is taken at an all exclusive resort. All other resorts as this one require those that are renting a room to where a bracelet. This place doesn't have that policy so even as we tried to give them money, they said it was included in our room. So what do normal sailors do when presented with this opportunity,,,, we drink and eat for free. We spent many afternoon here.

I decided to sell Dolce Vita and buy this boat. Photo taken from shore in Curacao.

I am going to take photos of the water front in town but won't be able to get them in this blog since I am preparing to sail off to Aruba today. I promise to get them in my next blog before sailing off to Panama.

So in the mean time, as always, be safe out there.

Denny on Dolce Vita