Santa Marta to Panama

Mr Wahoo!

13/12/2012

" Despite the contradictory and confusing Colombian Clearance procedures, we really enjoyed the country, the people, it's culture, history, language and music. Clearing in took 3 days and involves an agent costing $100, temporary importation of the yacht, a customs inspection to confirm the engine number on the engine, and plus further demands from the port captain requiring money for the "importation of the yacht for more than 15 days", despite having been given a Temporary importation of yacht for 90 days" by Customs! We think the agent meant "cruising permit". Clearing out took 3 days, and results in a "Zarpe" clearance to another port. If you clear to Cartagena, you have to pay another agent there, another $100 , to clear in to the country again! The "Zarpe, y puntos intermedios", which the agent assured us could be arranged, failed to be forthcoming from the Port Captain, when the time came. This was to allow us to stop over at all Colombian ports/anchorages  except Cartagena), as we moved down the coast towards Panama, which was stipulated on our Zarpe. Despite not getting our Zarpe as promised, we were assured that we could stop anywhere (except Cartagena!)             Our first attempt to leave failed after an hour, as our sailing buddies, (Scott Free), blew a gasket, on their newly replaced water pump.We were welcomed back by the Marina, but our agent, Dino, became very agitated as we were now illegal, and should clear in again. "Dino, that would take another 4 days plus $100, and we are only going to be here long enough for the Colombian mechanic to fix his mistake! We are not here, and you have not seen us! OK?"

           It took 3 days, as the original gasket was destroyed, and a new one had to be turned in a machine shop. Each day, an ever more agitated Dino wanted to know when we were leaving, as he would be in trouble with the Port Captain if anyone saw us! "Nonsense Dino, you are the only official who knows we are back and why, and you have not seen us..right?" We were damned if we were going to hand over our Clearance Zarpe, and have to wait another week or so for a new one, at a further cost of $100!

couple of decent fillets!

          
We left at dawn on day 3, and crossed the dreaded Magdelena, the mouth of the huge river, which drains 3/4 of the rainfall of Colombia.  At times, its outlfow can create chaotic,wild, and dirty seas 12 miles offshore, disgorging tree trunks, rubbish, and dead cows! We crossed the mouth about 6 miles off, after a dry period, but even so, the contrast between the clean green Caribbean sea, and the chocolate brown outflow was dramatic. Obviously a good fishing spot too, as moments before we hit the brown water, I boated a 15kg Wahoo, in the last of the clean water.

Anchored behind Hormosa point

          We sailed on around the point, and headed into the shelter behind Hermosa point, to anchor for the night. After the dramas of leaving Santa Marta, we stayed an extra day, in these well protected waters, to prepare for our surreptitious sail into Cartagena. We left at 4.00am, planning on entering the famous city by way of the Boca Grande entrance, which has a narrow small craft entrance, blasted  through the submerged wall, constructed to try and stop more attacks and sackings by the "Dragon of the seas", Francis Drake, and other Corsairs. We wanted to have enough time to get in via the much further, but easy Boca Chica entrance, in the event that sea conditions made Boca Grande too risky.

Ancient city of Cartagena  as seen from the approach.

          We had a rollicking sail down from Hermosa, and fully expected the Boca Grande to be too difficult in the conditions. As luck would have it, the wind dropped 7miles out, and the seas calmed, allowing us to safely enter via the short  Boca Grande route

Boca Grande entrance over the submerged wall

. It really has to be one of the most spectacular sailing sights, going into Bahia Cartegena, and seeing the wall to wall skyscrapers one the one side, and the ancient historical city on the other side. We anchored off the decrepit Club Nautica, hoisted our yellow flags, placed our contingency broken impeller nearby, (in case we were asked what we were doing there, and had to go down the problemo, problemo routine), and had a couple of beers, while watching the sun set over this incredible skyline!             

New city
of Cartagena

 We set off again at 8.00am, exiting via the other Boca Chica entrance, where Scott Free, were called up on the radio by the Port Captain, and asked a whole heap of questions about registration numbers, skippers name, number of passengers, destination etc...... not a thing about what we were doing there, and when had we checked in... Just, thank you for the information, have a good sail! They had obviously been picked up via their class B AIS transponder! Not something one should turn on during a stealth visit!!     

Drake back to sack Cartagena again?

Anchorage outside Club Nautica

Colombian mean machine!

Statue guarding the shallow shoalling area

Scott -Free wleaving Cartagena

The fort guarding the Boca Chica entrance

         Our next destination was the Rosario island group, where we anchored behind a tricky reef, where  we enjoyed swimming in the clear waters in such a pretty place. We just hope that the wind would stay southerly, in this north facing anchorage! Well ,it did'nt!!

Behind the reef in Isla Grande

Nice while it lasted!!

Check this boats "Loo with a View"!

At 4pm, when it was too late to leave as would not have been able to see well enough to pick our way back through the poorly marked reefs, it swung to North, and built to 20plus knots! Truly stuck between a rock and a hard place,and on only 20 metres of chain, rocks 30mts behind, and a reef 30mts in front, with the chain stretched out like a ram rod!  We had a very uncomfortable anchor watch until 11pm, when the wind dropped, and we could feel safe again.

Behind Tintipan ! Lovelly!

No wonder we spent an extra day here!

           We left the next morning, in good light for Isla Tintipan, in the San Bernado archipelago. Here we anchored on the lee side of a big ,wide open safe anchorage, in front of palm tree beaches, over crystal clear waters! We loved it so much, we stayed an extra day, to prepare for our  last haul to Panama, where we had decided to enter the San Blas (and Kuna Yala) islands, at Isla Pinos, some 130miles further.

 It proved to be a tough sail, with winds and currents conspiring to make life difficult! When the winds eventually veered to the NE, as predicted, we had spent 9 hours doing 27miles !The only good thing about this leg was a tubby little 10kg Tuna Mackerel. We did the next 103 in 17 hours, through a jet black night, in big lumpy  quartering seas,which kept picking us up, twisting us 30 degrees off course, and had" Fred'( the autopilot) whining and moaning fit to bust as he struggled to hold the course. In fact, I decided right then, to buy yet another hydrolic ram unit, as we are likely to experience similar conditions in the Pacific, and Fred is getting on now!

         The other whining and moaning came from Mary, sliding naked around the seats in the cockpit,like a kid on a "slip and slide", all covered in slippery soap, as she tried to do her  ablutions before retiring !  Luckily the lazarette hinges never caused her any unmentionable damage!

Pic of Mary censored... Decent Tuna Mackerel instead!

          We were very grateful, to drop the anchor, in the calm waters, behind Isla Pinos, and pay the Kuna chief his $10 for the privilege! Yet another coconut palm tree lined beach, a swim, a beer or two, and some much needed sleep!"