Cartagena de Indias la magnifique

Nous sommes au mouillage devant le Club Nautico de Cartagene. Ce club nautique est en pleine reconstruction et n’est existant que par une petite cabane qui sert a l’administration. Les pontons sont branlants mais nous pouvons y attacher l’annexe et de temps en temps y chercher de l’eau (que nous avons declare gratuite). L’organisation n’est pas tres efficace. Nous n’avons pas encore reussi a avoir Internet a bord et le manque de nouvelles est du a cela. Il y a environ 80 bateaux ici ...mais toujours pas d’enfants ! Est-ce la situation economique, est-ce notre « timing » ? Il semble toutefois que les 40 ans naviguant avec jeunes enfants soient en voie de disparition.

Nous sommes alles nous promenes dans la vieille ville de Cartagene deux fois deja. Nous prennons le taxi qui est ici vraiment pas cher (environ 2$ pour nous 5). Notre premier chauffeur etait tres enthousiaste et nous a donne de nombreuses explications sur sa ville et ses monuments. De notre cote, nous restons frustres par notre impossibilite de communiquer. La vieille ville est superbe.

Les rues sont vivantes, colorees, animees. Il y a les vieux batiments, leurs magnfiques balcons souvent fleuris et leurs grosses portes de bois. Il y a les vendeurs ambulants de cafe et de fruits, les cireurs de chaussures, les gens qui deambulent, les reveurs qui attendent sur les bancs publiques. La police est tres presente (cela reste la Colombie), on croise un uniforme vert environ tous les 100m, et on se sent donc tres en securite.

Nous allons visiter et decouvrir cette ville davantage, receptionner notre nouvelle annexe, faire quelqes reparations et avancer avec le Cned.

L’eau n’est pas acceuillante, tres sombre, tres verte,  et nous sommes donc prives de baignade. Nous devrions tout de meme faire une excursion avant le week-end vers une des plages locales car les enfants ont besoin de se defouler physiquement et piquer une tete avec la chaleur qui regne sera vraiment bienvenue.

Curacao to Cartagena

Here we are in Cartagena, Colombia (10°24.598N 75°32.582W). We arrived, with day light, always nice when arriving somewhere new, especially when you are supposed to sail over an underwater wall built by the Spaniards to protect the city and when there is only a small gap which allows you to sail through this short cut (check the green and red buoys!).

The sail between the ABCs has a bad reputation: one of the worst in the world and has been named the Cap of the Caribbean. The winds can be strong (40-50knt) and the seas can be very rough. We were checking the weather carefully and when we left Curacao we were supposed to have 20-25 knt of winds. However, the winds weren’t blowing too hard (we even had to motor) and Merlin was going well, especially during day light with our symmetrical spinnaker. Off Aruba, we were surrounded by 15 tankers: quite spectacular at night to see all their lights, even more when we were checking their sized with the AIS.

Some of these tankers can reach more than 900ft. As our speed wasn’t as fast as planned and the winds were to increase, we didn’t stop at Cabo de la Vela to have few hours sleep and continued towards Santa Maria where there are 5 little bays tucked between high mountains. We didn’t see the snow some cruising guides were describing but we appreciated this landscape where sea and mountain mix in harmony.

We anchored just before dusk in Cinto, apparently a privately owned bay where you are not supposed to stop (but we didn’t know). We appreciated the calm water. The wind was not as quiet and from time to time was howling from nearly nothing to more than 40knt. Impressive.

We met some Colombians who were on holidays there and who invited us for a drink on the beach. Had a great chat. We also celebrated, without fuss, our 10^th anniversary. We celebrate the Epiphany with the “kings cake” and Felix who found the coin decided that his monkey will be his “queen” for the day. 

Saturday night, we lifted the anchor again to escape some strong winds which were forecasted for the next day. Also we wanted to pass the dreaded Rio Magdalena with some light as lots of river debris and strong currents can occur there. The change of the colour of the water was really noticeable: it became brown and had and strong earthy smell. Three hours before we arrived in Cartagena, about 15 spotted dolphins came to play with Merlin’s hulls. They surfed with us for 2 hours. We had the spinnaker out again and while surfing the waves we reached great speed.

The kids love checking the log and claimed we did 14.6knt.

After some cleaning and packing away (sailing time, especially when the conditions are not too smooth are not prone to these kind of activities), we are ready to discover the treasures of this old city.

Un dimanche en ville

Nous sommes alles nous promener en ville en ce premier dimanche de janvier. Willemstad etait une ville plutot morte. Les Venezueliens tiennent toutefois leur marche (un petit marche flottant le long du canal) et quelques uns de leurs magasins de bric et de broc sont ouverts. Ambiance calme mais propice a la decouverte des rues colorees de la ville. Le musee de la marine etait ferme, au grand desespoir de Victor.

 

Les grandes courses ont ete faites. Nous pensons etre assez approvisionnes pour au moins 6 semaines. L'ecole va reprendre demain serieusement car il faut bien s'y remettre. Nous ne savons pas encore si nous allons nous arreter a Aruba ou non mais le depart de Curacao devrait se faire en debut de semaine prochaine.

HAPPY NEW YEAR / JOYEUSE ANNEE 2010

We took advantage of the time difference and wished happy new year to people in France and South Africa before our party started. We had drinks with friends and watched a 360deg amazing firework display. It went on for about 2 hours.

We wish everybody a great happy new year 2010!

"Je serai la plus belle pour aller danser"

Clea: "Ce soir je vais voir plein de fleurs d'artifice"