While Roy stayed onboard to fix our AIS (An electronic device to assist us in tracking other vessels as well as allow them to track us, especially at night), diagnose a issue that developed out of the blue en route to Colombia with our data communications and ready Paw Paw for the next leg, Elaine joined the entourage to a local school for underprivileged children. What she wasn't expecting was the greeting we received in what one would never guess as being a school, as well as learn the background of the children and the operations of the school. Essentially 49% of children in Colombia do not have access to an education. This school, completely funded through private donations and support, where the teachers are working professionals in various disciplines who donate their time, attempt to fill the gap - See www.fundehumac.org. It was heart wrenching to learn that the $1000 US collected from the World ARC sailors prior to the visit and then presented during our visit would actually go towards completing the building currently consisting of just two unfinished rooms and a bathroom. A very humbling experience! Our PHOTO GALLERY has been updated so take a peek.
After a great night's sleep with all the hatches closed and one air-conditioner unit running so that we didn't hear the loud music from shore, it was up early, have breakfast and head for the meeting point where coaches were collecting us for our beach day and lunch time barbeque at Bahia Concha in the Tayrona National Park. Great day out and exactly what we needed! Needless to say, after a long walk along the beach where we stopped at a little stall for a fresh fruit smoothie, the minute Elaine lay down on her beach towel, she was lights out. Fortunately she didn't snore! Roy had a moment of panic though at the little stall when Elaine tried to place her order in Spanish and then watched in dismay as they produced two fruit salads in addition to the single smoothie she thought she'd ordered. Given that we were the only customers standing at the stall, we automatically assumed she must have communicated incorrectly and then Roy realised he didn't have enough local currency on him to pay for it all. With grumbles from Roy that Elaine needed to improve on her Spanish and stop just saying "si" and smiling to every question asked, without the slightest glue of what was actually being asked, we were relieved when it transpired that the fruit salads were, in fact, for another customer and Elaine had indeed ordered what she wanted by sheer luck. The joys of international travel!.
By 0200 we were tied up, had our flags flying, enjoying our celebratory drink and chatting to Keenan. By 0330 we were dead to the world, but awoke to the beautiful Santa Marta Marina and surrounding landscape with the realisation that we were actually in Colombia - our first destination of our World ARC adventure! We couldn't wait to explore and our wish was soon granted. After completing the usual clearing in formalities, but ably assisted by the friendly marina staff, instead of the usual drudge around the various Customs, Immigration and Port Authority offices, as well dropping off our laundry, it was back to tidy up Paw Paw before taking the City Tour arranged by WARC for us. What a great introduction to this country and it's history! Although everyone was still sleep deprived, we thoroughly enjoyed the tour of the Museo Etnografico, the Cathedral de Santa Marta and the Hacienda de Simon Bolivar. We topped off the evening with a delicious meal of Pescado en Salsa de Mariscos, washed down with local beer (Roy) and margarita (Elaine) before heading to bed for some much needed sleep.
With less than 24 hours to go, although a little tired our spirits were high and then soared around lunchtime as we enjoyed a spectacular display from a pod of approximately a hundred dolphins - Simply amazing! By early evening the seas had started to build and we received a report from Take Off, who were ahead of us, that the winds had picked up too. With that it was time to drop the head sail and put an extra reef in the main. By nightfall our gaggle of yachts started to encounter problems as Ain't Fancy broached and then headed directly towards us. Swift communications resulted in us and the yacht, Lydia, who was behind us, jibing to change course, After ensuring Ain't Fancy were back under control and crew were ok, having been swamped as well, we continued on into the night. With four hours to go, Paw Paw was like a "horse to the barn" as we romped down 10 to 12ft swells in 25 to 30kt winds. As we rounded the final Cape on the approach to Santa Marta, hitting 35 to 40kts of winds, yacht Giampi, who had been a few miles ahead of us, seemed to stop dead in the water. It was at this point that we believe the crew of Giampi probably thought Paw Paw was in the hands of two maniacs. With less than 2NM to our waypoint depicting the finish line, we roared passed them on their starboard side to prevent sailing right over them, given the speeds we were now doing, only to make a 180 turn seconds after crossing the finish line and now heading straight back towards them. It was the 5 long warning sound blasts that wakened us to the fact that the huge tanker we thought was stationery in the harbour was,in fact, actually berthing, but in the process of doing so, had blocked the entire entrance. With a stem instruction issued to Elaine from Captain "Cool" that this was no time to panic, he proceeded to steer us safely to our own berth with the help from the WARC and marina staff who were there to greet us. Leg 1 completed. 14 to go!
