Colombia
Currency:
Colombian Peso COP US$1 = 2000 Peso
Cruising
in Colombia requires the use of an agent to clear in and out. I had
been recommended the services of Gladis from Cursing Services Marine
S.A.S by Steve and Angela on Pannikin. I had contacted Gladis before
leaving Curacao.
Cruising
Services Marine Agency S.A.S.
Gladis
Ramos
S. and
Daniela Guerrero R.
Cel.:
(57) 313 8944641 - 301 7326754
Cartagena
- Bolívar - Colombia
Email:
contacto@cruisingservices.com.co
The
costs and duration of stay are very ambiguous.
Corrected fees and charges for staying in Cartagema:
US$110 includes 5 days Includes clearance in/out and maritime agent fees.
US$300
includes up to 60 days includes clearance in/out, boat temporary
importation, tax permit for the boat-stay (Port Captaincy) and maritime agent fees.
If the boat stays in Colombia more than 5 days the following documentation:
Temporary importation - Customs, the cost of this is US90
Tax permit for the boat, Port Captaincy (lasts for two months) the cost of this is US100
Club
Nautico charges about US$30 per week for use of dingy dock, garbage,
and shower facilities. The Club is being renovated.
When
I paid the Club Nautico fees I asked them to contact Gladis at
Cruising
Services Marine Agency. Gladis
arrived at the club half an hour later. Gladis's English was far
better than my Spanish. We
went
by taxi to immigration to get my passport stamped. Daniela
came by Sadiqi the next day to take photographs for the boat
temporary
importation permit.
There
are ATMs near the Carulla Supermarket not far away from Club Nautico.
I purchased a Claro SIM card with Internet data access:
US$10
for the SIM card.
US$20
for 2 Gig data for 1 month.
 |
| Boca Grande |
 |
| Club Nautico (foreground) |
 |
| Boca Grande sunset |
Before
getting into to boat work and voyage planning I decided to explore
this interesting, vibrant city. Mike from Sturdy Logic and I visited
the Fort – Castillo San Felipe, then the walled city – Centro and
Getsemani, Cartagena. Walking around the old city was fascinating.
While searching for refreshment we happened upon Plaza Trinidad.
While enjoying a cold Agilla beer we watched life go by – this was
local life not canned tourism.
 |
| Cathedral in the old city |
Wandering the colourful streets of the old Centro city:
 |
| Festivities in Plaza Trinidad |
The
harbour waters off Club Nautico are not particularly clean – being
enclosed and well protected. While floating in the effluent in the
affluent area of Munga (Club Nautico) I was fascinated watching the
container ships, cruise ships, navy vessels, water taxis and tourist
boats come and go in the harbour. In the early mornings and late
afternoons the waters in the anchorage was rolly from the wakes of
water taxis and tour boats leaving and returning from their various
destinations. The busy container port just near by provided hours of
entertainment watching the Lego like containers being stacked on the
dock or on ships by huge meccano like cranes. Prince Charles visited
Cartagena for some event. The festivities happened on board a frigate
HMS Argyle not 200 metres from where Sadiqi was anchored. Mike from
“Sturdy Logic” commented this was about as close to royalty he
had ever been and likewise “Sadiqi”.
Cruisers
I spent time with in Cartagena.
Sturdy
Logic – Mike – from Ithaca – NY
Like
Dolphins – Johan and Sonja - Belgium
Eye
Candy – Andrew and Claire - Australia
It
was safe to walk the streets of the old city at night. In the cool of
the evening the streets and parks became a hive of activity with
people walking/jogging playing sport etc. We visited a German pub
“Leon de Bavaria” and watched great music videos from the 60s and
on. On occasion there were good live bands playing in the small pub.
Listening to the music, the likes of AC/DC, BonJovi, Beetles, David
Bowie etc., being out of mainstream society for the last few years I
pondered that I had been living under a metaphorical rock. I
resolved that I needed to listen to more music.
All
to soon it was time to clear out Cartagena. It appeared that the
barnacles liked Sadiqi's bottom as much if not more than the skipper liked
Cartagena. The barnacles grow rapidly in the warm, soupy, effluent,
rich waters of Cartagena harbour. The bureaucracy is painfully slow
to clear in and out even with an agent. Other than an entry stamp in
my passport I had no further documentation after nearly two weeks. I
advised Gladis of Cruising
Services Marine Agency
that
I would clear out on Friday November 14. This gives sufficient
time to prepare the Zarpe or Clearance certificate.
A
few days before clearing out, while eating lunch a chunk of tooth
broke off. I spoke to Claire on Eye Candy, she had seen a dentist
here in Cartagena. Off I went to the dentist Dr Jorge Marcia Barraza.
Using Google Translate on my android phone I managed to convey my
need to see the dentist. An hour later I was in the dentists chair.
He spoke passable English. A composite filling and minus 60 US
dollars later my tooth was repaired. My clearing out of Cartagena was
delayed again as there was holidays on Thursday, Friday and the
following Monday. I was not going to complain about this as long as I
was not going to be charged additional fees. Prior to clearing out on
the November 18 I scraped as much growth off the hull and propeller
as I could see. The visibility was very poor. This was the second
time I had scrapped Sadiqi's hull for barnacles.
 |
| Sunrise Cartagena Container Terminal |
Gladis
from Cruising
Services Marine Agency took
me to Immigration to get my passport stamped and game me my Zarpe
(Ships clearance papers). I appreciated her help as it appeared to be
a tedious bureaucratic process, where even speaking the language does
not hasten anything.
November
18 before 0610 the anchor slowly emerged from the ooze of Cartagena
harbour. Having anchored in approximately 10 metres of water the
first 8 metres of chain was covered in barnacles and small muscles.
The wind was less than 5 knots from the east. Sadiqi slowly motored
out past the high rise apartments and hotels of Bocca Grande, past
the ships waiting to charge or discharge their cargoes and out to
sea. The wind slowly increased from the south where we were headed.
By 0930 I stopped the engine and Sadiqi sailed sluggishly. It felt
like she was dragging half the Sargasso Sea. I was headed for Isla
Grande of the Rosario islands some 18 miles south west of Bahia
Cartagena. I was looking to give Sadiqi's bottom a good scrape and
clean in the clear waters of the offshore island. I negotiated past
the reefs and dropped anchor at 1145. The anchorage was indeed
pleasant – palm trees, white sandy beaches, small resorts and
tourists. I spent several hours scraping the hull of barnacles. I had
cleaned the hull thoroughly when in Spanish Waters, Curacao. I had
never seen the hull so foul and that is after having done a cursory
scrape in the water in Cartagena harbour.
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| Bocca Grande |
