Curacao
to Cartagena, Colombia
The
450 miles between Curacao and Cartagena is known for the worst
weather conditions in the Caribbean, and ranks among the top five
worst cruising passages around the world. The vicinity of the Andes
mountains can cause the local Chocosono wind to be ferocious. This
combined with counter currents from the normal fast westward moving
current can cause nasty wind against current conditions. Picking a
good weather window is important for a safe and comfortable passage.
Thursday
16-10-14
0800
leisurely Departure from Spanish Waters, Curacao
Engine
1396.2 hrs
Wind
14 to 15 knots SE
 |
| Departing Curacao |
It
was not the best of starts after exiting the narrow cut out to sea.
Ken, the autopilot seemed to get emotional and fell apart. The ram is
held together by duct tape. Smithy, the wind-vane, was stiff with a
bent rod. Not far off the beach a pod of dolphins appeared and
frolicked in the bow wave. I was unable to take photographs as I was
hand steering at the time. All was sorted out with Smithy's rod being
straightened and some new duct tape for Ken. Sadiqi was soon rolling
down wind at 6 knots with Smithy steering. It felt really good to be
sailing again. We soon rolled past Willimastad and the ships drifting
offshore waiting to enter the harbour.
 |
| Williamstad |
Noon
1200 UTC -Wind 14 to 16 knots ESE
Lat:
12 07.34 N Lon: 069 10.77 W
COG:
280 deg M, SOG: 6 knots
Engine:
1397.2
19
miles since departing Curacao.
1700
(Beer o clock)
Wind
18 - 22 knots NE – boisterous seas
SOG
7 knots.
Aruba
visible.
 |
| Chasing sunsets |
In
the calmer waters in the lee of Aruba I had my dinner. An uneventful
night sailing under mainsail only.
Friday
17-10-14
0600
UTC -5 Changed the time-zone.
Winds
16 to 20 knots ESE
COG:
270 deg M, SOG: 6 knots
Sailing
under mainsail only. Very pleasant.
I
ran the engine as batteries are low 11.8 volts.
The
fridge was killing the batteries or the batteries are dying.
Noon
1200 UTC -5
Wind
14 to 18 knots ESE
Lat:
12 35.91 N Lon: 071 22.97 W
COG:
270 deg M, SOG: 5.5 knots
Engine:
1398.4
132
miles since noon yesterday (25 hours)
1520
Due north of Punta Gallinas, Colombia.
Winds
12 to 15 knots ENE
COG:
265 deg M SOG: 5 knots
1900
Saw lots of lightening to the south over Colombia – can't hear the
thunder.
Winds
14 to 16 knots E
Saturday
18-10-14
0015
Winds 16 to 20 knots SE
Cross
Track error alarm sounded – Sadiqi was heading north to Mexico with
the wind shift.
0200
wind 8 to 10 knots ENE
Sails
banging and slatting in lumpy seas.
0600
Winds 10 to 12 knots E
Noon
1200 UTC -5
Wind
8 to 10 knots E
Lat:
12 02.55 N Lon: 073 00.95 W
COG:
245 deg M, SOG: 2.5 knots
Engine:
1399.6
102
miles since noon yesterday
1300
Wind picked up 12 to 15 knots NE
1600
Storm clouds – lightening and thunder toward land to the south.
1700
Wind 5 to 10 knots SW
Pushing
against counter current.
Started
engine 50 miles NE of Five Bays.
COG:
245 deg M, SOG: 3 knots.
 |
| Feathered Stowaways |
2230
Wind 6 to 10 knot E
COG:
250 deg M, SOG: 1.5 knots! Slow
Sunday
19-10-14
Long,
slow night – motor sailing.
Winds
less than 5 kots from all over the place.
0630
Winds 10 to 12 knots SE
Winds
picked up closer to shore
 |
| Five Bays, Colombia |
0930
Entered Five Bays – Ensenada Chenque. Waved to the officials on the
Armada Navico boat. The northern end of the Andes mountains appears
to stop in the Fiord area of the Five Bays. Apparently, on a good day
you can see the snow capped mountains.
1000
Dopped anchor – nudged a coral bommie – not good!
1015
Departed Ensenada Chenque. If the officials were around I decided
not to risk an unauthorised stop over.
Engine
1414.1 hours. There were millions of butterflies, mainly white,
flying over the water. It was like it was snowing butterflies.
1115
wind all over the place and not much of it.
Noon
1200 UTC -5
Wind
5 knots W
Lat:
11 20.52 N Lon: 074 15.48 W
COG:
270 deg M, SOG: 4 knots
Engine:
1415.1
84
miles since noon yesterday
Motor
sailing again.
1415
Winds 8 to 12 knots E
Polled
out jib.
Turned
off the engine.
COG:
250 deg M, SOG: 4 knots.
1730
winds fading.
Turned
on the engine to avoid a ship approaching Barranquilla, the mouth of
the Magdalena river.
 |
| Thunder storms near Barranquilla |
1900
No wind – lightening and thunder all around. The flashes of
lightening briefly illuminating the huge storm clouds. The stars
disappeared above the clouds. The darkness of the storm seemed to
absorb all light and looked foreboding. The air temperature seemed to
drop several degrees. Soon the large drops of rain began to fall. I
was hoping it was not going to hail as that would hurt. The time
difference between the flashes of retina searing lightening and the
deafening claps of thunder was small. I made an attempt to protect my
precious electronics by putting what would fit into the metal oven -
a Faraday cage. I figured it was futile as a direct hit by lightening
was likely to render everything toast – including me. These are not
thoughts to dwell on. There was not much wind. The rain soon became
torrential, visibility zero. The AIS showed me where ships were, most
of them at anchor, and also showed Sadiqi to the ships. Sadiqi was
barely making headway in what ever direction the sails would set –
Smithy the wind-vane was at the helm. The noise of the torrential
downpour hitting the deck,sails, canvas covers and the sea surface
was a deafening roar. It was with relief when I noticed the rain
begin to abate, the claps of thunder further away and the sky become
lighter. This more than damp saga probably lasted half an hour.
Sadiqi and the skipper had the first good freshwater wash in many
months.
Monday
20-10-14
0200
zip wind – motoring!
Still
trying to get past Barranquilla. The out flow from Rio Magdalena
making it difficult to Sadiqi to push further west even with the
engine running.
0600
woke to the sound of a gentle wind.
Wind
5 to 8 knots E
Pulled
out the sails – gave the engine a well earned rest.
COG:
235 deg M, SOG 3.5 knots
Noon
1200 UTC -5
Wind
6 to 8 knots E
Lat:
10 53.86 N Lon: 075 17.93 W
COG:
215 deg M, SOG: 2 knots
Engine:
1429.4
70
miles since noon yesterday
Ghosting
along in light winds and flat seas.
1305
Winds zip! Mainsail banging.
Started
the engine – again.
Sadiqi
was approximately 33 miles from Cartagena.
1500
Winds 5 to 8 knots NW
I
turned off the engine and let Sadiqi drift. I swam to cool off and
inspect the damage from nudging the coral bommie. Some bottom paint
had been chipped off the keel. I doubt the coral would have suffered
any damage – there unlikely to be any environmental impact.
1700
Beer o clock
24
miles from Cartagena.
1930
Wind less than 5 knots westerly.
Mainsail
banging – started engine. I was a little reluctant to run the
engine as I had noticed the charge from the alternator was
fluctuating and the current was too high for the fully charged
batteries.
2200
12 miles from Cartagena (Boca Grande entrance)
Wind
8 to 12 N
Bare
poles drifting westwards. I did not want to make a night entrance.
COG:
200 M, SOG: 1.5 knots
21-10-14
Tuesday
0445
Wind less than 10 knots South – where I was pretty much headed.
Started
the engine.
 |
| Boca Grande, Cartagena |
0645
– entered the Bocca Grande through the narrow entrance.
0745
– Dropped anchor off Club Nautico, Cartagena.
Engine
1436.0 hours.
After
everything was squared away I went to sleep for several hours.
