Currency:
US dollar
Bahia
Caraquez, called Bahia, is
36 miles south of the equator. It was summer and the rainy season
when Sadiqi arrived. It had been Winter and the dry season 600 miles
to the north in Panama. Apart
from Bahia, being a river anchorage it was
a nice place. The
Frigate Birds, Pelicans and the occasional condor vulture circle
effortlessly over the muddy waters of the Rio Chone. After heavy
rains inland large logs, water
hyacinth and
other debris
float
down the
river.
Barbacles
also grow at a rapid rate in the muddy, nutrient rich waters.
 |
| Bahia Caraquez, Ecuador |
 |
| Rio Chone |
Puerto
Amistad Yacht Club Prices from March 2015:
- Mooring (fore and aft) $13.50/day
- Mooring (swing) $15.50 /day
- Anchor (Dinghy dock, WiFi, facilities) $10.00/day
Ecuador
officialdom:
- Clearance -in: $160.00
- Clearance -out: $160.00
There
is a modest modern shopping mall within easy walking distance of the
yacht club. The fruit and vegetable market in the town centre was
exceptional and inexpensive. I had not seen such a good selection of
produce since leaving Trinidad. I purchased half a kilogram of fresh
garlic for US$1.50. If I recall correctly the price of garlic in a
supermarket in Australia was something like $25/kg (2014).
I
decided to row the dinghy to the dinghy dock, opting to not use the
outboard. The tidal current can be a real challenge specially on the
spring tides. Other exercise was the occasional walk along the mile
and half bridge near Bahia.
I had managed to put a dent in the jobs list on Sadiqi:
 |
| Market |
 |
| Bridge over Rio Chone |
Other
cruisers at Puerto Amistad
Paul
& Judy on “Grace”, from Seattle USA.
Chuck
& Linda on “Jacaranda” from California USA.
Sherman
& Judy on “Fair Winds” from USA.
Daniel
on “Goyave” from France.
Menno
on “Kairos” from Holland.
Greg
& Deb on “Kalliope” from Alaska
Olivier
& Vivian on “Mary Ann” from Singapore
Olivier
& Linda on “Geremia” from Belguim
Yves
& Ev on “Swey” from France
Andre
on “Iris” from France
I had managed to put a dent in the jobs list on Sadiqi:
- Cleaning water tanks.
- Giving Smithy the windpilot a good wash.
- Re-stiching batten pockets on the mainsail.
- Fitting a loud external alarm for the AIS.
- Put a plastic bag over the propeller to inhibit barnacle growth.
One
job that was not done was to get the anchor chain regalvanised. The
cost of $1.50 / kilogramme was very reasonable. 8mm anchor chain
weighs around 1.45kg/metre. For 30 metres of chain that's 43 Kgs,
around $65.However, getting the the chain to Guayaquil and back would
cost $300! It would be cheaper to buy new chain when I get somewhere
where I can buy new chain. The current chain is a little over two
years old and is ok.
I
decided to travel inland. I put Sadiqi on the only available mooring
at $15.50/ day. Being on anchor at $10.50 / day had been fine. With
high spring tides and the river flooding I chose to move Sadiqi
closer to the other moored yachts for better security.
I'm
giving dollar values to show how inexpensive it was to travel in
Ecuador. The executive, express bus that takes 8 hours from Bahia to
Quito cost $10. The taxi from the the bus station cost $8 to La Casa
Tolena Hostel in Centro Historico (Old City). The hostel dormitory,
which I had to myself, cost $12/ night + 12% tax. dinner in a local
cocina cost $2.70 with a coke. The Hostel, for the price, was basic
and more than adequate. The greatest feature was the lounge room with
a view on the top floor of the small hostel.
 |
| Quito - near Centro Historico |
 |
| View to the south of Quito |
 |
| View to the West |
Quito,
Ecuador altitude 2850 meters (9,350 feet). A city in the clouds, well
it was when I arrived on Thursday, March 5. Quito is the second
highest capital city in the world (after La Paz, Bolivia). It's
located on the eastern slopes of the active Pichincha volcano in the
Andes mountains. Quito has a high elevation with a large population
(just over 2 million people), it lies 25 km south of the equator. At
that altitude the air was cold and thin. The early morning
temperature was a chilly 8 degrees Celsius. Walking up and down the
steep streets it did not take long for me to puff and wheeze. I was
used to living at sea level. I did a fair bit of puffing and wheezing
as I walked around both Centro Historico, the old city, and parts of
the the trendy new city called Mariscal Foch. I preferred the old
city.
 |
| Hostel La Casa Tolena |
I
took the risk of getting well and truly lost and took the trole
(diesel/electric tram) bus to Ejido park. This is entertainment for
free - watching life. All city bus fares seem to cost 25 cents.
I
decided on a treat, as I had been so cheap, and went to an Italian
restaurant that I had been told repeatedly about called: Cafe San
Blas. the pizza was indeed outstanding. The restaurant only had
seating for 20 people.
Foot
sore, blistered and weary from all the walking I paid the bill of $41
for 3 nights accommodation. I caught the bus for 25 cents from Plaza
Marin, a short weary stagger from the hostel to The Quitumbe bus
Terminal for the next bus back to Bahia. The Quitumbe bus Terminal
was huge and modern.
Visiting
Quito was a brief and pleasant glimpse at inland Ecuador.
 |
| Bahia Caraquez |
Waiting
for the wind. The sun appears to slip over the equator to the
northern hemisphere on the equinox. The weather forecast is for light
and variable winds for the next week and the next … . Finding any
wind to sail further west is a moot point being so close to the
equator.
Another
useful weather forecast internet link:
The
brown river Chone floods after heavy rains in the Andes. Large logs
bump against Sadiqi's hull. Huge rafts of water hyacinth
and rubbish float past – sometimes snagging on the anchor chain.
The
main job on the boat is trying to make space to store more food and
beer. This has been a challenge. Stuff, other than safety equipment
on board, that has not been used in the last 4 years is being given
away or thrown out. The bears have so far survived the purge.
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| Cruisers Equinox dinner |
A
Wow experience at the supermarket. I was asked to provide my passport
number when making purchases over $20. The passport number was
entered into the till. I was surprised to see my name appear. I don't
carry my passport all the time for security reasons. I do carry a
copy of my drivers licence, which when ID is required is usually
sufficient. It would appear that my details are keyed into the
central Ecuadorian system when I cleared into the country.
The
Puerto Amistad Yacht Club restaurant and bar does not open on
Sundays. Cruisers are allowed to use the facilities in the evening to
cook and have a meal. A good crowd gathered for a Pot Luck –
bringing a something to share.
 |
| Cruisers Pot luck dinner |
There
were a good group of cruisers and a surprising number of solo sailors
like myself.
Toward
the end of March there was movement in the anchorage. Yachts Grace
and Mary Ann headed out with the pilot Pedro. Grace had to return
when the engine overheated. The next day Grace tried to leave again
for Mexico. The bar across the Rio Chone was too rough. When the
surfers are out surfing the bar then it is generally not a good thing
for yachts to enter or exit the river. The next day when Grace and
Fair Winds tired to leave there was too much swell for a safe passage
over the shallows.
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| Surfs up on the Rio Chone bar |
Most
of the cruisers had been waiting and watching the weather for wind.
Latin American bureaucracy is slow and expensive when it comes to
clearing in or out of the country. It takes 4 days and costs $180.00
to process the paper work to clear out. A weather forecast gets
dubious with regard to accuracy after the third day. Catch 22!
Much
of the conversion in the marina bar centres
around the availability of
wind. The doldrums, with light
and variable or no wind,
extends about 5 degrees either side of the equator here
in Ecuador. Five degrees is 300
nautical miles, meaning a band of capricious wind 600 miles wide. The
doldrums meander north and south of the equator depending on season
and significant weather pattens. What most of us were waiting for was
the Doldrums to meander northwards reducing the distance to head
southward before finding consistent wind. Many yachts have large fuel
capacity and can motor the 600 miles to Galapagos and
refuel. However, Sadiqi with
only
130 litres of diesel has a range of 520 miles – roughly. The
skipper would rather limit the use of the hot, noisy engine as much
as possible.
