Wednesday 18 February 2015

Ecuador


Currency: US dollar

Bahia Caraquez, Ecuador
 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.

Rio Chone
The Puerto Amistad Yacht Club offers anchorage, bow and stern or single swing moorings when available. A good number of cruisers visit Bahia, as it is a good deal less expensive than other anchorages and marinas in Ecuador. It is also a good place to leave the boat to travel inland. The bar in the yacht club was an great place to meet other cruisers.

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). 

Market
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. 

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.
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.
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.
 

Friday 13 February 2015

Panama to Ecuador


After a few very pleasant days anchored near Rio Cacique it was time to move on.
Thursday February 12, at 1105, Sadiqi departed Rio Cacique, Las Perlas, Panama.
The wind was forecast to build during the day. It was around 10 to 12 knots from the NE as Sadiqi motored southwards after Fagel Bla.

Noon 1200 UTC -5 - February 12
Wind 10 to 12 knots NE
Lat: 08 14.22 N Lon: 078 53.61 W
COG: 217 deg M, SOG: 4.5 knots
Engine: 1515.4 hours
4 miles since leaving Rio Cacique.

1230 Winds 8 to 10 kts. NE.
I raised Big Bertha the asymmetrical spinnaker.
Bearing: 217 deg M, SOG: 5 kts.
Sailing wing on wing with Big Bertha

1630 Winds 15 to 18 kts (True) NE.
Boisterous seas – I dropped Big Bertha.

Overnight the winds were 20 to 25 kts NNE.
On the dark moonless night I heard the distinctive ploop and blow of dolphins. I went up on deck to see the sea light up with the phosphorescence of 20 or so dolphins streaking through the water around Sadiqi. It was an amazing sight. They seemed to play in the bow wave, as they do. I presumed that Sadiqi's hull must glow with the phosphorescence for them to see it.

Sadiqi rolled about with reefed mainsail.
Bearing: 217 deg M, SOG: 5 to 7 kts in a 1 to 1.5 knot southerly current.

13-02-15 Friday.
0900 Pan Pacific Net report on 8143.0 Mhz
Gave position of Lat: 06 31 N Lon: 079 59 W
Wind 20 to 25 kts North
Current 1 to 2 kts South.
Rolling along at 5 to 7 kts SOG.

Noon 1200 UTC -5 - February 13
Wind 20 to 28 knots NNE
Lat: 06 14.12 N Lon: 080 12.84 W
COG: 215 deg M, SOG: 7.5 knots
Engine: 1515.8 hours
143 miles since noon the previous day
Partially furled mainsail and poled out partially furled jib.
This sail configuration gave Smithy, the WindPilot, the easiest control, as there was little if any weather helm as Sadiqi surfed down some of the bigger waves at up to 10 knots. Fast down wind sailing.
Not much sail up

14-02-15 Saturday.
Sunrise. Winds 12 to 15 knots NE.
The skipper had a good nights sleep.
Overcast skies – in the ITCZ.

0730 Spotted Isla Malpelo on the horizon.

0900 Pan Pacific Net report on 8143.0 Mhz
Position of Lat: 04 10 N Lon: 081 34 W
11 miles north of Isla Malpelo.
Wind 12 to 15 kts North East – Overcast skies.
Current 0.5 to 1 kts SSW.
Rolling along at 5 to 6 kts SOG.
Sea temperature 25.5 degrees C

1100 Rounded the rocky islands of Isla Malpelo.
Winds 13 to 15 kts NE
Sailing with reefed main and jib.
Bearing 167 deg M. SOG 5 kts.
Isla Malpelo

Noon 1200 UTC -5 - February 14
Wind 10 to 12 knots NNE
Lat: 03 53.55 N Lon: 081 37.20 W
COG: 170 deg M, SOG: 5.0 knots
Engine: 1517.2 hours
164 miles since noon the previous day

1800 Winds 5 to8 kts NE. Current minimal.
Drifting along with sails banging and slatting.

1930 Started the engine to make progress southwards.

15-02-15 Sunday.
The engine was ticking over most of the night at 1500 RPM.
Batteries fully charged. The New Balmar Alternator and Regulator working well. I reduced the Belt Load on the alternator by 10%.

0300 Winds 6 to 10 kts N.
Turned off the engine.
Winds steadily increased before dawn.

0730 Winds 25 to 30 kts N.
Reduced sail to reefed main only.

0900 Pan Pacific Net report on 8143.0 Mhz
Position of Lat: 02 30 N Lon: 081 17 W
Wind 20 to 25 kts North – Overcast skies.
Pushing against 0.5 to 1 kts current.
Rolling along at 4 to 5 kts SOG.
Sea temperature 25.0 degrees C

Noon 1200 UTC -5 - February 15
Wind 18 to 20 knots N
Lat: 02 14.85 N Lon: 081 18.13 W
COG: 175 deg M, SOG: 5.0 knots
Engine: 1525.4 hours
100 miles since noon the previous day

Nearing the equator the winds were more fickle. By late after noon and within one degree of the equator the winds were less than 10 knots from the north east. The sails were starting to bang about again. There was a 1 knot south westerly setting current that pushed Sadiqi in that direction. The winds were forecast to get lighter and the influence of the north setting Humbolt and Peru currents more apparent.

0900 Pan Pacific Net report on 8143.0 Mhz
Position of Lat: 00 58 N Lon: 081 04 W
100 miles NW of Bahia Caraquez
Wind 10 kts SSW – Overcast skies.
Pushing against 0.5 to 1 kts current.
Rolling along at 2 to 3 kts SOG.
Sea temperature 26.0 degrees C

Noon 1200 UTC -5 - February 16
Wind 10 to 12 knots SW
Lat: 00 50.62 N Lon: 081 01.49 W
COG: 160 deg M, SOG: 4.0 knots
Engine: 1535.4 hours
85 miles since noon the previous day

It was a beautiful sail by mid afternoon with 10 to 12 knot winds from the south west. The Volvo was given a rest. Sadiqi was making 4 to 4.5 knots in flattish waters, pushing against a half knot current.

Beer o clock was partaken with libations to absent family, friends and alas absent fish.

A significant amount of diesel was being used with some reluctance. Fortunately, the Volvo did not complaining, other than making the cabin damn hot and noisy. The reason for the use of the good old donk is time of arrival in Bahia Caraquez. The anchorage is up a river and there is a sand bar which has to be crossed. A wise mariner would only consider crossing this around high tide – preferably slack tide. High tide was due at 1445 on Tuesday, February 15. Sadiqi needed to be at what is called the “Waiting Room” at least an hour before high tide to wait for Pedro the local Pilot to guide her through the shallows.

17-02-15 Tuesday.
0124 Sadiqi crossed the Equator. Given the hour of the night I figured Neptune would forgive the lack of shenanigans. This was the fourth time that Sadiqi has crossed the Equator in as many years.

0900 Pan Pacific Net report on 8143.0 Mhz
Position of Lat: 00 18 S Lon: 080 34 W
18 miles NW of Bahia Caraquez
Wind 10 kts SW.
Pushing against 0.5 to 1 kts current.
Rolling along motor sailing at 2 to 3 kts SOG.
Sea temperature 26.0 degrees C

A small pod of large speckled dolphins played in Sadiqi's bow wave before moving on.

Noon 1200 UTC -5 - February 17
Wind 6 to 8 knots W
Lat: 00 30.61 N Lon: 080 29.75 W
COG: 150 deg M, SOG: 4.5 knots
Engine: 1543.6 hours
87 miles since noon the previous day
Bahia Caraquez

I contacted Puerto Amistad on VHF 69 to confirm my arrival time at the “Waiting Room” (Lat: 00 35.80S. Lon: 080 26.83W). Pedro the local pilot was to come on baord and guide me through the shallows and over the sand bars into the Rio Chone. The bar crossing was uneventful with minimum depth of just over one metre under Sadiqi's keel. The tidal range was a little over 3 metres.

1505 I dropped anchor at Puerto Amistad Yacht Club, Bahia Caraquez, Ecuador.
Engine: 1547.0 Hours. (some 33 hours of engine run time).