position N12 25 560 W70 46 160

Ocean Rival Journey Log
Adam Power Diana Power
Wed 24 Feb 2016 15:47
Wednesday  24th Feb. 11am  At sea-Monje del Este appearing on port bow.

My days are getting confused but I think this is correct. Yesterday we walked most of the way into Willemstad town before finding a bus stop and as Diana's knee was playing up we took the bus for the last few blocks.  Then discovered that the floating footbridge had disappeared (actually parked up against the far bank) to allow a tanker through-so took the free ferry across from Punda to Otrabanda where we found the bus to Westpund right at the western tip of the island. Here we found a pretty church (1st one actually open) and a lovely bay with great snorkling in the company of turtles.

On the return trip we stopped off for lunch at a museum of local life which has been formed around a former corn plantation. Lots of interesting videos and photos with a few pottery fragments and tools and weapons.
If we had arrived early in the morning we could have hiked around the plantation but not in midday sun. The flora on Curacao appears less varied than Bonaire- still mainly cactus but more thorn bushes filling the gaps and creating an impression of greater uniformity. The terrain is quite mountainous and a young german couple on our bus had impressively hiked to the top of the nearby mountain (Mt Crostoffel 1239 ft) in full sun while we were drifting languidly around with turtles.  They looked hot- we felt lazy but smug.

Back in Willemstad we provisioned off the floating market and I used my newly bought phone -finally replacing my drowned (supposedly waterproof) phone which never recovered,  to order a taxi back to the marina. Paperwork at the Marina office completed we slipped the mooring at around 6pm and with another stop off on the dirty tyres for immigration we requested a bridge opening. Took some time hanging about by the bridge to realise it was actually open as from the inshore side the gap isn't visible untill you are right up close.

Fast overnight passage with no main- genny poled out to port and still making good progress westward now.