'Mainsail for sale. Suit 41 ft boat- no longer required due to excess of wind. Sailing under genoa quite fast enough thanks and mainsail involves too much effort.'

Not really as I guess we may need it at some point in the future but this trip so far I could have left it in the locker.

We made rapid progress yesterday and calculating that we were due in to Santa Marta in the dark decided to have a rest at anchor. My online guide gave a position in the lee of Cabo de la Vela and it looked relatively open and easy enough to find in moonlight. As we aproached at about 2am a light flashed on just in front of us and I could just make out the shape of a small fishing boat. Lucky we woke him otherwise we could easily have become entangled.  We adjusted position and dropped the anchor in 4m of water. It was still windy but flat water and very comfortable for the rest of the night.
Rather bleak anchorage off Cabo de la Vela.

In the morning light we could see several boats fishing in the bay and one stopped by and offered some fish or so I thought. Not having any pesos or cigarettes I offered some beers which they gratefully accepted but then waved cheerily and scooted off without leaving my fish. Either the beer to fish exchange rate was running  low or I had been done (again).
frigate birds fighting off the bow.

Talking fishing I put the line out for most of the day yesterday and when I pulled it in the pretty squid lure that I bought in La Gomera had been bitten clean off. Something big with sharp teeth now has stomach ache but I am very glad I didn't have to try and fight it on board.

The wind picked up at the end of the day to 25knots gusting 30  and the waves acquired a little more menace in the aproaching gloom. A couple of soakings in the cockpit but Aires coped with the steering and the rig held O.K. I had to help steer to avoid an oil rig and a tanker crossed our path fairly close but now we are drying out as the sun rises with a mountainous coastline appearing and Santa Marta about 15 miles ahead.