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Ocean Rival Journey Log
Adam Power Diana Power
Thu 26 May 2016 14:04
We arrived back in Santa Marta on Sat evening after a good trip despite one lost bag. The bag containing the furling drum-essential for further progress and Leslies fruit cake- essential for morale. The boat looked clean and much as we left her so we collapsed on board after 3 flights and 20 hours travelling. Unfortunately the unacustomed heat and loud music prevented much proper sleep.
The missing bag eventually arrived at Santa Marta airport on Tuesday after visiting most Columbian airports on route. That gave us time to sort out and provision the boat and to catch up with Sergio who had done a good job keeping the boat clean in exchange for occasional sleeping on board between lost city treks. We could tell that the cleaning had been regular as the decks and rigging were clean up as high as Sergio could reach but the shrouds above 8ft were thick with black gunk from the coal loading port upwind. I bought a new hose to replace the one left in Suriname and managaed to get the worst of the gunge off the foil and shrouds.
Segio told us that the lost city trek is currently much more difficult due to frequent rain in the hills- can't imagine how one would manage the steep paths in sticky mud. He wants to find another job -maybe even join a band (he plays saxaphone) but we may meet up in Cartagena and he is keen to hitch a lift to Panama.
After rigging the genoa with my extended furling drum we set out on wednesday for a shake down trip to the Tyrona national park bays which are about a 12mile trip to the north round the point. The winds were much less than when we arrived 1st time in SM. but still quite a sea built up round the point which shook us up a but more than planned.
Conche bay is the 1st one of 4 or 5 and we enjoyed a quiet day with a fish lunch on the beach and great snorkelling. The anchorage was a bit rolly but blissfuly quiet after the never ending music in Santa Marta.
Back to SM now to pick up our exit papers then on to Cartagena overnight.