12.04N 68.51W

14^th April, 2008

Keith,

We’ve been here for more than a week and not done very much. A week or so nesting and repairing the inevitably failing water pump, but otherwise not much has gone wrong. We motored nearly 2 miles against the wind to a wonderful place called Fuik Boca which is a bay about a mile long and 300 yds wide. We were outraged to wake up and find not one, but two, English had appeared overnight; one even sporting a blue ensign. We beat a hasty retreat back to our lovely marina in Spanish Water ( Spaansewater ) and have done little but shop ever since. We’ll go tomorrow and anchor in our bay ( quelle histoire ! ) and then just potter around until we get hauled out in Willemstad on, I hope, the 30^th. Thence back to England prior to what is increasingly looking like a Panama transit in March ’09.

We would love to have someone ( 1 or 2 ) join us, particularly for longer hops.

Our plans are, bureaucracy, wind and waves permitting

Launch from Curacao                       17^th Nov 2008

Curacao to Cartagena                     19^th Nov to 26^th Nov

Cartagena to Colon               30^th Nov to 7^th Dec

Flying home                            11^th December

Transit Panama Canal               week beginning 23^rd March,

(joined by Guy until ?end May)

Panama City for Galapagos            27^th March to 3rd April

Galapagos to Marquesas            6^th  April to 30^th April

Marquesas to Tahiti                4^th to 11^th May

Cruising French Polynesia      End May/mid June

This allows for inevitable delays.

Clare,

We have been to the seaquarium and watched other people swimming with dolphins and kissing sealions…great fun but too scary for me. K was dying to leap into the water but I restrained him.

Also a visit to an ostrich farm and a beach with wonderful snorkelling

The 30^th April is a holiday for the Queen’s (? Which one ) birthday and the 1^st May is labour day so they have taken the 2^nd off as well.!

Luckily we have spotted this in advance and have to go to the boatyard on 29^th. Good excuse to spend a night in an old Landhuis which is a restaurant with rooms.