Leaving Cartagena (2)

Shangrila's web diary
Ali Pery and Shane Warriker
Mon 3 Jun 2013 04:08

37:08.828N 001:30.029W

So here we are, after finally casting off from Cartagena at 13:00 local time or 12:00 UK time we once again listen to the slap of water as it passes around Shangrila’s powerful hull.  This time round conditions are vastly better than those experienced by us on the last passage (Dear God, please let it stay this way).

We are now joined by two new crewmates for this leg after Jon and Rob had to leave us after the last leg to fulfil other commitments. So this would be a good time to introduce you to Russell and Keith...

clip_image001

 

Russell and Keith tucking into some local pastries prior to casting off

 

Russell is a long time friend who is married to one of Ali’s best friends (“Sophie”) and he kindly (bravely?) left his family behind to help us take Shangrila ever closer to the UK.  He also cancelled doing a Yachtmaster Instructors course to be on board.

Keith, we met while sailing in the Caribbean with his partner “Welly” and they became firm friends of ours who we shared many happy times with.  He also spent four years as a cruising instructor in Greece so is very experienced.

In all they will be great company and a real asset to Shangrila, and I look forward to writing about our continued success and happy adventure.

 

I need to say a huge thank you to Ali, who has once again sacrificed her chance to be on board for a passage so that we could make even more progress (Not that she would have slowed us down, but we would have had to make a detour to drop her off for the airport).  She came all the way to Cartagena, worked like an absolute slave in preparing Shangrila for the next leg; didn’t get the chance to see many of the sights in the fabulous, fascinating city, and then stood on the dock waving us off only to fly back to Blighty to continue her course in animal healing.   No life of the cruising wife for her just yet.

clip_image002

 

An exhausted Ali packs her bags to head back home.

 

A strange thing happened while we were moored in Cartagena.  Shangrila’s doppelganger came and moored on the pontoon directly opposite us.  A dark blue Nauticat 42 just like ours owned by a lovely couple called Rob and Philly.  They had lots of good advice, good company, and proper old school friendliness.  It was a pleasure to meet them, and if they are typical of Nauticat owners, I shall like being one very much!