After three record days -170 miles yesterday – and great
expectations (we jumped the gun) of a midday arrival at Santa Marta, the wind
dropped during the night and we have been lolling along at 3 to 5 knots. The wind has picked up a little but
Ayama has a one and a half knot current against her which is also driving her
towards land so we are having to head offshore so we don’t to cut it too close to the headland. Stefan usually puts the engine on below
4 knots but we can’t with the damaged bearing.
I woke up to go on watch and was a bit
horrified to see the saloon bunk open to access tools but when I went to the
cockpit Stefan and Anna were happily sitting sewing bracelets….what a relief! We are about 10 miles off the Colombian
coast and it looks very mountainous but sadly it is hazy so we don’t have a
clear view. Sofia was sat near
Stefan in the cockpit and started singing to herself and Stefan was a bit
concerned he was beginning to hear things…mermaids! I think he is still dreaming of winning the rum tot.
Nobody has won it yet.
Poor Sofia had a freak wave come through her porthole and drench her in
the middle of the night. She
dreamt she was drowning. It also
threw Ayama well off course but Stefan was on watch and said the autopilot
eventually put her back on course.
We
have been joined by a very beautiful velvety green and brown moth who is
hitching a ride back to dry land.
Two more flew past but didn’t land on Ayama. We are hoping to arrive at the Marina before sunset but it
will be close.’
We took in the genoa as we reached the way point on the
headland and the spinnaker pole
and then partially took out the genoa again. Suddenly there was a big bang and Anna jumped into action to
rescue the solar panels which the wind had flipped over, luckily nobody was hit by the loose pole and Sophia
grabbed it. Having had about 12
knot winds all day the wind picked up to 26 – 30 knots. We took in the jib/fock and Ayama was
flying towards Santa Marta.
The coastguard boat came and escorted us so Anna had to talk
to them on the radio. She then had
to cope with the coastguard, Rally Control and the Marina staff all trying to communicate at the same time. The final comment from someone was “we
wish you a too good time in Santa Marta”.
Ayama is now safely tied up in a very pleasant marina and we
are enjoying Santa Marta which is a vibrant, friendly and relaxing city.