12:16.1N 72:19.2W
We’re currently about 20 hours from the finish line of the 1st Leg from St Lucia to Santa Marta in Columbia and so far, the passage has been good. We’ve had a few rain squalls a couple of nights ago, but apart from that, it’s been classic trade wind sailing all the way. 15 to 25th of north easterly winds. The seas have been pretty kind too!
Crew and yacht are all going well, although four days at sea and the crews minds are wandering! As we were sailing past Aruba, Val was trying to think of the words of that classic Beach Boys song featuring Aruba - Kokomo
“Aruba, Jamaica, ooh, I wanna take ya
Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama
Key Largo, Montego
Baby, why don't we go?
Jamaica”
She then started singing it and now none of the crew can get the tune out of their heads! Now on reading the words, glad they wanted to go to key Largo and not Mar-a-Lago to meet “The Donald”!
I’ve had a couple of messages asking why we’re being overtaken by some of the other yachts: well we were warned at the skippers briefing by the ARC team that entering Santa Marta harbour at night is unwise and that there is some nasty weather to be expected in the area due to an acceleration zone off the nearby headland. In addition there are some unfriendly locals who have a dislike to yachts at anchor outside the harbour. All that added together made us decide to throttle back PatBon and sail the last 24 hours at a slower pace than perhaps we would have normally sailed. We’ve spent much of it running downwind under the staysail (smaller inner jib) only at only 7 kts which will hopefully mean we cross the finish line at first light on Thursday (bang goes our arrival time estimates!) and can go straight into the marina. For those arriving during the night, they have to choice to risk entry into the marina, spend an uncomfortable few hours off-shore until daylight in the stronger winds or drop anchor and keep a close look-out for intruders! Think we made the right choice, although it has added a few hours to our journey.
Our fishing exploits have not been a success! There is a large Wahoo that probably has some toothache and indigestion due to our lovely lure it stole! Three other fish have been hooked but managed to break free pretty quickly but thankfully decided they weren’t into body piercings and that the lures were better off remaining on the end of our line. Some yachts have had some success, so beer bribery in a Santa Marta bar might have to take place to get some hints on catching dinner!
We’re currently sailing at 7kts, 10 miles off the Columbian coast with the new courtesy flag fluttering at the cross trees. Helga, our wind vane, is doing her utmost to frustrate the skipper and the course he wants her to steer and the language is becoming modestly blue! The 18 knot NE wind is driving us to our destination and hopefully we should arrive at around 0600 local time tomorrow. Even though he is 12 hours out, Nathan will win the ETA game, beating Peter by a minute, while I’m in the chair for the 1st round at the bar for being furthest away! Mind you, there is plenty of time for some shenanigans from the skipper to bring our line crossing to 0558! Watch this space:-)