Santa Marta, Colombia

Santa Marta was altogether the most welcoming port, marina, and town we have come across this year.

Arrival and First Day

We arrived just after daybreak, which was the first time to arrive in daylight at a new port for a long time. The wind had died away and the reflections were lovely. A complete change in weather with high mountains inland and we are now south of the trade winds which have been with us since leaving the Cape Verde Islands.

We contacted the port control and after the usual questions, they welcomed us to Colombia. It was the first of many welcomes and smiles, from the Port, the marina staff, the marina office, and numerous men who work on the boats. It made you feel that you really were welcome.

This was the first continent we had been on for 6 months. High-rise buildings, a big port, and many ships and tugs. Coal and grain are shipped out of Santa Marta. A bit of a culture shock after small Caribbean islands with tourism as the main industry.

The wind had died just as we got close so we put on the engines and suddenly there was a burning smell. Stopped the engines and looked everywhere onboard for the source with no sign of a problem. We then went to the front of the yacht and you could smell it up there so it was not us on fire. Looking forward and we saw all the smoke haze in the distance. We were wondering what sort of place Santa Marta was going to be!

The Marina

The area around the marina is quite pretty but the roads drain straight onto the beach and the water is full of rubbish. It does not feel very clean to swim in. They still fish here in the evenings though and the egrets seem to find it OK to fish as well!!

The Santa Marta marina is modern and has very wide pontoons so they can drive golf carts down the, plus a helipad. There is also a fuel dock and boatyard area for maintenance and many workers around to clean and polish your boat, organise taxis and trips and fix sails or flags. The staff are welcoming, helpful and knowledgeable, and available every day of the week.

All the trolleys on the marina are 3 wheels and a good height. The Wifi is the best we have had anywhere, fast and free, which was great for catching up on blogs. Unfortunately that is not true for Shelter Bay, Panama which is slow on the phone or or wifi.

Currency and Income

According to the World Bank Colombia is one of the most unequal countries in the world with the 10% richest people having 46 times more money than the average of the other 90%. As you look around the town you can see indications of this disparity.

There are around 4000 Colombian Pesos to the USD. Hew felt for the first time in his life he was a millionaire twice in one day. As you may guess, although most things such as food items are cheap, the cash does not last long. The only country where we have taken out 1.5 million of the currency from an ATM.

We had two locals cleaning all the stainless on the yacht which was quoted as USD 250 a day’s work for two men – 1,000,000 Colombian pesos(COP). Lunch was 35 USD. 140,000COP. The ATM produces 50mille notes(50,000). The office told us that one American thought they were 50COP notes and was handing them out as tips- everyone was very happy until he discovered his error.

Colombian pesos get down to 100 peso coins as the smallest denomination – 2.5 US cents.

Lunch on the square

After getting some money from one ATM machine, the first only gave 300,000COP, so we had to go to another to get some more. Also, the banks and some of the ATM machines shut for lunch!! So we sat down to a long lunch on the square to await the opening of the banks.

Walk Around Town

Around the waterfront there are wide promenades and modern landscaping, but just off the waterfront you go to narrow old streets.

Around town there are mostly local tourists with a few foreigners like us. Local language is Spanish, not our strong point. Luckily we met a Swiss couple Gerald and Brigette. Gerald is an ex Swiss Air pilot, part Spanish, so fluent in Spanish plus fluent in French, German, and English as well.

Restaurant Area

There are many restaurants – most fairly small, seating 10-20.

Parks

Parque Bolivar has two monuments one to Simon Bolivar considered the liberator of Colombia and the other is the oldest fountain in Santa Marta built in 1848 – dedicated to Persephone.

Narrow Streets and Small Cars

Central City buildings

There are buildings of every sort in town and every style, old and new, vitorian, art deco, spanish. There seems to be a move to retain many of the old buildings for government offices which ensures their restoration and retention.

Boutique hotels

Art

Continuing the commentary on the street art in various countries, here is the local Santa Marta art. It is iinterting to observe all the local styles, and themes.

Dive trip, Isla de la Aguja

I was down looking for a courtesy flag and happened across a dive shop so we booked in and off we went to two dives sites near Isle de la Aguja. The water was rather murky due to the recent rain so I did not have high hopes of a good dive, but the soft and hard corals were fabulous. Both of the dives were “drift” dives in quite strong currents and the second dive, called “the exit” was all brain coral. Huge growths and a huge variety of colours. Unfortunately any photos at a distance were difficult due to the lack of clarity but here are a few photos that are reasonable. Usually the slower the dive the more you see, but in a drift dive you do not have much time to stay and look at one spotwithout being left behind, especially when the visibility is low!

Fish

Coral

The corals come in a huge variety of shapes and colours. When diving deeper you loose some of the colours. Close in (<30cm)the lights bring back the colours but further away they do not have much effect. Hence some of the larger picktures look as though they are lacking in colour. Also, although I have tried to name all the corals from interest, I am no expert and there could be errrors, if so please let me know.

Fire Corals

Branching Corals

Brain

Gorgonians – Soft Coral

Plate

Star Coral

Flower

Crayfish

Moray

Clam

Worm

Sponges

Vase

Most other dive sites the vase sponges were thin and delicate at this site, apart from some very small ones, they were huge and thick. Quite a different appearance.

Algae

Dinner in a local restaurant

When we got back from diving it was very hot so we spent the afternoon relaxing ahead of going out to dinner with Gerald and Brigitte. We had a recommendation for a good local restaurant for the next night so off we went to Quasimo. The art on the outside and the inside was done to reflect local activities and food and were very good. The menu was good and nice wine. Unfortunately, halfway through dinner Hew had to leave as he felt sick and later Gerald also had stomach problems. The next day we had booked a trip inland for all of us to Minca and neither of the boys could go. They both had the beef!!

Inland to Minca

The trip to Minca was by taxi to the town and then a new driver and 4WD for the rest of the trip. Minca was originally guerilla territory and was closed off to everyone, except locals. Following the ceasefire by the paramilitary and guerilla groups over the last several years, Minca was by backpackers and then eventually opened up to host visitors. Most of the visitors are still from Colombia, especially since Covid, all learning about their own country. Minca has a museum and many interesting sites in the surrounding hills but we only had time to do two waterfalls and La Victoria coffee plantation.

The rainforest was spectacular and very luscious. Apparently, it rains for about 2 hours every day and we saw that towards the end of the trip. Some of the trees and plants were huge – about twice the size we usually see for the same plant. The giant bamboo was enormous and planted along the edges of the steep roads to hold them up and stop slips. This is true rain forest country.

La Victoria Coffee Plantation

The plantation is 600 acres and 12 families live on the plantation full time. The electricity for the machinery in the plantation buildings and all the homes are supplied from a small hydro generator. Much of the machinery was installed around 1900 and is still operating today, lovingly maintained by the operators who are descendants of the original owners. The coffee is flavoured by the trees growing around the plants the Arabica coffee grown here is known for its slight mango favour. They also believe it is freshened with the sea breezes that flows up form the coast.

During the harvest the beans are hand picked and carried in the plastic bucket shown below. When this if full it weighs 14kg, and they then empty it into the wooden collection box. The large one when full contains 86kg of beans – a worker can fill 4-6 of these in a morning. Along with the families who live here there are usually 90 extra workers housed on the plantation for the harvesting.

From the trays the beans go into the sorter by water movement. All movement of the beans is by water pressure, then later air pressure using a venturi effect.

The top 20% of the beans are retained and roasted on the plantation under their label. The rest are sent to wholesalers. They grade into three levels, top, medium, and lower. The top beans are dried inside in the driers which takes 24 hours and the rest are dried outside which can take up to 4 days depending on whether it rains. In the smaller plantations they dry the beans in the roof of the houses. The humidity needs to be right – between 10-12%, too much and you get fungus and too little and there is less flavour.

Then the jelly is removed and quality checked – where they float in the water. The heavier the coffee bean the better quality. then the skin and sugar.

All the machinery is maintained by those working on the farm over the 8 months when there is no harvest. Although very old it s in beautiful condition.

They grow their own replacement plants. The plants will begin fruiting in three years and fruit for 15-20 years. They also grown their on fruit and vegetables on the plantaion.

All the parts of the plant that are not used go into the mulch including the pods, and the skins etc. The first stage of the mulch outside takes 8 months then it is hand cleaned and placed in the toughs seen undercover. When ready it is taken to drop off points by cart and then carried up around the plantation in back packs.

The plants flower in March and April for two days and the hills look white form all the flowers.

Swimming Holes – Pozo Azul

These two pools and the area around are very popular with the locals and people from Santa Marta. There are many restaurants in the area that cater to all the visitors, especially on the weekends. You can either walk down or pay for a motorcycle either to yourself or get a lift on one.

As mentioned earlier they use giant bamboo here to hold up the sides of the roads – it is very effective.

The swim in the pool was very refreshing after a long hot morning.

If a busload of tourists arrive they have to pay for a lifeguard service.

Waterfall Las Casadas de Marinka

This time we walked up to the waterfall and our driver stayed behind. We could see why later but it was worth it.

A selection of the flowers on the track. The area around the waterfall was well maintained.

Just as we were getting ready to leave the afternoon rain shower happened. It poured. We sat for about 45 minutes waiting for it to slowdown. We watched one of the staff pull the boards retaining the pool water out by hand just before the water flooded over the wooden decking. The pool was anoted as 1.2m when we swam in it, it rapidly rose about 60cm and as the shower was easing it was showing the gravel bottom in places. They obviously need the wooden dam for the number of visitors they have.

After that we just travelled back down the hill and then out to Santa Marta, unfortunately due to the delay with the weather we did not have time to stop in the town which we would have liked to and both of us were wet from the rain so decided to head straight back.

Departure

We reached the marina to find the boys were better but not brilliant. After delaying our departure for another day of resting, it was time to leave. Diesel was (USD 65c per litre) so we filled up expecting to have considerable motoring time on the next leg, and then set off for Panama with a forecast for little wind.

We hope to return to investigate Minca town again, the Tayrona National park, the bird watching and the lost city ruins. We would highly recommend the area.