Fakarava is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve site famous for its coral and diving on the North(Garuae) and South(Tetamanu) Passes. There was a warning on the charts and information to be careful as the dive boats operate in the pass. As we arrived in the morning at the north pass ( Garuae) to enter on slack tide we saw 5 dive boats at the entrance and not one of these were near the surfacing divers.

The north pass is wide and deep and larger ships and superyachts regular visitors. Currents of 5 or 6 knots however keep you on your toes with back eddies and little whirlpools.

We moved inside round to an anchorage right on the corner. Beautiful sand bottom and 5 other yachts there in the flat calm.

Information

The atoll is in the Pacific Ocean, part of the Tuamotu Archipelago, and holds UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status, alongside the atolls of Aratika, Kauehi, Niau, Raraka, Taiaro, and Toau. It spans 21km in width and 60km in length, making it the second-largest atoll in French Polynesia after Rangiroa.

Fakarava has a fascinating past. The Pōmare Dynasty originated here before ruling Tahiti.

European explorers first mentioned the atoll in the 19th century. Fakarava became a French territory, known for coconut oil production and mother-of-pearl trade.

Christianity arrived with a Catholic priest Honoré Laval leading to the construction of churches.The Rotoava church (blessed in 1850) and Tetamanu church (dating from 1874) stand as historical landmarks.

Anchoring

You are supposed to anchor in set areas so you do not destroy the coral but we found that the anchorages were not big enough for the number of yachts, and the buoy’s that should have been there in most cases weren’t.  When you anchor on the sand you are supposed to float your anchor so you do not get entangled in the bombies(coral heads) and do not damage them.

In order to achieve this you need suitable floats and of course these were available locally in the form of disused floats from the pearl farms which seemed wash up everywhere. However with our heavy anchor and 12mm chain the logistics of trying to float the chain as recommended was not so easy and we are still refining our technique and the quantity of floats required.

Rotoava

The next day we went to the anchorage outside Rotava, the largest and the northern town. We did not anchor in the designated area as there were to many boats already there so we anchored in the NE corner which is apparently for super yachts. There we found our Swiss friends Gerald and Bridget on Jetlag anchored alongside us. Having last seen them in Colombia nearly two years ago it was a great joy to see them. Lunch and a serious catchup was planned for the next day at Havaiki Lodge

The Town of Rotoava

We needed to go ashore to pay our tourist tax and garbage charge and had a short look around town. We found a small shop but discovered that fresh fruit and vegetables come in only once a week on Wednesday with the island trader. These are swiftly snapped up by the locals and cruising yachts. Tomorrow is Wednesday!

Fakarava Church Rotoava

The Fakarava Church is built from coral rock and cement and many of the internal fixtures are made locally.

As well as protestant services the Fakarava Church actively promotes environmental protection on Fakarava Island and in all of French Polynesia. Reverend Tekurio Temanu, the pastor of the church, is a fervent supporter of environmental preservation. He has advocated against overfishing, pollution, and other environmental problems that endanger the delicate ecosystem of the island. Reverend Temanu has also collaborated with local organizations to set up marine protected areas all around the island.

He received the Goldman Environmental Award, also known as the “Nobel Prize for the environment,” in 2010 for his diligent efforts to encourage environmental preservation on Fakarava Island and throughout French Polynesia. See more at https://farandawayadventures.com/fakarava-church/

Mururoa

Largely forgotten by the rest of the world the nuclear testing program at Mururoa and the environmental consequences still loom large in French Polynesian. With 193 tests, including 41 atmospheric tests, between 1966 and 1996. Most local Tahitians were exposed to high levels of radiation and have been affected with high incidences of cancers and birth defects linked to this. France still denies there is a problem and compensation has not been possible. There are multiple reports confirming the levels of exposure but the French government has continued to brush the problems under the carpet.

Read the excellent article in the Guardian in the link below which follows the history of fallout from the testing.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/09/france-has-underestimated-impact-of-nuclear-tests-in-french-polynesia-research-finds?CMP=share_btn_url

On the plus side France has poured huge amounts of money and infrastructure into French Polynesia since the 1960’s and continues to subsidise most of the activities. Consequently the islands enjoy good roads, wharf’s, airports and regular shipping and transport as well as electricity and water supplies. There is also a good healthcare system and education to tertiary level is available to everyone. This infrastructure is way beyond most of their neighbouring pacific countries.

As with most French territories fresh baguettes and croissants are available daily on larger islands. Additionally daily flights from Paris ensure the supermarkets are well stocked cheeses and other fresh food from France.

Lunch

Havaiki Lodge is a glorious spot for lunch with tables on the sand surrounded by beautiful blue water. Good food, cold drinks, good company and friendly staff, perfect. https://www.tahiti.com/hotels/havaiki-lodge-fakarava-6543

It was great to see Gerald and Brigette again and we enjoyed a leisurely lunch catching up on each others adventures over the past couple of years. Gerald, a fellow retired pilot, and Brigette have fallen in love with French Polynesia and have decided to stay here so are in the process of importing their boat (paying the taxes). As French speaking Swiss they have fitted right into the local community and have been able to give us some good information on how the place works.

We discovered they had a friend arriving on the same flight as our friends the next day so we organised a ride on the same bus and lovely leis for all of them. A very helpful local the others knew organised all this for us

Children and Sharks

Walking back from lunch we came across a local family who had been picnicing on the edge of the lagoon. Stopping for a chat we saw there were a number of sharks in the shallows which they happily ignored as they cleaned their BBQ gear and a 2 or 3 year old child played in the shallows right next to them.

The black tip sharks and sleeping(nurse) sharks are all around the Fakarava Lagoon and the children feed them, play with them and swim with them. It occured to us that sharks in the shallows in NZ would see everybody out of the water!

Diving the North Pass

The following day we decided to dive with Top Dive in the northern pass. Mark had blocked sinuses and did not come so Hew and I set off with a local dive company. Our adventures began half way across the lagoon when one of the outboard motors lost drive to the propellor so we continued on one engine only.

The first dive started in shallow water outside the entrance and we swam back through the pass slowly getting deeper as we crossed into the main channel. The current was running strongly by now and at one stage we had to crab across the current holding on to the bottom before letting go and flying downstream with the scenery rushing past.

After a break in on the beach inside the atoll we ventured out for our second dive starting outside again but initially deeper as were to make our way up into the shallower pass. The instruction was to descend to 28-30m where we would find the wall to start coming up to around 15-18m in the pass. However with the currents and a choppy sea state the boat had dropped us further out than planned and at 30m we could neither see the bottom or the wall with several of the group going to nearly 40m before realising the depth they were at. In the end we did all manage to swim to the wall but we were unimpressed with the dive operator both on the drop off and also diving deeper on our second dive which is not good practice – we would not reommend them as an operator.

Unfortunately no photos as teh gopro was not working and I had problems with the older camera as well. However there are many more photos and video links in this blog, and on the Kiwiflyingfish Youtube channelhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfFESL5kPhUAsarowPnnLXg

Supply Ship arrives

The supply ship comes once a week on Wednesdays (weather permitting) and takes about two hours to unload. Everyone waits for its arrival and the fresh food it brings. Apart from coconuts and fish everything is imported so there are all sorts of things coming off the ship from building materials, gas bottles, furniture and vehicles.

As the main event of the week there are lots of people waiting for the ship with their orders and also outside the grocery shops for the fresh fruit and vegetables. The fruit and vegetables are gone as soon as they hit the shelves, likewise imported cheeses and anything else perishable. Outside the shop are some enterprising locals who also sell locally grown melon on the same day. Interestingly frozen meat is always available – mainly because it is so expensive.

Photo

Visitors Arrive

Two days later Simon and Liz turned up and Hew was excited to see them with a collection of spare parts from New Zealand. As our first NZ visitors since Panama they had to bring an extra bag just for boat bits, such is the cost of coming to visit us in remote locations!

Unfortunately the day they arrived all the restaurants were closed so we decided that we would go back to the anchorage that we had first been at the northern entrance. It was late in the day and not much time to explore but lovely for a swim and a walk ashore on the beach.

Baguettes

The weather forecast was not looking great for the next week and with southerly winds forecast we needed to move to the southern end of the atoll and shelter from the sea state if not the wind. The atoll is so big that the forecast 25-30 knots winds would build up to 2.5m waves at the anchorage at the northern end.

A foraging expedition went ashore in search of essential supplies to get us through next few days. Returning with croissants, baguettes,wine and tonic water we were ready to head south.

Hirifa

Next day off to Hirifa in the southeast corner. The trip down takes 4 hours and since it was the first time we had to be on watch to keep an eye out for bombies even in the marked channel. The charts are better than Raroia but we felt we could not entirely trust them. Sailing down on a pleasant breeze we were joined by several other boats heading to the same destination.

We anchored in good holding amongst a fleet of boats seeking the same shelter. The wind was still out of the west so the anchorage remained a bit bumpy as we waited for it to go round to the south and increase. It was very windy and ideal for kite surfers, wing foilers etc but not great for peaceful cruising. We went ashore for a look around but neither the restaurant nor the kite surfing facility seemed open. A walk along the beach for some exercise and we chatted to various fellow cruisers also exploring what was on offer.

Gerald, Bridget and Vereana on Jetlag had said they were coming down but had branched off to Tetamanu. The photos looked great but unfortunately if you were not a kite surfer then it really was windy. By now it was blowing 20-30kts and the kite surfers were loving it.

Tetamanu

After talking to Bridget and Gerald we decided to go to Tetamanu and explore the South Pass. It was still just as windy but they said it was Ok sheltered behind the little islands. We found shelter behind the reef and decided to explore the famed South Pass.

Snorkelling Tetamana South Pass

The plan was to snorkel on the incoming tide so we got in the dingy and Hew said he would be boatman. Since this was Liz and Simons’s first experience with drift diving in a current and we hadn’t snorkelled here yet either we were excited about what we would find. Everyone snorkels on the incoming tide as it is clear with fresh incoming water from the open sea, on the slack tide it can be murky and an outgoing tide is just not a good idea! As the tidal changes are not very accurately forecast the cruisers all wait for the local operators to go out then leap in their dinghys and follow.

Starting out in shallow water out of the current we were surrounded by little black tip sharks and remora doing their thing. It was then off downstream in the current which increased as we swam downstream until we reached the shallows a few hundred meters. Lots of excitement with the swimmers so it was back upstream for a repeat performance.

Video:Tetamanu drift snorkelling https://youtu.be/vHN52l63g-k

The local dive operator was located in the South Pass with a 5 minute boat ride to the dive sites in the pass. Noting they seemed to have a bar and restaurant we enquired about a booking but as the pensions here were full of divers and could not serve any food to non-guests. Such are the issues of operating tourism ventures with irregular supply deliveries.

Tetamanu Village

The next day we dicided to have a look around the town while we were waiting for the tide and more snorkelling. The village is quite small but was once the capital of the Tuamotos.

There is a very pretty old church made from coral dating from 1874

Central Channel

As the weather had improved we decided to head north again this time up the central channel which is relatively well marked on the charts. This time we sailed on a genoa up the centre channel just behind Jetlag. This was a good ride with not many bombies until the last quarter when suddenly Jetlag veered at right angles in front of us as they had almost run into some pearl farm buoys. For the next 30 mins we saw many buoys in that section of the channel.

Back in Rotoava

Back up north we discovered that the restaurants were only open on Thursday to Sunday so no dinner out.

On Tuesday Liz, Simon, and Mark set off on a bike ride with Bridget and Vereana and then met up at Havaiki Lodge for lunch. The same restaurant we had dined in earlier. Hew was very excited to be able to complete some repairs with the parts Liz and Simon had bought with them

They cycled from town to the end of the northern spit, then back against the wind. Liz was not impressed especially in the exposed area around the airport. They aimed to find the Taputavaka and Topoka lighthouse ruins but only found one. They all made it back for lunch where Hew, Gerald and I caught up with them later.

Pufana Rock

The next day the wind was still blowing but we decided we should do one more snorkel before they went home so we tied up to the buoy at Pufana rock this was spectacular snorkelling as well and a great mooring – solid chain. Here are a few photos of the snorkeling and a video: https://youtu.be/R1rm16cb-YI

We headed back to the town for the night as Liz and Simon were going the next day.

In the morning Liz and I went for walk along the waterfront. We found by accident the other lighthouse that they had not seen the day before because it was not in the right place on the map. We also afound one of the Pearl farm shops but it was all clsoed.

Liz and Simon departed that afternoon. Mark and Hew and I stayed the night to have a meal at the local restauarant Hirinaki Lodge that had happy hour and tapas. https://www.facebook.com/TemoanaRangihei/

The next day we headed back down to Hirifa because we had decided that we had to do the dive in the South Pass at Tetamanu before we left . It is rated as one of the top dive sites in the world.

Raimiti

Enata Diving

The dive shop was based at Raimiti just north of Hirifa. The next morning they collected us from the yacht and we had a great dive. The first dive started on the Eastern side of the channel and then crossed over the deepest area onto the western side. They stopped between dives at the little beach at Tetamanu for snacks and a drink, and an explanation of the next dive drawn in the sand. then straight back into the water the second we went to the “viewing room” which is a small cave to watch the sharks go by, then finishing around the corner where we had also finished our snorkelling previously.

The best diving we have had for a while with lots of fish life and on the second dive more sharks than we have ever seen!! Excellent dive operators who were all alot of fun. Enata diving operation link https://www.enatafakaravadiving.com/en/

Tetamanu Pass Dive Video: https://youtu.be/E8BopO_okyk

Raimiti Lodge

After getting back to the yacht then washing the dive gear and changing our clothes, we decided to go to Raimiti Resort for a drink. What a beautiful resort and what a surprise, it is perfectly placed for the sunsets. https://raimiti-fakarava.com/en/homepage-en/

Once again they were unable to supply food for outsiders as they only catered for guests, perhaps we will go back and stay there sometime. A very beautiful laid back little resort.

After two days it was tiime to head out for Huahine and the Society Islands.

Next blog: Huahine

We were so late after we got through the canal, that we found an anchoring spot the first night we ate onboard but by the second night everyone was ready for a good dinner!

The following day was spent shopping for more stores. Geordie was particularly taken by the size of the T-bone steaks! Then he and Craig found the perfect spot under the cooling system for the flowers – the locals must have wondered what they were up to. The boys are still coming to terms with the heat.

We took the taxi back to the yacht but during the unloading one of the trolleys managed to escape the trolley driver – sadly we were down one bottle of wine!!

After an exhausting day of shopping, it was off to try another bar to recuperate.

The next day was laundry day but after a fine morning it was also very wet – maybe the sign of the wet season coming. We knew that many people in Panama would be particularly glad of the rain. The water in the marina went up about a meter between the rain and the high tide. We were back in the Pacific with tides (1.5 -2.5m) after being in the Mediterranean and Caribbean with very small tides( 10-60cm).

Tortuga Island

We could not get anything done over the weekend so we went to Tortuga Island for a couple of nights – fumigation and a hull inspection were booked for check out on Monday. The island is a favourite weekend day stop for locals, so it was very busy. It has been well laid out in the past and has had quite a lot of money spent on it, but now it is looking run down in many areas. The spit between the main and smaller island is covered over at high tide so many visitors leave after the tide comes in. Most of the food stalls and shops are temporary structures.

We returned to the marina early Monday morning to finalise our checkout from Panama and get final clearances for entry to Galapagos. Craig and Hew went off in an Uber to track down something to fix a small hydraulic leak in the steering, Geordie and Graeme were dispatched to the supermarket for last-minute supplies and Captain Barb dealt with Officialdom and the fumigation man. By late afternoon we were ready to leave but it was so late we decided just to go back to Tortuga for the night, a much more pleasant place than a dirty marina with an unpleasant surge jerking the boat around.

23 April Sunny Day, Fish and Spinnaker ride

We set off early in the morning with the code zero up and very light winds. Geordie soon had two lines out and some time later he caught two tuna at the same time.

Just after lunchtime, the spinnaker went up. It was great to have it flying again and dragging us along in the light weather. Shortly before we had the spinnaker up we had seen a small pod of dolphins – the first since we left Trinidad. Immediately before nightfall, we saw a solo dolphin with two large remoras attached – a very strange sight.

We all had dinner and then discussed taking the spinnaker down. The wind had got up and we decided it was a little dodgy to leave it up with inexperienced crew on watch. Surfing at +15 knots seemed a little extreme on the first night with the breeze increasing.

So we got ready and down it came. We ran the motors to take the wind out of the spinnaker as we had no mainsail up. Unfortunately at some stage in the process, one sheet went overboard and into the starboard engine, and then the port sheet went overboard and into the port engine. Two engines out and two short sheets. With no motors and we would have to leave it until the morning to sort it out. Put up the main and Genoa again.

24 April Cleared Props

In the early morning, the breeze eased with a full moon. Lovely sailing but very slow. After daylight, we found a spare sheet and raised the spinnaker again on the spare and the longer of the now short sheets. Both props were trailing parts of the sheets that had tangled in them the night before.

The wind eased more and after some discussion, we dropped the spinnaker – really easy in daylight – and slowly drifted!! Barb, ever looking for an opportunity for a swim, leapt over and one rope came out of the port engine easily. Then Geordie dived in and helped with the starboard engine which was much more entangled. Craig felt he was missing out so also dived in for a mid-ocean swim.

Finally, with the props free and working with no damage, the swimmers back on board, and we were off again under the spinnaker. By the end of the day, we were down to a Code zero and motoring on one engine. The forecast gave a motoring zone of 200nm as we headed into the doldrums.

25 April Rain

By the early morning of the third day, it was pouring rain. Gusty and very wet. One little bird, a white collared swift came and landed on the back rail and stayed for a couple of hours.

At nightfall we had three Boobys riding on the front of the yacht. One on each seat and one on the bowsprit. Overnight we gained another 3 or 4. They did not seem phased by the pitching and rolling although they had to make several attempts at landing.

26 April

At sunrise the wind was slowly increasing, when we decided to put the sails back up our hitchhikers left. Soon we had one reef on the main and hard on the wind with a cloud line behind us. The sea was getting very rough. Barb, of course, decided to cook in the middle of this with Afghans, Banana Cake, Ginger Crunch, and muesli all being constructed while the boat pitched about.

Cooking efforts on the voyage also extended to the rest of the crew with Craig and Hew experimenting with bread recipes, pastry being made as we had been unable to buy any, and Geordie providing a variety of sashimi and ceviche with his fish catching. We continue to dine well!

By nightfall, we had more Boobies on board and the forecast was looking like we should soon be out of the rain.

27 April More Hitch Hikers

By daylight, we were heading 50 deg off course, and running one engine to push us up, while waiting for the wind to go more east – a very frustrating day. The forecast promised it would happen but it was very slow waiting for the change to happen.

Late afternoon the wind started to swing to the east and we began to head in the right direction at last.

28 April Clean Up

The next day was a big clean-up to remove the Boobie poo and then drying out the spinnaker and the code zero which we had tied on deck.

29th April Early Morning Arrival In The Dark

Early morning we were slowly sailing along the coast with large motorboats coming from all directions. We arrived in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz just before daybreak. The anchorage appeared quite crowded in the dark and we had a couple of attempts at anchoring before getting a good grip on the bottom.

The anchor inspection crew dived on the anchor when daylight arrived to find it wedged between a couple of rocks and looking secure so we could relax. Several local cruise boats had arrived just after us so we felt a little surrounded and shortly after sunrise an Australian boat Qi arrived as well, we had crossed paths with them a couple of times on the voyage from Panama.

We had already been given a check-in time for the officials of 1100. They were there about 1030, but we were surprised at the number of “officials”. After supplying water and ginger crunch and an in depth tour around the boat for about 3 of them, an inspection of the major first aid kit, and the filling in of many forms, they went away happy and we had our permits.

The rest of the day we just relaxed and looked at the activity around us.

Next Blog: Santa Cruz, Galapagos

“We love SXM” is the logo for all the advertising in Saint Martins(the French side) and Sint Maarten( the Dutch side) and it is everywhere in painted signs and advertisements. It is great to see such a pragmatic approach to the island and the entry procedures were similar. Once you are on the island you can go to either side by dingy or car or on foot, there is no division. If you want to change your yacht from one side to the other then you have to check out on one side and in on the other, but it is cheap, easy, and efficient. We wished more islands were las easy as this.

Street Art

Street art exemplifies a welcoming and inclusive feeling.

Marigot Bay

We arrived in Marigot Bay on the French side and checked in at Island Water World. Yes, you go to the local boat shop and they have a computer there dedicated to entry and exit permits. You fill in the information, print it, and the shop assistant checks the passport numbers you entered on the form match your passports, stamps it, signs it, and hands the entry permit back to you all for €2. Why can’t all countries be this simple?

Marigot Bay has moorings and areas to anchor. It is close to the markets and town and has a large dingy dock to make access easy for cruisers.

There is also an excellent French bakery close by – luxury after months of very basic food.

The center of the town on the French side also has many restaurants and some lovely clothing stores. We had been starved for more sophisticated shopping and my supply of bikinis was getting really tatty so some money was spent here.

Time to go

After two days Robyn and Cameron were ready to continue their travels to Houston and then back to New Zealand. I had purchased a new tablecloth for the boat at the market and we decided to celebrate in style.

After drinks on the yacht, we headed off to Dock 46 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083611140570 for dinner. This is a real yachtie bar and restaurant but they have a great chef who will cook anything you want that is in the fridge/freezer at the time, even if it is not on the menu for the night. The food is beautiful. It has a great dingy dock and next door is Shrimpy’s laundry which also runs the cruiser’s radio net. It does not look much from the outside but is great inside the restaurant( at least on the ground floor). Much of the French part of the island still looks dilapidated from the cyclone 4 years ago and many places are only partially rebuilt.

After dinner, we decided we should go for a cruise around the lagoon. We were amazed at the number of boats there as we had not had a chance to go during the day. Also, the Causeway Bay bridge is lit up at night with great colours. This bridge which runs across the lagoon is a swiveling bridge whereas the two bridges that go out of the lagoon to the sea are both lifting bridges.

The Sandy Ground bridge on Saint Martins’s side only opens twice a day and is covered in decorative tiles.

Many of the boats that are used daily for visitors are low enough to travel through with the bridge down, as can all the dingys belonging to the yachts anchored inside and outside the lagoon,

Rebuilding after Cyclone Irma

We found remnants of Cyclone Irma that happened in 2017 everywhere. Most of the Dutch side has been rebuilt but many areas on the French side are still incomplete or forgotten. There are derelict boats everywhere, and many yachts have been repurposed for cruise boats so you see many without masts.

After Cameron and Robyn departed for Houston we had a few days before we were due into Lagoonies Marina, Sint Maarten for some maintenance so we explored the next couple of bays up the coast

Brewers Bay

Brewers bay has a lovely beach and was sheltered from the northerly so we anchored up in the NW corner which was quieter during the daytime. We had two lovely days of doing nothing then we felt we should move on to check out the next bay.

Grand Case

Grand Case was a much busier bay with a beautiful beach, with lots of bars and restaurants, and a colouful little town.

There was also a good snorkeling area around Rocher Creole but the water was not particularly clear. There has been an algal bloom around Saint Martins/Sint Maarten this year and it is still affecting the visibility, some places much more than others. Therefore you will notice that the shots in the video that are further away like the Turtle are not very clear, however you still get to find some great fish.

After two days there we headed off around to Simpson Bay and Sint Maartens to check into Lagoonies marina for some maintenance work. https://kiwiflyingfish.com/?p=13252

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.

Union Island

Union Island was our immigration point into the area called the” Saint Vincent and the Grenadines”. We entered Clifton Harbour which was the nicest and most casual check-in anywhere.

The harbour has all the yachts on mooring buoys and is close to the airport and a kite surfing bay. A local boat was always about to help out with picking up a mooring and for a small fee take our rubbish, great service with a smile.

We managed to get a mooring then got into the dinghy and drove under a little bridge to a dinghy harbour.

We hopped out of the dinghy and gave our documents to a very friendly agent then sat in a bar looking out to the harbour for a cool drink while we waited for them to come back. The little bar has a lending library and a small shop with normal beach clothes and some very good books about Caribbean flora and fauna. The arrival was made very pleasant and stress-free.

On a little atoll, near the mooring area, there is also a small bar for sunset drinks. with a view over the kite surfing area to the airport. The fact that there is always kite surfing here tells you something about the wind – incessant!!

The town has a collection of very pretty stores selling real local artwork. There is also a very helpful information centre and the Marine Park office if you need to ask anything about the Tobago cays. The town had a very pleasant feel and the local land tortoises are very cute.

The bars around the town were very cute and their names kept us amused.

After checking in and spending a night on Union island we moved onto Mayreau Island in the Tobago Cays Marine Park.

Tobago Cays

Tobago Cays Marine Park is a popular destination in the southern end of the Grenadines. The marine park consists of a 1,400-acre (5.7 km²) sand-bottom lagoon which encompasses the five cays, the Mayreau island and a 4 km Horseshoe Reef. The story of the marine park management and setup can be found with this link. It has been a long process and is not yet completed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobago_Cays

Mayreau Island

Mayreau island appeared to be a lovely island with few people. We stopped for a night at Saline beach which was a lovely beach but because a cruise ship was in the harbour, they have first rights to most of the beach, so we could only land at one end. You can walk along the beach but you cannot go inland as it is taken up for the cruise ship visitors with chairs, a little day snack bar and drink bars. This tends to make it less than friendly!!

Met some fellow kiwis here, Colin and Marion Cashmore on Avant Garde and Matt and Jo McCaughan on Seamogs and after a few rums discovered we knew many people in common. Typical kiwi connections boating, flying and neighbours.

The next day we wanted to stop at Salt Whistle Bay which reputably had great beach bars and island liofe. A group of 5 catamarans were heading for it ahead of us and when we got closer we realised that the bay was really full and overcrowded. The wind was blowing 25kts and we thought that stopping there did not seem a good idea so we continued on to Tobago Cays.

Petit Bateau and Petit Rameau

We anchored in the channel between the two islands of Petit Bateau and Petit Rameau. There were mooring buoys there which were handy as the wind and the current were strong. Mr Mandy Man arrived in his boat, sorted out our mooring and booked us in for dinner all before lunch! We all hopped into the dingy to try the snorkelling around on the Horseshoe reef. Unfortunately with the howling wind, the water was really stirred up and not very clear. We did see some turtles but not much else.

Later we went and had dinner at the beach BBQ area on Petit Bateau.

Tobago Cays Reef Diving

The next day we went diving with one of the local operators, Glenroy, to look at Mayreau gardens and one other spot on the reef. We were expecting bad visibility but it was OK. Neville was getting the hang of his camera and the spiny lobsters were looking back at him knowing he could not take them!!! The Nurse shark just ignored him!

I have split the photos into three blocks, the divers, the fish and the lastly the coral and sponges.

Canouan

Canouan is a small island with several large expensive resorts. The marina to the south, Sandy Lane Yacht Club, is next to an airport that seemed to mostly service private jets. The island seemed to be a mix of private resorts with the locals excluded apart from when required for service jobs. Not the most welcoming of destinations.

We stopped in the Charles bay, off Charleston the largest town, but the wind through the valleys and off the hills made the anchorage untenable. We then shifted into the lee of the cliffs to the north of the harbour which was a pleasant anchorage and we were only accompanied by a couple of much larger boats.

We stayed for a night and some snorkelling then decided to move on and head back towards Union island to check out. Unfortunately, the holiday for Nev, Mark and Pete was coming to an end and they were all flying out around the same weekend from Grenada, and the yacht was going up on the hard for some TLC.

Union Island Check Out

As we headed south we checked out of Union island at Clifton Bay in the northern end, then decided to anchor for the night at the bay in the Southern End called Chatham Bay. This was a lovely bay with three bars and some good snorkelling areas. We were tucked into the cliffs as again the wind was howling and we wanted a calm night. We saw a kiwi flag there and met Colin and Marion from the Bay of Islands and had a great chat.

There was a great collection of pelicans on the northern cliffs of the bay which kept us amused. for some time. They are beautiful flyers and great to watch.

Return to Grenada

As we sailed back to Grenada we went in close to the coast to look at some of the areas we had missed on the way north. It was worth it even if it was raining at times.

The last view of the colours of Port Louis and Grenada for Pete, Nev and Mark who were leaving.

Grenada Colours

Ronde Island

Halfway between Grenada and Carriacou is Ronde Island. This was a great anchorage to stop for the night and have a snorkel/dive. Chris and Rose on Ari were there ahead of us. The anchorage is a bit rolly but worth it for the scenery and clear water.

Carriacou

Sailing from Grenada north the first inhabited island that you reach is Carriacou. The southernmost harbor is Tyrell Bay which was full of yachts when we arrived and also many derelicts and wrecks. The island is renowned for its boatbuilding with its traditional Carriacou sloop easily recognizable around the Caribbean. When we first arrived we decided to stop gave a look then anchor outside at Lime Kiln Bay. There was only one other boat slightly south of us. Nev and I set off snorkelling and found our first flying gurnard amongst the seagrass and our first peacock flounder. We also found a nest of crayfish. We could not take these as it was locals only. Nev was limited to taking photos and he was so upset that he was shaking with the first few, but he gradually got an idea of how to get good photos, however, he really did not feel it was as much fun as catching them.

It has two very small marinas, several shops, and cafes.

Towards the end of our stay at Sandy island, we went for a dive with the local guys at the two sisters. The soft corals were huge and magnificent and it was one of the best dives we did in our cruising.

Sandy Bay and Paradise Beach Bar

Sandy Island was our first stop after Tyrell Bay. It is run by the park so there are moorings but you can still anchor on sandy patches – if you don’t like the look of the moorings. they still charge you for a night’s stay and snorkeling.

Opposite Sandy Island is Paradise Beach Club.https://www.facebook.com/p/Paradise-Beach-Club-Carriacou-100063786595743/ A really lively little bar and restaurant that has survived COVID-19 by running a great taxi service. Give them a call and they will come and collect you off the boat and deliver you home afterward. They have a painting night on Wednesdays – where you can paint the name of your boat on a piece of wood and it will be attached to the wall along with all the others. This has become so popular that they are now on some walls and all the external fences. They also have live music some nights and dancing if they can get the patrons up on the floor.

Neville felt that he had to get into the floor show as well and lend a hand!

Nev’s Birthday

We decided that since it was Nev’s birthday we would have a party at the Paradise beach bar but we had had a really good time there only two days before and we had been at Sandy island too long, so we looked around for a lovely bay. The wind was still blowing 20-25kts so we needed somewhere that was sheltered and had no swell. Well, off we went to Anse La Roche. A lovely bay at the northern end of Carriacou. It had a lovely Sandy beach and bar so we settled in for lunch and a siesta.

But then we heard from our friends that it would be too rolly at night for them in a monohull so we decided to go and hide behind Jack Aden’s Island. This is a tiny island north of Sandy island but it has a big reef and was very calm. Then we settled in for the night with Ari beside us and birthday dinner on the table.

Petit Martinique

We found a good anchorage close to town in amongst all the fishing boats. The boats were well looked after, painted many colours and so were the houses ashore. For a very small island, it was tidy, clean, and quiet. We were told to come back for their regatta later in the year.

The houses and buildings were tidy and painted in many colors. There were also some great little (tiny) beach bars along the beach and along the main road.

Fishing is the main industry of Petit Martinique followed by boat building and inter-island freight trading. Boats and the sea are in the blood of these people as it’s their livelihood.

After emancipation, several Scottish and Irish sailors and shipwrights migrated to Petit Martinique. Their skills were carefully observed and learned by the locals. It was also observed that fishing, boat building, and the cargo trade were far more lucrative than farming on the limited land available. Today boat building and fishing remain the main activities of Petite Martinique.

Boat building is a tradition on this island and they start building them when they are young men, and each builds their own boat.

Boat launching is special so there is a bit ceremony which you can read about at https://gov.gd/petite-martinique-most-unique-and-charming-tiny-island-seafaring-souls

The Piton Hill Walk

We decided we needed to get off the boat and go for a walk so off we went. We needed to get groceries so a short track on the way looked like a good idea – only 1.5 km so it should be easy. Unfortunately, it went steeply uphill and we hadn’t taken any water and, in my case, no hat so by the time we got to the top we were very hot and thirsty. But the view was worth it.

Mopion & Punaise

After leaving Petit Martinique it was off to Saint Vincent & the Grenadines. On the direct route, you pass two little sand banks called Mopion & Punaise so we had to go for a snorkel on these. Some of these photos are from Nev’s camera, and Neville features prominently as Man Friday!

The Queen Conch trade is still very strong in the islands where there are still some remaining but many of the fisheries have been completely destroyed. Unfortunately it is a big income for the fisherman and the government so although there have been meetings to try and restrict trade or legislate for limits they still have not worked. We saw several islands covered with conch shells all with a small hole where the flesh had been removed, it is not surprising the fishery has been destroyed.

After a lovely day spent snorkeling and diving there we then proceeded to Union Island part of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

GOES Project

The GOES project is about gathering planktonic and plastic data on the deep sea areas of the world’s oceans. https://www.goesfoundation.com/citizen-science-project/ . Many of the yachts in the crossing took regular GOES project samples at midday and midnight and then analyzed these about 4-6 hours later.

The sample is checked 3-4 hours after being taken. Then the analysis may take from 30 minutes to 3 hours depending on the observer. Mark decided that the holes in the filter should be marked to keep track of the photos. But the ink he used leaked all over the slide which was not good when you are looking for black spots on the filter from out of the ocean. Instead, you got ink residue as well.

All the participants in the project obn the various boats have been finding lots of black bits (unknown origin), plastic threads, and plastic pieces. Far too many plastic pieces to be good for the ocean. What we all agreed was that although the project is fascinating it is also frustrating as the microscopes do not quite give you the resolution you need to find all the copepods and other tiny sooplankton creatures.

Also zooplankton and phytoplankton. The most interesting being miniature shrimp-like creatures.

Since we had a microscope, Neville then transferred his attention to the Saragossa weed floating past and found miniature shrimps in that as well.

Fishing

In Las Palmas, Neville spent many hours with the other yachts advising on fishing lines and lures. He even took some of the yachties to the fishing shops to help them buy fishing equipment. For the first half of the trip, we caught nothing and several other yachts that Neville had helped were catching fish. Life was getting desperate for our fisherman!!. Pete caught the first fish of the trip on the second day but we threw it away because it was too small.

Then on the 6th day, we saw a Thresher shark trying to kill/stun Neville’s lure on the end of his rod that he also had behind the yacht. This was very funny but did not provide any fish to eat.

We had four hand lines out every day and sometimes also Neville’s rod. The crew suggested that he had too many lines out, but Neville was sure we were at the wrong speed – too fast or too slow!!

The fish we did see a lot of were flying fish. They often landed on the deck at night and Nev even tried to put some on the lines to see if he could attract any other fish!! That was right up until I wanted to take some photos then it was only the tiny fish and no large ones and they would not jump onto the deck!! Therefore we took a short video so I hope you can get the idea.

The lack of fish was getting desperate, more pressure was coming on for fresh fish and Nev started to lose interesting his lines. We were catching more sargossa weed than anything else. He then began fishing for shrimps out of the Saragossa seaweed!! Instead of cooked fish, we may be having shrimp cocktails!! See the shrimp above (under the GOES project photos)- he would have had to catch many many more!!

Finally, on day 8 he caught a mahimahi. This is a beautiful fish in the water and sad to see it die but it is also very good eating. Poisson Cru for lunch and fried fish with coriander corn fritters and mango salsa for dinner. We needed a change from pre-cooked meals and Neville learned a new recipe.

Dolphins and Whales

We have seen dolphins almost every second day, Atlantic common dolphin, Atlantic spotted dolphin, and the striped dolphin. Two very large pods and 3 small pods. Then two days out from Grenada we also saw four very small dolphins that we believe to be spinner dolphins. unfortunately they were not spinning – they just traveled past the yacht and did not stay. The second video is from a Gopro with a very wide angle so you can see the dolphins coming in from all sides. The video is not embedded,due to the length, just follow the link if you are interested.

Large Dolphin group on Gopro…….will be posted shortly

We also saw a pod of whales but fortunately or unfortunately they kept their distance. One of the other boats had hit a sleeping whale the day before luckily with no damage. The only shot I could get was of the water spout in the distance.

Birds

Tropicbird

Since day 7 we have also had visits from tropicbirds every morning and they are getting more regular. Day 8 -1, day 7-1, day 8 – 2, day 9 – 5, day 10 – 3. When there are two of them, they squawk at each other continuously. A lone one does not make any noise.  There are two varieties a red-billed tropicbird and a white-tailed tropicbird. They fly very fast and dive from great heights. One was definitely the red-billed tropicbird. The others may have been the white-tailed variety but identification is difficult. The tropicbirds move fast and the yacht is pitching ad rolling as well.

We bought an extra camera lens in Tenerife which has been excellent when you are on land. When the boat and the bird are moving it is often easier to use the mid-range lens for a quicker focus. we missed having a good identification book. Using internet ashore for identification is so easy that you forget there is none and sea and need downloaded books for identification oplates. A must for future passages.

Booby

On day 12 we awoke and the GPS was showing 450 miles to go to Grenada. Shortly after we saw the first Booby we had seen. Great to see a lovely soaring bird with all its pinions displayed.

The next day we saw three together we so thought we must definitely be getting closer to land.

We arrived into Grenada in the dark at 3am so did not see any of the bird life down the coast as we got closer.

After we had arrived we found that Grenada is full of birds and the ones I loved most were the minature humming bird. See post First week in Grenada. …….

Atlantic Crossing Part 3 Blog Exerts