Fine Line Sailing

Honduras Bound

2012-01-27T09:28:00.000-08:00

As we move along the coast of Central America we find Internet harder and harder to come by. That is our excuse and we are sticking to it. But no more excuses, let me catch you up on our most recent travels. We are currently in Guanaja, Honduras. Guanaja is the easternmost island in the Bay Island Group. These islands are very popular with divers. The water is spectacular, the people are friendly and there is good food here....need we say more. But first let me do some backtracking.

We are new divers so it is a treat for us to be in the company of two very experienced divers: Barbara and Terry on the sailboat Wind Whisperer. Here we are back in San Andres going for a dive.

Steve gets a chance to try out our new underwater camera. Here is a nice Squirrel Fish.

The dreaded Lion Fish

Flounder hiding in the sand

A curious eel

A graceful Ray

Another curious eel

It was time for us to get out of San Andres. We waited and waited for good weather and then it came and we motor sailed the 50 miles to Providencia. Another Colombian owned island but so different than San Andres. Providencia is a volcanic island and has beautiful green mountains. The island is laid back, friendly and the people here love their island. It shows. Welcome to paradise.

Caribbean culture is alive and well here.

Idyllic lifestyle. How could you not love this?

Typical island home

We always manage to find good local food. Providencia has some great restaurants. Our host at Bamboo restaurant preparing a great New Year's Eve dinner.

Terry and Barbara celebrating their wedding anniversary, New Year's Eve. That would be hard to forget!

Like most Caribbean Islands, Providencia has a history of European dominance, piracy and slavery. Relics from the past are good reminders.

Nice day for a stroll

Sharing the road

One of the great local foods here are Arepas. A corn cake stuffed with egg or chicken or fish or ? Yes it is fried that is why it is sooooo good.

Local artist at work

We take a nice tour of the island with a local taxi driver. There are some very nice beaches here.

Bus bench

Nice claws!

Steve finds a local girlfriend

New Year's Eve celebration at Bamboo Restaurant.

More local artwork

We stay in Providencia for 10 days. We could stay longer because it is very nice here.

But the weather is looking really nice for a long sail and we decide to head to our next destination. We will sail 210 miles, west north west, towards a remote reef located off shore from Honduras. We have heard from other boaters that these reefs called, Hobbies and Cayo Vivorillos are very beautiful. We are in good company with our friends on Wind Whisperer and Sapphire. A fourth boat has joined us for this trip. Traveling with a group is always a good idea in this part of the world. We bid adios to Providencia at 1pm in the afternoon.

It is a great sail. We are making great time sailing at 8-9 knots. The wind is behind our beam and we fly our colorful Gennaker until it gets dark. Later we take down sails to slow our boat down or we will arrive at our destination too early. We always want to arrive at a new harbor during daylight.

The next evening we are anchored at the Hobbies. We are tired from the 26 hour sail and it looks as if we will get a good night of sleep here.

The next day the local fishermen pay us a visit. Thank you very much.

This part of the Honduran coast is a prime location for shrimp, lobster, crab, conch and various fish. The local shrimp boats go out fishing at night and come back to anchor in the morning.

Anchored at the Hobbies with Wind Whisperer and Sapphire.

Local fishing fleet

Later in the week we sail 16 miles west to Cayo Vivorillo. It is another beautiful anchorage.

Steve on the swim step pounding conch for dinner. Conch is delicious but must be prepared by pounding it with a mallet. It is great fried or chopped into cerviche.

We play boche ball on the beach in the evening and then it is happy hour.

Sunrise Cayo Vivorillos

And then it is time to move on again. This time we are heading 130 miles west towards Guanaja. We leave at 11 am and have another fantastic sail. Again we have to slow our boat down so we arrive at our new destination during daylight.

Next morning, "Hello Guanaja".

The island of Guanaja is one giant mountain range. There is very little flat land. People build houses here on rocks, stilts, land fill or anywhere their imagination takes them. The main town of Bonacca is located on a rock and and has a density rating that would make Manhatten seem like a suburb. The locals want to live on this rock . They love it here.

A new friend we meet ashore.

And as usual, our first order of business ashore is to find the local eatery. Here we are enjoying lunch at Nona's Restaurant.

The streets are narrow here. No cars, no bikes, no skateboards, no scooters.

Small boats OK

Electricity is expensive here....

Anchored at Bonacca.

We are planning to stay in the Bay Islands until they ask us to leave in 4 months. Then we will go somewhere else. Stay tuned for more on the Bay Islands.

Anne and Steve
S/V Fine Line

Island Touring San Andres

2011-12-08T06:56:00.000-08:00

Our first week in San Andres was a very windy one. We spent the week making sure our boat did not move somewhere it was not supposed to be. Putting your anchor down with lots of chain usually means you are safe and stuck but here it proved to be otherwise. We set a new record in having to re-anchor our boat. Lots of fun!

After a week of high winds we were ready to spend some time ashore. Still windy but no longer blowing 30+ knots. The weather did not stop the tourists from hitting the beach. A little sandblasting is not going to stop serious beach goers.

Including us. Cruising down the Malecon looking for a burger.

Massage anyone?

We found the local veggie market. This is a wonderful place since the local grocery stores have very little "good looking" veggies. San Andres is a coral island and there are no local vegetables grown here. Everything is imported.

We all stock up on our favorite greens, reds, yellows, etc.

After a long hard day of shopping we meet up at Club Nautico. This is a local yacht/tennis club. They let us buy a temporary membership for $25/week. We can tie up our dinghy at their very safe dingy dock, swim in the pool, use the restaurant facilities and take a cold shower....

With calmer weather arriving we decide to go on an island tour. San Andres is not a very big island measuring approximately 2 miles wide and 7 miles long. An easy day trip in a golf cart. We find just the right cart for 7 people and take off on a nice sunny day.

Steve has agreed to be the designated driver and Bob is our tour guide. The rest of us are backseat drivers :)

Our first stop is a local landmark.

Note the old Belfry at the top

Typical of small islands, there are many many churches and religion is part of everyday life.

Inside the Baptist Church local young people decorate for Christmas and also serve as tour guides.

This young man speaks very good English and provides us with a nice history lesson. Like many Caribbean Islands, San Andres was used by pirates as a base to raid passing Spanish treasure ships. Captain Morgan was a regular here. In the early 1600's, English Puritans settled the islands and later planters arrived with slaves from Jamaica. The descendants of the Jamaican slaves still reside here. English is the primary language for this group along with Creole and Spanish. Colombia was awarded the islands by Spain in 1786 but it was not until the 1980's that the Colombians made this their favorite tourist destination. They come here in large numbers but do not speak any English. They do not teach English in schools either. The locals who speak English are very proud of their language skills and we are very happy since our Spanish is not great.

An informal chat with this lovely young woman. It usually goes like this: Where is the laundromat? Where can we get our hair cut? Why are there not more fresh fruits and vegetables? Questions questions questions, we are a demanding bunch.
We are invited to attend Christmas service here on December 18th. There will be lots of singing. We'll be there!

Barbara climbing up to the top of the church for a spectacular view.

Looking north from the Belfry

There are many daily flights in and out of San Andres. They all pass through mainland Colombia.

Looking north east toward the anchorage and the big hotel district.

In the belfry

The next stop on the island tour is the local Botanical Gardens. Breadfruit was a mainstay of the slaves diet. Brought to the Caribbean islands from Tahiti by Captain Cook.....way back when

A real breadfruit, not quite ripe yet. You boil it and it is very starchy, kind of like a potato.

It is quiet and green and serene and in the SHADE!

Just like at home, our favorite, Hibiscus.

View from the top of the observation tower at the Botanical Garden.

San Andres Desert? Tortoise.

From the golf cart, driving down the road, local scene

Motorcycles and scooters are the primary mode of transportation here. Tourists can rent golf carts or scooters.

Island infrastructure

The south side of the island is more rural.

This local restaurant came highly recommended. Unfortunately the kitchen was closed due to a breakdown of some sort? Too bad for us.

But we did get to walk around inside and look at the interesting furniture.

And wood carvings

Bench, not really very comfortable but a great conversation piece.

Outside we spot a very cool lizard

Down the road we arrive at Captain Morgan's Cave. This is a big tourist attraction.

We decide not to enter because there are many buses, taxis and we are thinking it is going to rain soon and it is expensive and we have heard it is not that great.....Eco stairs.

Typical island wall with conch shells on top

Charming

This charming young lady was our guide for the local "Island House". We are not sure what her uniform is all about? Maybe to attract customers? You think!

This is a period house from early 1900's. The master bedroom with the usual decorations.

Typical of island houses, the windows do not have glass only shutters, allowing a nice breeze to flow throughout the house.

Probably a bit too much coverage for this guide but very appropriate back in the day.

The kitchen was usually in a separate building from the main house. This setup is a first for us but makes sense. Good ventilation.

You could also cook inside on this handy two burner stove.

View from the side. Ventilation all around.

Not everyone wanted to tour the island house. Some of our group found the locally built benches much to their liking.

My favorite. Rasta bench!

Continuing around the island we see the local military men out for a march.

This island has a great bus system. You can travel anywhere around the island in a bus for less than a dollar.

Back in town the backseat drivers take over. Take us for ice cream....pleasssssse!

All in all it was a great day. The weather cooperated and we made it safely back to our boats.
It was not our intention to stay in San Andres more than a week or so but we have been here almost a month now. Anne needed some dental work and found a good dentist here. Our friend's daughter is coming from the US for a visit and she has kindly agreed to bring us some much needed boat parts.
Merry Christmas from us to all of you from San Andres Island.

Anne and Steve
S/V Fine Line

The Albuquerque Cays

2011-11-27T06:29:00.000-08:00

Before we begin a passage we always spend lots of time investigating the weather. We look for a good wind direction that will allow us to sail as much as possible. We look for seas that are not too big and that also come towards the boat from the side (beam) or behind us. Sailing right into waves is not fun. We make sure there are no storms in the vicinity. But, weather forecasting is an art, not a science.

So we leave Bocas del Toro in what we have decided is a pretty good weather window. We are heading to the Albuquerque Cays. These two very small islands lie north northwest of Panama, about 170 miles away. We are traveling with another boat named Sapphire.

It becomes immediately apparent that the weather forecast was not spot on.

Our chart plotter shows our position(small black boat) and the radar warns us of a squall (purple ugly stuff).

We double check just to make sure. Yep, looks like a squall coming our way.

No worries. We are ready.

Our friends, Bob and Sandy on Sapphire, are up ahead of us. They give us the nitty gritty on what to expect from the squall. Thanks Bob and Sandy. That's good info.

Soon we are right in the middle of the purple blob. Kind of like being swallowed by Moby Dick.

The wind is now blowing around 25-30 knots. We are glad we only have one sail up. Our big heavy duty main sail. It can easily handle the wind. So can the flag.

As the day progresses we seem to be constantly surrounded by squalls. Luckily only a few swallow us up. The rest wander off to look for more interesting victims.

It takes us 28 hours to get to the Albuquerque Cays. It has not been one of our more pleasant trips and we are glad to be here. Sapphire basking in the sunset.

So you might wonder what brought us to these small islands. There is not much here. One island is home to 10 Columbian military men. They get stationed here for 30 days. No boat, no bar, no girls, no fun!

The other island is home to a motly crew of fishermen who travel between these rich fishing grounds and their home base of San Andres, 30 miles away. They make this trip in their small skiffs. Truly amazing to us.

But we are here, not to entertain the troops and certainly not to compete with the fishermen. We are here to enjoy the beautiful crystal clear waters and to explore the bountiful reefs with our snorkel and mask....and our spears (just in case we happen upon a lobster or two).

Fishing camp.

But we must make a visit to Columbia's finest, El Armada Nacional. Just to let them know we are here and show them our paperwork.

Their headquarters could be from WWII, somewhere in the Southpacific. But it is updated with a satellite dish. We are amazed that they have two dishes here: one for communication and one for Direct TV. OK, we no longer feel so bad for them.

Solar panels, radio towers, welcome to the 21st. century Colombia.

The island is well tended. There are raked sand walkways lined with conch shells, nice touch.

At the end of this walkway is the open air kitchen. They do have a cook here.

The troops have plenty to do here. The Colombian Flag displayed here in painted conch shells is a fine example of what you can do during downtime.

Laundry of course is done by hand and if you don't have clothepins, improvise.

working out is important and what would a military base be without a gym?

It's not LA Fitness but it has it's benefits. Fresh air for beginners.......

Barbara orders our guide to give us 25...with a smile

Most importantly the troops guard the island. We spent lots of hours debating what or who posed the biggest threat to these islands. Our conclusion was boredom and the weather. But just in case a hostile foreing power should decide to invade, the island is always on full alert.

We can see clearly now, how it might be

A group photo on the helipad.

Retired!

Fine Line at anchor, Albuquerque Cays.

We spend 4 days at the Albuquerque Cays and we would like to stay longer. We have had a great lobster dinner and wouldn't mind more. The weather, however is getting windy and our forecasts received on the SSB (long distance radio) is not favorable for this exposed anchorage. So we head out for San Andres. The trip is much nicer than our last voyage. Of course, it is only 30 miles so 5 hours later....

Hello civilization.

We arrive just in time for Thanksgiving (2 days ahead but you know how much cooking goes into Thanksgiving!)

The gang brings lots of goodies and we enjoy a great day of beautiful weather and great food onboard Fine Line

All the trimmings.

And thanks to Sandy on Sapphire, the Captain is in pumpkin pie heaven.

We are in San Andres until the weather becomes more favorable for our next voyage to Providencia.

Adios amigos

Anne and Steve

S/V Fine Line

Where To Now Capitan?

2011-11-14T13:25:00.000-08:00

Where to now Capitan?

Lots of people come to Bocas del Toro, Panama and stay.....for years. It is easy to see why. Life is easy here. There is plenty to do..... and not do :)

Day or night it is beautiful

Every evening the clouds stack up on the mainland. It provides us with magnificent lightning shows. It generally stays west but once in awhile we duck as the thunder overhead crashes and almost shakes our boat.

We have met many interesting people

local Indian boy looking cool in his backwards baseball cap and Billabong shirt

The kids here travel by Cayuco (small dugout canoe). No fear of the water.

We finally catch up with the elusive Red Poison Dart Frog.

There are lots of cool insects.

The visiting dolphins always make our day better.

We see plants and trees here that will maybe one day look really good in our yard?

Our diet is not the best but a roasted lamb over and open fire is hard to resist. Diet starts tomorrow...yeah right!

We have been invited to some cool homes. This is an infinity pool in the local Red Frog Villa development. You can rent a villa or buy one. Bring lots of $$$$

Just off shore is the pretty little island known as Swan Cay or Bird Rock....whatever your mood. Places here in Panama have various names. It makes it interesting when asking directions.

Up close it looks prehistoric. You cannot walk here but the snorkeling around the island is nice.

Up a river

Our friends Barbara and Terry, enjoying a hike.

Local restaurant with really good food, beer and yes, Ganja should you be in the mood?

Look at those smiling faces. We are really in the mood......for lunch that is.

From our lunch stop at Roots we hiked up the hill to this organic coffee shop. The shop also makes organic cacao treats. And it is also a hostel. And they can take you on a tour of the area. And they can do your laundry. And you can trade your books here. Whew, talk about multi-tasking.

One of our favorite adventures here in Bocas del Toro was the zip line at Red Frog on Bastimentos Island.

Through the trees up high

Great fun

Right side up or upside down

Tana and Anne give this ride a big THUMBS UP

From here we head north east to San Andres and Providencia Islands. Colombia owns these islands located off shore from Nicaragua. They have pretty water, good snorkeling and stores for provisioning. San Andres is a popular resort area for mainland Colombians. Providencia is the quiet sister island that has maintained its rural ambiance. We will visit here until early 2012 and then we will move to the Bay Islands of Honduras for the spring season.

Adios for now

Anne and Steve

S/V Fine Line

Panama Road Trip

2011-09-26T12:08:00.000-07:00

Panama is a beautiful country and there is much to see here. It is time for us to button up our boat and do some sightseeing. Our plan is to head up into the mountains for a cooler climate, hiking, relaxing (oh yeah, we really need that :) ) and a change of scenery. We love our boat but getting a little "land time" is nice. We are leaving the Bocas del Torro Archipielago heading across the Talamanca Mts. to the town of David. Here we will rent a car and drive up to Volcan Baru. And after that who knows?

Leaving Bocas del Torro takes a bit of planning. We are leaving our boat at the Red Frog Marina on the island of Bastimentos. From here we take a water taxi to the next island of Isla Colon and the main town of Bocas del Toro. Another water taxi ride will take us to the mainland Panama town of Almirante. We are splurging on a cab for the 3.5 hour trip across the mountains. We are lucky our friends Liz and Craig are heading in the same direction and we split the cab fare of $120 US. Ouch! But, hey, we are on vacation.

We try to travel light but still end up with two heavy bags. No wheels!

We catch the first water taxi of the day. He is bringing workers to the island and will take us back the other way. Nice day!

All aboard

Waiting for the next taxi.

Steve, Liz and Craig enjoying a cup of java at the dock.

An hour and half out of Almirante our taxi driver stops for a break. Chicken for breakfast? Sounds fantastic. That stuff hanging above the chickens is pork skin/fat. Just think about it, great way to baste the birds. YUM!

Ah, up high the scenery is fantastic.

In David Steve and I rent a car. Liz and Craig take off to visit friends. See ya later!

We have booked a room with a kitchenette at a small bed and breakfast in the quaint little town of Boquete. Our room is on the right and we overlook a river, soccer field and the mountains. Over the next week we spend every morning and evening out on our balcony enjoying the cool mountain air. We go to bed early every night because the local neighborhood rooster wakes us up at 5am. Otherwise it is perfect.

Mountain view from our room.

The river below our room. It is the rainy season here and there is lots of water coming out of the mountains.

Every day we drive around enjoying the scenery.

Boquete has been named by well known retirement guru's to be in the top 5 foreign destinations you might want to consider retiring to. Boquete was founded in 1911 primarily as a place for the American and European Panama Canal workers to come to and relax, get some cool fresh air and just enjoy a pleasant holiday. There is a sizable group of American, Canadian and European ex-pats here. There is lots of property for sale here. And like the rest of the world, right now you can get a real good deal! Living in a foreign country may have some financial perks but we are still big fans of the USA! Just visiting!

Steve thinking about lunch. There are lots of great places to eat here!

Wildlife all around

Tree tomatoes not ripe yet. They will turn red when ready to pick. The flavor is like an under-ripe tomato. It is a staple in the local cuisine but we have not found the fruit to our liking :(

There are many coffee farms (fincas) in these mountains. The coffee berry will turn reddish in color when ripe.

It rains almost every afternoon and there is no shortage of moving streams to admire.

Like other Caribbean islands and Latin countries, you will see unfinished houses just about everywhere. You never know if they are abandoned or perhaps the owners are just taking a break from construction. If you leave a house unattended here you will most likely have squatters to deal with when you return home. House sitting is a popular non-paid occupation here.

A glimpse of past volcanic activity.

Delicious red bananas

Malay Apple Tree (mountain apple). A bit tart otherwise very tasty.

Hydrangeas can grow here almost year round.

Mi Jardin Tu Jardin is a popular tourist attraction in Boquete. The property is owned by a local gentleman, rumored to be in his 90's. The gardens are beautiful but we were really impressed by the colorful livestock.

A spot of purple

The Panamonte Inn is a Boquete icon. Built in 1914 for the Panama Canal crowd, it has survived with few renovations and conveys an ambiance of past splendor and gaiety.

Imagine arriving here in the early 1900's. What a welcoming sight.

The grounds are immaculate

And there are many inviting cozy areas to sit and just be.

We find a few other gems around town. This local bar is very popular and serves up good drinks at very reasonable prices. They sponsor some good jazz music during the high season and the interior decor is worth coming all this way just to see. Sorry, can't show you...must come see for yourself.

The road to the top of the Volcano is long and mean. We decide not to go.

Another long road to where? We try it out in our rental car but not for long. No tow trucks in this town.

Instead we venture out on foot. We park the car on the road and put on our hiking boots.

The bridge sways a bit as we cross but it is very solid. The hiking trail is maintained by the local Indians and we are soon stopped for a "hiking fee", they want $10 but we only have $9...no problem, $9 will do. The local sign in book tells us there has not been many hikers here recently. They are happy to see us.

The trail is not bad but we are at about 4500' elevation, recovering from colds so the going is a bit slow with lots of rest stops. There are many many animal noises all around but we can never see anything! Everything is camouflouged.

Our destination is this nice waterfall. The water temperature is tempting for a swim but it is beginning to rain and we have some serious downhill trekking to return to the car. No swimming today.

Looking up but seeing very little other than green foilage. Wishing we had a guide.

Back towards the car is a beautiful vista.

Enormous elephant ears

Back in town one of our favorite eateries is.....

They make a great margarita with a chili salt mix around the rim. It is not rum but he is still smiling.

The owners are very friendly and are eager to show us their expansion plans. We love the local hardwood here. The decking is beautiful.

The bar top is Mango wood.

After our week in Boquete we head back to David and our friends Liz and Craig tell us about a great little resort they discovered on the Pacific Ocean side of Panama. We still have our rental car so why not? A short 1.5 hours later we arrive.

On a very isolated stretch of beach, neighbored by small primitive surf camps, is this very quaint little resort.

Miles and miles of dark sand to walk on.

There is a nice bar/restaurant on site, which is good because there is no other place to eat.

Solitude

Bochy ball

Sitting around

Contemplating the Pacific

Thinking about it

Next door neighbors

The end of our trip brings us back to David. We spend the day shopping for things we cannot find in Bocas. We buy way too much stuff and there is no way we can bring it back with us since we are taking the local bus over the mountains. Lucky for us there is a local service to help us out. Toby is from Texas, now living in Panama with her family. When we finish shopping in a store we call her. She shows up in her car, takes our stuff back to her house and puts cold stuff in the refrigerator, frozen stuff in her freezer and the rest in boxes with our name written on everything. We buy buy buy and she picks up up up. In a few days she will drive our stuff over the mountains in her truck. The truck will be transported via ferry from the mainland to Bocas Town, Isla Colon. There, among many others, we will show up to claim our stuff. We are a bit worried but it is needless. Service like this for $25!

After a day of shopping in David we head to the bus station where we see this great chick display....hope you are not disappointed!

The bus trip is great. There is much to see out the window

Local school kids. Lots ride the bus but some very lucky kids have bikes.

We arrive back at our boat and love sleeping in our own bed again.

Where to now? Not sure. We'll let you know.

Adios from Panama,

Anne and Steve

S/V Fine Line

It's The Little Things

2011-08-30T08:11:00.000-07:00

Panama is a beautiful country with amazing sights and sometimes it is the little things that get your attention. This very friendly grasshopper joined us for a little sail from Bocas Town to Red Frog Marina. We did not charge him the usual $3.50 water taxi fare.

Enjoying the ride. Hang on tight Mr. Grasshopper or you might just become fish food.

The insects get your attention here in Panama but the "real thing" is all about your friends and day to day life. Living onboard a 44 foot boat with your mate, day in and day out, takes some patience and fortitude. What makes it all worthwhile?

A party! And not just any party, Steve's last year in his 50's. Yes, the Captain turned 59.

Below, left to right: Bill, Kenny, Steve and Craig.

And girlfriend time is priceless.

Below, left to right: Anne, Tana, Roxanne and Liz.

We do know how to have fun!

Any event can become a party. It is one of the things we love most about cruising.

The cake was not so pretty but it tasted just fine.

Keeping the tradition alive but reducing the candles....no oxygen available for resuscitation.

Gotta share Steve...go ahead cut the cake.

There is always something to discuss around the table. Sometimes it is hard to get "talk time". Imagine that!!

Getting off the boat and spending time ashore with friends makes us all remember how lucky we are

Kenny and Tana

Liz and Craig

Roxanne and Bill

And back onboard ship, it is a wise captain that knows the best way to keep mutiny at bay is to

keep the Admiral happy.

We are living the life and one day we will look back on our sailing adventure and we will remember many great ports, beautiful countries and friendly people. But best remembered will be the little things that brought us joy along the way.

Adios for now,

Anne and Steve

S/V Fine Line

Red Frog Favorites

2011-08-21T12:30:00.000-07:00

In Bocas del Toro you can drop your anchor in many different places. We are now anchored near and island called Bastimentos. Red Frog Resort is a controversial development on Bastimentos. Built with the jet set in mind it has high end villas, a beautiful marina and amazing beaches. It was also supposed to have condos, a golf course and a hotel but the economy happened.

The little Red Frog still lives here, however, but we can't seem to find any? Victims of eviction? Short sale? Hmmmm?

We are anchored outside the marina and what a lovely spot.

But the beaches are our favorite. The windward side of this island has many beaches: Wizard Beach, Red Frog Beach, Turtle Beach and more. These photos are of Turtle Beach where we enjoyed the entire beach all to ourselves with friend Bill.

Photos by Steve

The body surfing is good here.

Steve's favorite shot.

You can walk from beach to beach with a small detour through the jungle.

You have to watch where you walk: snakes, scorpions and the dreaded Red Fire Ant!

Along the path you never know what you might find to eat.

Beautiful flowers

All growing wild

And of course there is wildlife. Some wilder than others.

This Boa paid us a visit on our boat. It was morning and we were enjoying a cup of coffe in our cockpit. We were sitting right next to the snake and we did not see it. Our friend Bill came up in his Dinghy. We talked we laughed and then he said "hey, did you know there is a snake on your boat?" Boy, were we surprised. We convinced the sweet thing to get down off the rope and when he was on our back swimstep we swept him into the water with a broom.

He swam away only to turn around and swim right back to the boat. He tried and tried to get back on board. Steve would throw him (using a stick) as far away from the boat as he could but the snake would turn around and swim right back to us. Help! We can't tell you how we finally got rid of him but it did involve a bit of trauma (oops). We now get up every morning and do a snake check.

Up a tree you sometimes get lucky and spot a sloth. How cute is he or she!!!!

So what would make us leave Bastimentos and the beautiful beaches? A walk with Tana in the jungle

And dinner prepared by Maria and Coco at Rana Azul. Tonight she is making her amazing onion rings, lemon glazed chicken and chocolate mousse. Anchors away.

We did see this little critter while picking tangerines with Tana. Not sure what it is? Any ideas? Opossum?

A very interesting tail

Upside down sloth

Cacao. Makes great chocolate.

They come in various colors and are very prolific. You can open the ripe pod and eat the meat around the cacao bean. Just don't eat too much.....:)

That's all for now. See you soon

Anne and Steve

S/V Fine Line

A Walk In The Jungle

2011-08-10T11:37:00.000-07:00

We are back in Panama. Although from this picture we could be in the Pacific Northwest in the USA or in some lake in Switzerland. We are, however, in Bocas del Toro Panama.

Bocas del Toro is beautiful. It is surrounded by mountains, jungle, mangrove islands and lots of water.

It took us 26 hours to motorsail here from Colon, Panama. We had plenty of tropical weather to keep us busy for the entire 26 hours: lightning, thunder, rain, wind, waves....whew, we were sure happy to finally arrive and see our really good friends, Liz and Craig on Salida.

Steve quickly got our new dinghy launched and went over to say hello.

The main town in Bocas del Toro is know as "Bocas Town". Simple! It is a very popular tourist destination. There are lots of small hostels, hotels, restaurants and bars. It has alot of charm.

Of course, the whole town has some growing pains and there are some eyesores around.

Catching up with friends is always the highlight for us. Here we are celebrating a birthday with Steve, Roxanne, Kenny and Tana. We have not seen Kenny and Tana since Annapolis 2007.

The Calypso Cantina is a happening place for boaters. The managers, Dillon and Darren (standing on each end) will definantly entertain you. Seated are Bill from Bamboo, Liz and Craig from Salida and Russ from Jacana. In the foreground is "you-know-who".

And of course, Steve is very happy to be here....maybe because they have one of his favorite Rums...

Entertainment by Darren at Calypso Cantina

Firedancing by the South African boaters

Bocas del Toro has many great places to take your boat. We are lucky that our friends Liz and Craig have been here for a year and are great tour guides. "Just follow us". OK!

Along the way we see lots of interesting sights. We are amazed at all the small and large homes tucked into the emerald green country side. And some are on stilts. Small outhouse in the back.

A hidden treasure about 1 1/2 hours out of Bocas Town is the Rana Azul. It is a beautiful little restaurant tucked into the jungle. Owners Joseph and Maria from Austria serve a fantastic Sunday lunch. You anchor your boat out in the bay and take the little dinghy ashore. Gorgeous!

Next to the restaurant is Joseph and Maria's house and boat.

Everything grows here.

So far from home we meet with Alex and Lisa Poff. Alex and Steve worked together at Encinitas Fire Department. Alex is still there but Steve is not. Alex and his family are here on vacation. We found out from our cruising friends he was here. What a small world.

The Poff kids: Riley standing on the left (she is 9) and Cole (4 years old) sitting down. Very cute kids.

Joseph and Maria prepare some outstanding European dishes. People come from everywhere to enjoy the feast.

Not too far from the restaurant is a farm owned by friends of Tana and Kenny. There are great walking paths where you can get up close and personal with the jungle. I know everyone expects to see big dangerous animals in the jungle but mostly you see the small inhabitants.
Here is a Blue Poison-dart Frog. He is very afraid of people so no worries. Named so because it was believed Indians used to dip the tips of their arrows in the toxin secreted by the frog. The reality is, they were rarely used for this and their toxins are hardly toxic.

Green Poison-dart Frog. Unlike most frogs, these frogs are out and about during the day. They like to hide in the roots of big trees.

There are some great looking spiders to look at. Just be careful where you walk because walking into one of these webs is downright creepy.

Beautiful insects that blend into the foilage.

Hibiscus grow wild and beautiful in a variety of colors.

Each time we walk in the jungle we see different things.

Stay tuned for more jungle exploration.

Anne and Steve

S/V Fine Line

Having Fun In San Diego

2011-07-15T12:41:00.000-07:00

Coming home to San Diego for a visit during summer is a bit of a gamble. The month of June is known as "June Gloom" and is typically foggy and cold. But not this June. It is beautiful here. The flowers are blooming

And the beach is sunny and inviting. Too bad the water is so cold, 65 degrees.

Steve immediately put on his contractors outfit and got busy

And Anne went out to lunch with niece Sunny and good friend Sue

Being away from our house means lots of catch up when we are home. Some jobs are more fun than others

NOT FUN

Visiting with Sister-In-Law Carol

FUN

Laying new tile in the walkway

NOT FUN

Cooking in my BIG kitchen

FUN

Steve does take a day off once in awhile

4th of July at friends Sue and Tony's house.

Definitely FUN!

Tony enjoying the great weather

Friend Jasmine

Trying out our new camera .

FUN

Nice day hanging out.

Lots of FUN

4th of July

4th of July fireworks

Great sunset from the backyard...no green flash

Being home means we get to celebrate Dana's birthday

FUN

Make a wish Dana

The big construction project was at Meghan's house. Steve is wearing a mason's hat today.

He is having

FUN

While Steve plays Mason, Anne visits the family in San Pedro. These two cuties are my sister's granddaughters. Since I don't have any I admire hers.

FUN

6 weeks pass quickly and we are heading back to Fine Line next week. There are so many great things about being home. We have the best friends and it is hard to say goodbye

Pirates Pat and Ron

Daughters Meghan, Dana and niece sunny

Sister Lisa, me, mom Sunny and sister Lene.

Thanks everyone for all the FUN

See you in Panama July 21.

S/V Fine Line

Panama City

2011-06-05T13:42:00.000-07:00

We have left our boat in Shelter Bay Marina on the Caribbean side of Panama. We are flying back to San Diego for a visit. The airport is in Panama City, on the Pacific side of Panama. Looks a bit like Miami?

Panama City is very cosmopolitan. It is a city of towering skyscrapers competing with each other for not only height but also unique architectural design. This is where the rich and famous come to play including Donald Trump and his new Trump Tower.

Down the road from the towers you can find Casco Viejo, the Old Town. In various stages of restoration, it reminds us alot of the Walled City of Cartagena. It is very charming.

The old comes in various states of disrepair

And yet they stand regally

Old splendor

The jungle is always lurking and waiting to move in

Television anyone?

a wall painting of past political history

Looks just like our friend Sid on the sailboat "Paradise".

Down the street from the Old City is the mariscos del mercado (seafood market)

Don't come here unless you like fish and all their delightful aromas.

Looking down on the seafood market from the upstairs restaurantWhatever you want from the sea you can find it here

Ceviche anyone?

Looking back at the Old City from the seafood market. There is a series of dungeons and old passageways below the buildings

The local fishing fleet

Panama City is a great place to visit
But we can't wait to see San Diego!!

Anne and Steve
S/V Fine Line

Hanging Out In Kuna Yale

2011-05-28T15:01:00.000-07:00

We have lots of stories to tell but we are not sure where to begin?? How about some of our favorite pictures from Kuna Yale, also known as San Blas Islands.

This photo was taken by Dana during her visit in April. It is an anchorage known to the Gringos as The Hot Tub. Part of the Holandes Cays, it is called Maoqui-Kaimou by the local Indians.

The photo is taken from Fine Line looking out to the reef. There is fantastic snorkeling and fishing here.

Anchored in the East Lemon Cays. Another nice photo Dana

Sunset is spectacular in the San Blas Islands.

Another sunset in the East Lemmon Cays. This shows the island of Banedup and a local fishing boat with sails up.

Another beautiful shot by Dana in The Hot Tub.

Cloudy Day but still beautiful.

Conch is a favorite food of the Kuna Indians. Conch shells litter almost all beaches.

Many of the islands have only one Indian family living on them. It is always a good idea to ask permission to walk on the island. Sometimes it will cost you a buck or two. The Indians are good hosts and they know the value of their islands

Kuna hermit crab

An uninhabited island just waiting for you......

Dana, Laura and Nick walking on island in the Coco Banderos Cays.

Sunset in the East Holandes Cays.

The Kuna Indians grow coconuts and use them for trade with the Colombians. Each tree is tended by a Kuna family and you had better not take a coconut or else......

A nice shot by Steve of the very popular anchorage known as the Swimming Pool. It is located in the East Holandes Cays. Boats stay here for months.....some for years.

The end of a perfect day.

Photo by Steve

We are in Shelter Bay Marina in Colon, Panama. We are getting the boat ready to sit for 6 weeks while we travel back to the US. We have lots more to tell so stay tuned.

Anne and Steve

s/v Fine Line

Leaving Cartagena

2011-03-13T10:28:00.000-07:00

After leaving Cartagena, Internet became scarce. That is our excuse for the long pause. We are currently located in Portobelo, Panama (9.33N, 79.40W) where there is Internet. A little slow but we are not complaining. Here is our story:

We leave Cartagena, Colombia on January 28th. We plan to travel along the Coast of Columbia west to Panama and then we will head north west up the Caribbean side of Panama. We are not on a time schedule, not really but sort of since we expect a visit from out daughters in March and April.
We leave the beautiful city of Cartagena after a 10 day stay. Our boat is a mess. It is dirty and the bottom is seriously fouled. The water in the bay of Cartagena is full of little boat-loving critters and other stuff. We can only guess because you cannot see the bottom. Steve is recovering from Dengue Fever and is still tired. We decided to head for Cholon. Located 20 miles south of Cartagena, Cholon is a complete change from the hustle and bustle of Cartagena. Protected by miles of mangroves, the lagoons of Cholon are pristine, quiet and waiting for us.

People arrive from Cartagena to this nice little beach in Cholon. Warm water, white sand, lots of sun. We anchor nearby.

The locals paddle around on their boards, in their canoes or ulus(dugout canoe made from a large tree trunk). They always have something they want to sell you.

There is lots of exploring in the mangroves.

There are a few homes along the mangroves. Weekend retreats for the well-to-do Columbians.

Nobody home.

Heading through the mangroves to the little town of Baru.

Along the way you get glimpses of how the locals live. Ulus on the sand bars for the night.

The tranquil village of Baru.

You can pick up some supplies here....beer, bread, soda, flour, etc.

The mangroves are fascinating. You do not see alot of animals but you can hear many birds.

The entrance and exit from Cholon is narrow and shallow but with good sunlight in the middle of the day it is easy to "spot" your way out between the shoals and reefs.

Further west in Isla Bernardo we see some great stilt houses.

Local towing his boat and looking for lobster. Lobsters are exported from many of the islands here.

Beautiful sunset anchored in Tintipan, Isla Bernardo.

Dead calm.

Small resort on the beach. We never saw any guests here, just lots of locals.

Exploring the beach in Tintipan.

4 days later we head further west to Isla Fuerte. A little rain on the way helps clean the salty decks.

Anchored by Isla Fuerte. A very independent Colombian island. The grow alot of their own food and fish. Lobster sales is big business here.

The Colombian Coast Guard pays us a visit. They come onboard to check our paperwork. They ask us if we have had any problems along the coastline and tell us to call them on our boat radio if we need any assistance. One of the young guys speaks very good English. We have had no problems. All the islanders are nice and friendly but just the same it is nice to know the Coast Guard is there if we need them.

Hiking on Isla Fuerte is a treat. It is tropical, sunny, and very scenic.

Corn is raised on the island. Colorful corn.

Homemade saddle. Tired donkey :(

Local home/inn

We leave Isla Fuerte in the evening. We have a 12 hour sail ahead of us. We are heading to Sapzurro, Colombia, a border town. Next door is Panama.

We arrive safely at 8am and anchor in the beautiful bay.

The coastline here is beautiful and if you had a surfboard you could probably catch a few waves.

We find a hostal on shore. The Colombian owner Mario is a great guy. He speaks English and he has internet. WOW, we are ecstatic. They also make a great sandwich. We are ready to have someone else make us something to eat.

Catching up on Internet.

The great thing about boating is all the friends we make. In Sapzurro we catch up with the Hague family from Rico, Colorado. We first met them 2 years ago in the Eastern Caribbean. They have three great kids.

Lydia

Noah and Ava

Sapzurro is home of the ice cream lady.

Oh yes, is is good ice cream

A few days later we cross the imaginary border into Panama. We are now in the region known as Kuna Yale. This area belongs to the Kuna Indians. It is part of Panama but the Kuna's have control over their territory.

We arrive at our first Kuna Village, Puerto Perme.

The Indians here are very friendly. They do not speak English. Not a word. We manage, however, with our minimal language skills and lots of pantomiming.

The kids, all sizes, are on the water, in their own little ulus.

The Kuna Village

The homes are made with palm thatch for the roof and hardwood tree limbs tied together for the walls. The homes last approximately 15 years. No paint needed. No Homeowners Association. No roads, no cars. Got a boat?

Kuna ulu with homemade sail. Most Kunas have wooden paddles, hand made. The lucky few have sails made from scrap cloth. They do love to sail. They do not always like to have their picture taken.

Kuna flag. The swastika has nothing to do with the Nazis.

Soccer players. Oh yea, they are good! Thanks for the picture "Hello World".

Kuna woman in traditional dress. The black line on her face in an adornment.

Thanks for the photo "Hello World".

Rapid transit. Thanks for the photo "Hello World".

Kuna boat. The Kuna village name is displayed on the bow.

Proud mother. The girls (women) here have children at a very young age. Thanks for the photo "Hello World".

Local tame birds.

The Kuna's have extensive farms in the jungle. They grow all their food. They fish the seas. They are very independent.

Boots are to avoid snake bites when you hike in your garden.

Kuna woman in traditional dress. Thanks for the photo "Hello World".

Typical Kuna boat with sail and paddle being used as rudder.

Steve and our tour guide in the village of Caledonia. We were not allowed to walk around alone. He spoke a few words of English. We paid $3 each for the tour.

A hotel room in Caledonia. $5 per night. That includes the hammock. No beds here.

Anne buys her first Mola in Caledonia. The Kuna women are very artistic and sew beautiful Molas (gotta google Mola for a good description). Anne is now the proud owner of more Molas. How many Molas does a gringo woman need?

Pigs are kept in a pig pens...duhh. These pig pens are perched over the water so there is no clean up. Oh yeah, so are the Kuna bathrooms. Bring your own TP.

Colombian trading boat visit the Kuna villages. They bring items for trade. The Kunas get stuff they can't grow, plastics, pots and pans, beer, soda, etc. The Colombian trading boats get coconuts. Coconuts are big business here.

Trading boat.

Some families choose to live away from the masses. Kuna suburb. Hoping the gobal warming thing is not for real.

Kuna mom and her girls out for a sail. The Kuna Indians are a matriarchal society.

Lots of backpackers travel via boat between Colombia and Panama. There are no roads in this part of Panama so you either travel by boat or plane. It is a big business to transport backpackers. Big business, lots of money, greed, and then of course crime and intrigue.

This "backpacker boat" anchored behind us one afternoon. Typically these boats will have 8-10 backpacers aboard. The going rate is $450/person. Big business.

The islands offer lots of opportunity to hike. The jungle is hot and humid, phew. Makes you feel your age.

Bird of Prey, can't remember his name.

Most of the Kuna villages sell a few food items. They do make their own bread which is very delicious.

Looking down the street between Kuna homes.

Kuna Yale is surrounded by reef. The islands are well protected and the anchoring is fantastic. When you go from island to island, however, you sometimes have to navigate between the reef. When there is a big swell the reef can be treacherous.

But always beautiful.

We have refueled our boat in Portobelo. There is no gas dock here. A local business man drives 30 minutes, with jugs, to the local gas station. We load the jugs in our small boat, motor out to the big boat and fill the tanks. 75 gallons later, sore arms. We also bought lots of food for our visiting daughters. It is now time to head back to San Blas. It will take us between 6-8 hours to make the return trip. It is worth it.

Cartagena

2011-01-27T20:11:00.000-08:00

It is approximately 110 miles from Santa Marta to Cartagena. Most people leave Santa Marta in the afternoon, sail all day and night and arrive in Cartagena in the morning. We decide to break it up into two days. We have heard there is a nice little anchorage half way to Cartagena. We decide to see for ourselves.

We leave Santa Marta at sunrise. Our biggest obstacle today will be to cross the Rio Magdalena River. It is a very big river that begins in the mountains of Colombia. It rushes down to the ocean at the big city of Baranquilla. It carries mud, cars, houses, trees, animals and other assorted hazards out into the ocean. The debris field can be wide and reach many miles out to sea. There are many thoughts on how you should pass through this minefield. Some boaters stay far offshore, some believe passing close to shore makes the crossing shorter. It has not rained in the last two weeks so we decide 4 miles offshore will be just about right.

The water is muddy but we don't find any interesting objects. Not even a plastic bag. It is a bit choppy but only 3 miles across. No problem.

Our anchorage for the night is a nice big inlet. There are thatched roof cabanas along the beach. As we come into the bay we are greeted by windsurfers. They are a friendly bunch. We go ashore and talk to the locals. This is a very popular spot for Colombians. We are told there is a big marina planned for this area.

In the morning Punta Hermosa is lovely.

The captain, however, has developed a fever and severe body aches during the night. He is sick this morning and we have to decide if we stay here until he feels better or should we continue on?? We decide to go the rest of the way to Cartagena. It is an easy trip. Along with our friends on Bamboo, Anne can easily get us there.

The captain sleeps as we motor sail to Cartagena. It is a nice trip, not much wind and gentle seas.

Our third crew member is a big help. Meet Mr. Autopilot, aka Otto.

There are two entrances into the very large bay of Cartagena. The closest entrance, known as Boca Grande, has a submerged wall beneath the surface of the ocean. The Spaniards built this wall hundred of years ago to keep out rif raf like the English and French. It worked then and it works now. If you do not come right in between the two channel markers you will more than likely hit the wall. Not something we want to do today. Bamboo has been here before and they do a great job leading Fine Line right into the bay.

Around the corner, a statue of the Virgin greets you and you can let out a sigh of relief and give your thanks to her.

Anchored deep in the bay, the evening displays the lights of Boca Grande, a very upscale neighborhood.
Boca Grande is also the home of the Cartagena Navy. There is a naval hospital here that serves not only the Colombian navy but they offer very good medical services to the general public. We become very familiar with the physicians here. Turns out Steve has been bitten by a Dengue mosquito in Santa Marta and he now has Dengue Fever. Also known as "break bone fever" it has taken a toll on him. Fever, pain, malaise, loss of appetite, low platelet count and low white blood cells are all hallmarks of this nasty fever.

There is no medicine to make it go away but IV fluids and observation is the ticket. After a week he begins to recover enough to make his way ashore to see some sights.

There are many boaters here and it is a very close knit community. If you need something, just ask. We are invited to join a city tour via an airconditioned bus. Steve feels he can make the trip and is anxious to see the beautiful city of Cartagena.

Our tour guide is Alexander Rocha. Alex was born in Cartagena. He speaks very good English which is not very common here. The kids are beginning to learn English here but most of the older generation do not speak a word. It makes us wish we had paid more attention in Spanish class.

Our trip begins in the late afternoon. Even though we are in an airconditioned bus, we will be doing some hiking around. It is very hot here during the day but around 4 pm the breeze comes up and it is very pleasant. Our first stop is the
Convento de la Candelaria, also called La Popa. This picture is from the internet. The hilltop location of La Popa was extremely helpful to the Colombians during the many battles fought here not only with foreigners but also during the struggle for independence from Spain. Inside the convent you see the beautiful arches of the colonial architecture.

The church is magnificent.

Our next stop is the fort know as San Felipe de Barajas located on a strategic hill overlooking the old city of Cartagena. It was built in the 16th and 17th century, taking 200 years to complete. It was the site of many battles.

Inside and under the fort you will find a maze of tunnels. Designed by the Spaniards as not only escape routes for the troops, these tunnels also served as attack points. The Spanish soldiers would run into the tunnels. The English or French would follow, get disoriented and, voila, you can imagine the carnage.

Along the narrow tunnel are small indentations where the soldiers slept. Guess they did not have claustrophobia. Restored cannons display the heavy fortification of this very important fort.

This city has many contrasts.

The next day is a trip to the Botanical Garden of Cartagena.

A large 200 year old tree. These are the type of trees used for dugout canoes. Still made today.

Local

Cactus can grow anywhere.

A drum tree. Great percussion.

Later at our lunch stop at a local farm (finca) we were entertained by this Spider Monkey.

The old walled city of Cartagena is beautiful. The Spanish guarded this city well by building a wall around the entire city. It took over 200 years but it still stands today.

Once inside you are transformed to a different time. Narrow streets and alleys lead you around the city.

You are transformed to an earlier time...a few exceptions

Great statues

Inside courtyards are cool and calm.

The older buildings have big doors with a smaller door set inside. The small doors were used by servants and the big doors were opened when important people came to visit. A great way to impress your neighbor.

There are coffee vendors in every plaza. 10-25 cents will buy you a small (tinto) cup of sweet coffee. Just perfect during an early morning walk.

Something stronger maybe?

If you need a legal document drafted, this is your corner. Sit right down.

You do get real thirsty in the heat.

You can walk for hours. There is plenty of shopping opportunity. Cartagena is known for its emeralds, gold and leather. It is not cheap but you can bargain all day long and if you have enough perserverance you can walk away with a good deal.

A beautiful city.

Our next stop is a lovely lagoon 22 miles to the west. We are still traveling the coast of Colombia and will not be in Panama for another 2-3 weeks. Internet will be spotty from here on out so the next blog post may be delayed. Steve is feeling better and we hope he is back to 100% in another week or two.

Anne and Steve

S/V Fine Line

Around Town Santa Marta

2011-01-14T06:12:00.001-08:00

Santa Marta has been a great stop for us. Here are some of our favorite photos and places to visit.

Christmas in Santa Marta. Our little Christmas tree we purchased before leaving Aruba. All dressed up

Downtown Santa Marta

Christmas Eve dinner at Agave Azul. American owned and operated. Great food.

A bit of rain but at least it is warm

Soaked to the skin Christmas Eve

A few days later, great weather so Steve goes up the mast for some maintenance work

Great view of the coastline

City view Our favorite trip here was to a small mountain town called Minca. We stayed at a cute little B&B.

Locals flock here for the holidays. Cool temperatures and great family time along the Minca River

Soup is a local favorite. Anything and everything goes into the pot

Local bridge crossing

Catepillar

Hanging out at Sierra's Sound. The couple who own this B&B are also the owners of the Crock Farm

Next door is Dona Ana's kitchen. Excellent local food

Color is a big part of decor

Beautiful flowers grow wild

But just in case you need some delivered just call 1800 CARLOS

There is some great hiking in the mountains. A beautiful waterfall at the end makes the hike even better......even if it is a looooong hot hike

Along the way Along the way

Our guide spoke only Spanish. He was with us for the 4 hour hike. We learned some Spanish and in the end we paid him $10 and gave him a beer. He was a very happy guy

At the top

At the end of the day a well deserved rest and cold beerOur patient guide trying to teach us the Spanish name for the large Bambo.

Can you say "guadua".

A little dancing in town. The local men love Roxanne

A pato

Local church

Steve and his mustache are very popular here in Colombia. These men ran out of a bar and remembered seeing Steve a week ago in another town. Best friends now

And ofcourse that meant a dance with the wife of the man with the mustache

The Colombian tamal is fantastic. Made with banana leaves instead of corn husks

Lunch on the Minca River

Another favorite trip was to the neighboring village of Taganga. A real bohemian seaside village filled to capacity with vacationing Colombians and backpackers from all corners of the world Snowman at the seaside

Dugout canoe, still used for fishing

Taganga is a vacation spot but also a fishing village

Treehouse for rent

Hiking around the hills of Taganga. Next cove over is another popular beach

Taganga from above

Sunset over the Caribbean Sea

Friendly local

Back in Santa Marta, the streets are very safe and we walk every morning, soaking up the sights. Our favorite coffee vendor...see how popular Roxanne is

Feeling oppressed?

Working across the street from the Santa Marta cemetary

The best mojito, frappe style

Need some booze? Local marketplace sells just about anything

Trading in coal, using the rail for transport to the seaside....picture tells the whole story

Restored residence in old town Santa Marta

Sorry to disturb you

Las flores para la venta (flowers for sale)

Pescado para la venta

The chopping block

This hat or that hat?

Small but very sweet once they turn yellow. You can buy the whole stock for almost nothing. That's alot of banana bread

Peaceful, clean and quiet early in the morning

Boat kitty for Sid and Manuela?
Up late on New Year's eve
Good friends, great places
This has been a great stop
See you on Sunday in Cartagena.

Anne and Steve

S/V Fine Line

A Visit To The Crocodile Farm

2011-01-09T09:19:00.000-08:00

This is a simple story about a Crocodile farm. It is not intended to portrait a favorable nor an unfavorable view of animals in captivity and the use of their skins. If you are sensitive to this subject, you may want to avoid reading this blog.

We are going on a day trip to a neighbooring city called Barranquilla. We have arranged to have a car pick us up at 8am at the Santa Marta Marina. There are four of us going. The car shows up at 7am? What, we are barely awake. We do our best in broken Spanish but the driver insists we leave now. He will not wait for us. He has other people to pick up. Here we thought we were the only passengers? Lucky for us the marina finds us a private car. Of course the price is now doubled. Oh brother, the things we are willing to do for an adventure.
Soon we are on our way. Once out of the city, the scenery is beautiful. The countryside is very flat and green.
There are small communties along the road. The small homes are knee-deep in water from unusually heavy rains this past fall.

The local population make their living from fishing. They have a very simple life.
But they are very industrious.

They also practice some unsavory begging techniques. On this stretch of road the locals lay down ropes, string, clothing tied together, etc., to make a barricade. When a car approaches they pull the rope up and block the road. As the car slows, the people (many holding small children in their arms) rush the cars with their palms out, hoping for some money. Ofcourse most cars slow down but do not stop. It is frightening and sad.
The trip to Baranquilla takes 1.5 hours. We are meeting our friend Pino here. We first met Pino up in the mountains. We "clicked" like you sometimes do with special people. Pino is Italian. He has a very successful Crocodile farm. His Crocodile skins can be found in some very high end shops around the world. He very generously offered us an up close and personal look at his enterprise.
We climb into the air conditioned car for the next leg of our trip.

First we stop to visit with the little cute baby rats. There are rows and rows of them.

Most of them are white.
The newborns are pink. I know, you are wondering what this has to do with Crocodiles? Nothing. First we have to talk about the Boa Constrictors. Just a little side business.

Baby Rats

Baby Boas

Cute?
A lot of people think they are cute. Then they get big. Then they are not so cute.

A few years later they grow up to be big and very strong. The tail alone has tremendous power. Pino is holding the snake.

The Boa Constrictor is not a venemous snake. It can bite you and it will hurt but it will not kill you. It kills it's prey but squeezing. This Boa gets a baby chick once per week. It takes approximately 4 days of laying around to digest it completely...beak, feathers, legs...burp!

The boa cannot see well but senses it's prey is dead by a drop in body temperature. It then locates the small end of the prey (head) and begins the process of swallowing.

The jaw unhinges......open wide

Time to leave the Boas. Fascinating but also a bit creepy as we all contemplate the possibilities that a very big Boa could probably eat us?

We get back in our comfy car and head out into the bush. I am beginning to think about Jurassic Park...feeling a bit unhinged :)

There are many workers on the farm. It is a big production to care for approximately 100,000 Crocodiles. Lunch is on for the workers. We are afraid to look inside the pot but Pino assures us it is only yucca soup. We are not hungry nor are we offered a serving. Whew!

It is also lunch time for the Crocs. We can smell the lunch wagon before we see it. For sure we are not hungry now. Where is the menthol under-the-nose rub?

Crocks are not vegetarians. They like meat. Can you imagine feeding 100,000 Crocks daily? Good thing Pino also owns a slaughterhouse where all the locals bring their beef and pork. Pino gets to keep all the leftovers. Bon Appetite!

The bigger Crocks get the bigger pieces.

We are just about over the top when we come to the next exhibit. This is the newly killed Crocks that are ready to be skinned. They are sacrificed with a quick jab into their brains. It is quick and it is painless.

Skinning the crocks is not for amateurs. The skins are very expensive, selling for approximately $3.5 US dollars per centimeter.

A good skinner can skin 100 Crocks per day.

The skins are salted and stacked.

6 month old Crock enjoying his lunch.

Each pen has many Crocks of the same age. Some are bigger than others. they are very skittish and don't like us too close to the pen. The feeling is mutual.

Older cousins

Sharp teeth, watchful eye

Probably not a good pet

Keeping the crocks healthy and well fed is a top priority. There is a part time biologist here to monitor conditions. Additionally, the Colombian government imposes strict regulations on the farm insuring all international treaties for the protection of the animals are met. 5% of the crocks must be released into the wild every year. There are many wild crocks out and about. Note to self: Be Careful

BE REAL CAREFUL

Steve dreaming of a new wallet

The crocks live for approximately 2 years before they are sacrificed. It is perhaps sad that they are sacrificed for human vanity but such is the world. At least here, on this farm, they are treated in a compassionate manner for those two years.

Nearby are the breeding Crocks. They are much bigger and are not used for skins. Their purpose is to produce the stock. The females lay approximately 20-30 eggs once a year. It is currently mating season and in March the females will lay their eggs in nests along the shoreline of the enclosed pond. Workers retrieve the eggs and they are placed into a large incubation room. The temperature and humidity are closely watched. A bit warm will get you males. A bit cooler gets you females.

Crocodiles everwhere. No swimming allowed!

Baby Crocodile pens

The tannery is in another part of the city. It is a large building with big drums. All is quiet right now as it is still Christmas holiday time.

The wooden drums are old technology. They have been used for many years to cure the skins.

The new automated stainless steel drums are a welcome addition to the lengthy curing process. Each skin will spend approximately 10 days in the various drums to be completely cured and ready for sale

Once the skins arrive from the farm they are placed into a refrigerated room. Many of the skins are dyed. New colors are tried.

Some are au natural A skin cured correctly will be soft and plyable.

Skins are sold all over the world. They will become belts, handbags, boots, wallets, etc. They are a high priced luxury. Next time you are in Sachs 5th Ave., look for a Crocodile handbag. Chances are it will be from Pino's farm.

Is it me?

Steve and Pino looking at a grade 4 skin. Grade 1 is the best.

Just for fun

Shake?

Shaman Bill

Beautiful to look at, beautiful to touch

All smiles

Lots of Crock heads

"Bet I can hide this under Anne's pillow just for fun"

At the end of the day, back in Santa Marta, we have a nice dinner. The local mascot is 100% Colombian. To Your Health

Anne and Steve

S/V Fine Line

Aruba to Santa Marta Colombia

2010-12-28T06:46:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

We are in Santa Marta Colombia for the holidays. We had a great sail from Aruba. Here is the story. We are happy to join up with our friends Bill and Roxanne on Bamboo. We are going to make the trip from Aruba to Santa Marta Colombia together. It is always safer to travel with other boats. The coastline of Colombia can be a very treacherous. Not because of pirates or other bad guys, it is the seas and winds that can become malevolent without much notice. We have picked a very nice "weather window" for this trip so we are confident we will have a nice sail.

Fine Line is a little late out of the anchorage for our early morning departure and Bamboo has a good lead on us. No we are not racing. No we are not racing. No we are..........

Steve is wearing his new safety gear while on deck. With the bright yellow I will surely spot him if he falls overboard.....another perk of the helmet.

Sailing along we get out the cameras and snap a shot of Bamboo sinking

Back up she comes. There is a bit of seas, 6-8 feet. Not bad since they are coming mostly from the back.

Up close and personal. Smile :)

Later we catch a picture of Bamboo with her Gennaker sail up. This sail is used when the wind is coming from behind. It is a fun sail and helps us sail along at a nice speed of 8-9 knots.

7 hours later we spot our destination for the night. Islotes los Monjes belongs to Venezuela and is used primarily by fishermen. It used to be two rocks but the Venezuelan government connected the two with a rock and cement dam. They stretched a cable in the water where the fishermen can tie up their boats and rest in between fishing trips. Other boaters have told us it is OK to stop here, tie up your boat and sleep a bit before continuing on. Hmm, we approach carefully and check it out.

It is a bit of a chore getting our boats secure. The cable has lines on it and the lines are all tangled up. Anne jumps in and tries to produce some lines we can tie to. It is not a great setup and we are a bit leary of how this is going to work out. We are tired, however, and some sleep before we continue on would be nice. There is a Venezuelan Coast Guard station here and soon we have two young Coast Guard officers calling to us that they want to pay us a visit on our boats. They do not have a boat so we have to lower our small dinghy and go get them. Go figure...Coast Guard with no boat. They do actually have a small row boat but they prefer us to come and get them. They are nice and we give them a coke and cookies. They fill out their Coast Guard paperwork and then they do a safety inspection. When they are all finished Steve gives them a ride back to shore.

The Coast Guard accomodations on the shore are not fancy. There is a loud generator that roars all night long

A desolate lonely place. The Coast Guard tells us they are stationed here for a month :(

We leave Monje at 5am along with the fishermen. We are now heading to Cabo la Vela, about an 8 hour sail.
We get a little rain and a great rainbow.

There are lots of dolphins in the water. They love to swim along with us, diving under the hulls and surfing the waves behind us.

You can almost touch them.

We have another day of great sailing with the wind behind us. We anchor in a beautiful bay and the next morning we wake up to a beautiful day.

Bamboo in the early morning.

Cabo la Vela is a very small fishing village.

The sunrise is gorgeous.

We visit Bamboo later in the morning and survey their Gennaker. Yesterday, at the end of the sail, it exploded. The cloth literally shredded. Good thing they have an extra Gennaker. They have a very big boat that has lots of room for lots of extra things.
A visit ashore is in order later in the day. We are greeted very warmly by the locals. The kids are itching to get into our dinghy to play.

Their fathers tell them sternly to stay out. Thanks dads.

There are many small homes along the water. There is no running water and electricity is produced at specific times during the day via generator. The kids here seem very happy and can certainly entertain themselves. No Game Boys requried.

We walk around the village and practice our limited Spanish. We meet some tourist from Bogota and they tell us this is a nice resort area for Colombians to visit. They love the tranquility of the area. It is very tranquil....and if you need a little excitement there is internet available between 5-8pm at the local bodega.

Some local ladies try to sell their crafts to Bill. Little do they know he has no Colombian money and they do not use US dollars here.

We spend two nights anchored at Cabo la Vela and then we head out early in the morning. We are planning to do a little exploring along the coastline. Specifically, we want to check out the town of Riohacha.

It turns out to be a big city. There is no place to anchor and the water is very dirty.It looks like chocolate milk or????

We decide to keep going and it means a very long sail to the next possible anchoring destination of 5 Bays. The 5 Bays are known for their beauty but they are technically off limits to boaters because the Colombian Coast Guard cannot patrol the area and there is some concern of drug activities and thus potential violence. We are going to anchor there anyway. Just for one night.

We continue west. The little wind we have is no longer behind us and our progress is slow. We turn on one engine to help us along.

We pass a very unusual ship anchored very far from shore. It is about 150 feet deep here. We do not see anyone aboard and there are no small watercrafts near them. Wierd.

Evening approaches and we are still 4 hours away from our destination. We rarely enter an anchorage at night. An exception is when we know the bay well and there are no reefs or other potential hazards to our boat. Tonight we are going to make an another exception. First of all we have a full moon. Secondly, the bays are wide open and deep. Third, we have radar and big spotlights to assist with seeing any obstacles in our way.

Approaching the bays, the dark clouds enhance the sunset.

The moon comes up and plays peek-a-boo with the clouds. We are hoping it peeks when we need it.

It doesn't matter. The bay we choose to enter is called the third bay and it is lit up nicely. We crawl in slow and the only obstacles we see are a few fishing bouys. We make our way as far in towards the shore as we dare and drop our anchors in 35 feet of water. We sleep soundly after our 17 hour day and the next morning we wake up to a beautiful sight....are we in a Norway? It looks like a fjord with the mountains in the background. No snow, thank goodness.

It is so pretty here we decide to stay. The fishermen are friendly and the coastline is beautiful. We get into the dinghy for some exploring. There are homes hidden in the trees. People peek out at us. Some of the buidlings look abandoned.

There are caves along the cliffs

The fishermen are busy throwing out their nets and capturing small fish. Later they will fry them in oil and eat them whole. Very tasty. Yep, one of us has tried them. Guess who?

A beautiful Blue Heron flies by us a few times.

We find treasures on the beach. Unfortunately lots of trash floats ashore here but there are also lots of interesting seeds than can be polished and made into jewelry, wind chimes, art work, etc. It is time to go. Santa Marta is 2 hours west. It is another great day. As we leave the bay we will negotiate a narrow channel between the mainland and a small rock island. A nice short cut. In bad weather you go around the rock island because the waves break in the channel on the submerged reef. Today is nice so we take the shortcut.

Easy to see.

Bamboo decides to try the other side of the reef.

In the distance we see Santa Marta. It is a busy port. There is a large Dole plantation here and the Dole ships come in almost daily. There is also a cruise ship in the harbor every Sunday. We call the marina and we are greeted on the radio by "John" the dockmaster. John speaks perfect English. What a relief.

We are spending a few weeks here in Santa Marta. It is a wonderful city. We will have lots of photos to share soon.

Almost 2011!

Anne and Steve

S/V Fine Line

Aruba, The Cliff Notes

2010-12-15T16:21:00.001-08:00

This is Aruba. Beautiful beaches, big hotels, great restaurants. A perfect island escape for those seeking water, sun, sand and rum. We borrowed this photo from the internet. It is the view from Playa Linda on the west shore of Aruba. There are miles and miles of high end hotels on the beach each with it's own beach bar, beach chairs and crystal clear water. Those of us living on sailboats, however, are more interested in the day to day things like who is coming and going and should we have a party for them? Here our friend Roxanne put together a little party to welcome her husband Bill back to the boat. Seems Bill had been in Ohio, deep in snow and he was very happy to be back on his boat Bamboo. Bamboo is a bigger and newer version of our boat. It is gorgeous. We get serious boat envy whenever we visit them.

We do not go out every night. Sometimes every other night..sometimes. We had heard of a very good Brazilian restaurant called The Amazonian. We take a bus up north to the hotel district and check out the eating possibilities. If you are homesick there are plenty of options. We are not homesick. Some of the restaurants are very enticing: the decor, the aromas, the lure of a cool drink

But we are very selective tonight. No Hooters, no Benihana.

Outside our restaurant, The Amazonian, we find a little bit of Christmas

Inside we find handsome men....wouldn't you eat here??

Roxanne is a vegetarian. She sees this salad bar and is in heaven.

The rest of us are carniverous. We do not pay much attention to the salad bar. Would you?

Any kind of meat you can dream of is on the skewer...well almost any kind. It can make you crazy trying to decide what to eat.

A little bit of everything for starters

Pineapple? Really? It is actually very very good he says

You can eat as much as you want just turn the green end up and they are back with more. Need a break? Red up. Easy.

One happy group of eaters.

We decide to try another island icon. Charlie's Bar has been on Aruba since World War Two. The orginial Charlie was from Holland and assisted islanders and the allies during the war when the Germans fired on ships and other targets on the island. The restaurant is now run by his grandson, Charles III.

Inside is full of memorabilia and other interesting items....using the term "interesting" liberally here. Remember it is a bar.

Even the BR has been decorated.

Still smiling

Back on our boat we get to enjoy the cruise ships. Also smiling. Notice how nice and calm the anchorage is.

It is an absolute idyllic place. An occasional boat wake, sometimes a little chop, never a swell except

on very very rare occasions the wind and seas reverse themselves due to a frontal system to the north. We wake up and the boat is rocking. Behind us we see a wave break. Wishing for a minute we had a boogie board. But only for a minute because

The waves are getting bigger. Soon we are sideways to the swell and it looks like we may get pushed into the reef. Up comes the anchor and away we go to hide out behind a little island.

Later we venture out to go ashore. On our way back to the boat we get up close and personal to the seas. In our little dingy we can surf the waves but on this trip we have precious cargo onboard so we cautiously negotiate the waves.

Back in our safe anchorage it is a beautiful evening.

The seas are settling down finally and we have decide to head west soon along the Columbian Coast. This is uncharted territory for us. We will be cruising with our friends Bill and Roxanne on Bamboo. Our trip looks like this for day one and two: Aruba to Isla Monjes ( a rock with an interesting anchorage. Pictures in next blog). Next day Isla Monjes to Cabo de la Vela.

And day three will be Cabo de la Vela to Santa Marta. The three day trip will cover approximately 260 miles.

We are on our way tomorrow. Bon Voyage

Anne and Steve

Onboard S/V Fine Line

Aruba!! Finally!!

2010-12-05T16:37:00.000-08:00

Before we leave Curacao we have to have our "last meal". Nothing religious in this ritual just suckers for good food. We head up the road with friends to a Portuguese restaurant. From the outside it is a place you might easily pass by without a second glance but inside it is very quaint. And then the food arrives. Large skewers with your choice of beef tenderloin, pork tenderloin, chicken, shrimp and more. Seasoned and grilled to perfection. I know....you want some, right? Do we look happy or what!

Soon it is Thursday. We bid farewell to our friends and we head west along the coast of Curacao. The boat is sailing nicely. We have a nice breeze just aft of the beam. Sweet!

Enjoying the sail

We spend the night at a little bay in Curacao. It is rolly and it is raining. It is not nice. We go to bed early but the rain is so loud and noisy we don't get alot of sleep. The next morning we rise early and watch the rain....rain, rain, rain please stop. One of us goes up to pull the anchor, that would be a crew job, thanks Anne. We head for Aruba. It is a fast sail with a nice current pushing us.
We arrive at 2pm, check in with the officials and then we anchor our boat. We are here! Right next to the airport. It is entertaining watching the planes line up to take off.

Watching the planes come in to land. Sure it is noisy but it is not Los Angeles International Airport. Later that night we realize the small restaurant on the beach can make more noise than any of the 737s on the runway.

Aurba is a vacation getaway. By plane, small boat or cruiseship. Thousands of people arrive. It is high season.

We can see why. The island has beautiful beaches, fabulous restaurants, clear water and lots of shopping.

Stay tuned for lots of photos from Aruba.

Anne and Steve

Happily in Aruba

Onboard S/V Fine Line

Lots To Be Thankful For

2010-11-28T12:16:00.000-08:00

We sure have alot to be thankful for this year. Coming back to our boat is at the top of the list right behind our family and friends. Where would we be without them?
We arrive in Curacao on November 22. Steve got a clean bill of health from his doctor with a stern warning to not bump his head. Hmmm, good thing he brought a helmet.
Thanksgiving Day we have a spectacular feast with our friends (left to right) Krista, Judi, Edd, Sid, Anne and Steve. Let me give that to you one more time: Krista, Manuela, Edd, Sid, Anne and Steve.

Everyone brings a family favorite. Starting with the appetizers, the celery and olives is a Nona Walsh (Steve's mom) tradition. The wine is an Anne Walsh tradition and the eggs are from the Alaska book of Thanksgiving....thanks Judi and Edd

Inside is the real thing....the turkey, gravy, pistachio salad, brussel sprouts, green beans, sweet potatoes, cranberries, mashed potatoes, and a loaf of German bread made by Krista

Mouthwatering

A few days later we recover and resume our boat cleaning and maintenance. After 3 months of sitting in the warm water there is plenty to do. The weather in Curacao has been unusually wet. Seems the southern jet stream has settled right over the island. Mold and mildew are our nemesis. Steve decides to install a new floor (dri-deck) in our cockpit.

It looks fabulous

The outside of the boat is in need of some attention but with daily rain it is hard to motivate ourselves to the job.

Across the marina is Clair de Lune. Edd and Judi are from Alaska. They brought their boat down the Pacific Coast, through the Panama Canal and into the Caribbean. Edd is our go-to-guy for any mechanical, electrical or electronic issues. He is a walking, talking genius. Judi makes the most amazing cookies and cakes. She is dangerous to be around.

Down the dock is Paradise. Sid is from LA, California and Manuela is from Switzerland. They sailed their boat from Marina Del Rey, California through the Panama Canal and into the Caribbean. They have a wealth of boating knowledge, love to have a good time and help anyone anytime with anything.

Seru Boca Marina is located in the Santa Barbara Development. A very upscale gated community with beautiful custom built homes

The natural landscape surrounds an 18 hole golf course

The Marina is tucked away in a bay surrounded by mangroves and mosquitos

It is a good place to tuck away your prized possession

We are planning to leave the island on Thursday or Friday. We will head west and anchor overnight in Santa Cruz Bay. From there we will leave very early and head to Aruba. We should be in Aruba Friday afternoon. We'll let you know.

Happy Thanksgiving

Anne and Steve Walsh

S/V Fine Line

Peru to LA

2010-09-17T12:50:00.000-07:00

Our trip to Peru came to an abrupt end. Steve became ill and we had to make a hasty retreat to the USA. Here is the scoop.

Our first few days in Lima were fun. Steve was tired and dragging a bit. I thought it was because I was making him go to museums. Lima has some great displays of artifacts from Indian cultures including the Incas. One of the museums we visit had amazing pottery, gold, textiles AND some very erotic pottery. Yes we do have photos but Google would probably censor them....OK, I will show you one

Should you ever visit Peru, be sure to visit the Museo Larco.

Later that same day we visit the San Francisco Church and Monastery. Built in 1546, it is one of the oldest churches in Latin America. And it has catacombs. Seems it was an old Roman tradition to be buried under your favorite church. Hundreds of century old bones have been exhumed. What do you do with all those bones? Show them to the tourists!

Steve is hanging in there and going along with the tour guide's plans. He is tired and a bit clumsy. Anne is clumsy, Steve is not. The next day during a visit to Starbucks Peru, he drops his cup of coffee all over himself.....Captain Clean does not do things like that. HMMM??

We rest up a bit at our hotel
We discuss the situation. Should we return to the USA? Steve wants to stay. He needs a rest, that is all. So we leave Lima and head for ICA, about 5 hours south via bus. Once we reach ICA we jump in a taxi and head to Huarachina.

Huarachina is an oasis nestled among enormous sand dunes. Dune buggy rides and sandboarding bring hordes of tourists to this small town. Climbing the dunes makes your thighs burn and your calves scream. We make it part way up one dune and then we are "toast". Back down at our hotel we enjoy a late lunch with a friend.

He is very bold as he steals french fries off Steve's plate.

The next day we catch an early bus for a two hour ride to the town of Nazca. Nazca is famous for large ancient drawings in the desert known as geoglyphs. The drawings are actually made by removing the top red dirt and exposing the whiter ground underneath. You can only see the drawings from a plane..... a small plane, a very small bumpy plane.

Up we go. Steve takes pictures. Here is the famous "spider" drawing. Amazing.

How is Steve feeling now? Pretty good. How is Anne feeling? Not so good!!! Those white bags do come in handy.

Anne cheers right up after some lunch but Steve is feeling weaker. He is especially feeling weak in his left arm. He has a bulging disc in his neck and his left arm sometimes bothers him. Carrying a backpack and sleeping in not-so-comfortable beds is surely bothering him. Maybe? We discuss going home again but Steve thinks we should wait another day. So we leave Nazca for Arequipa.

Arequipa is an 8 hour bus ride from Nazca. We climb 7,800 feet into the Andes mountains where this beautiful town lies beneath the snowy peaks of El Misti. It is cold and we are tired. We find a taxi to our hotel room and get tucked beneath the warm wool blankets.

The next day Steve feels terrible. His left side is weak and he needs help getting dressed. His fine motor skills in his left hand are gone. We have a problem. Fortunately there is an airport in town. We decide to get back to Lima ASAP, re-evaluate our situation and if possible head to the USA.

We arrive in LA 40 hours later. It is 1 am. Our daughter meets us and we head to San Diego. At 3am we walk into Scripps Encinitas Emergency Room. At 4:30am Steve has a CAT scan. The reason for his problems is now obvious. He has a large subdural hematoma on the right side causing left sided symptoms. From Scripps Encinitas he heads to the trauma unit at Scripps La Jolla. It is now 6:30 am. By 8:30 am he is in surgery.

A week later he is home. He has recovered all his motor skills. He will recover completely.

We now look back to June. The fall he took while cleaning the boat has caught up with him. At the time we were concerned but having no signs or symptoms of a concussion we thought he would be fine. We now know a chronic subdural hematoma can come back to haunt you when you least expect it.

At home, showing off his battle scar.
What a difference a haircut makes
We will be in San Diego for awhile. Not sure how long. Steve is already itching to get back and do some cleaning on the boat. Gotta get right back up on that horse.....I mean boat.

Anne and Steve

Carlsbad, CA

Lima Peru

2010-09-03T17:54:00.000-07:00

We have jumped ship temporarily. A trip to Peru has been on our agenda for at least a year and why not go now? Lima is on the southern side of the equator, 12 degrees south, 77 degrees west. Our boat is in Curacao at 12 degrees north and 68 degrees west. A short 4 hours and 30 minute plane ride via Bogota will give us a break from the relentless heat and 30 days of mystic adventure in the land of the Incas. From 32 degrees Celsius (90 F) in Curacao to 14 degrees Celsius (57 F) in Lima. Break out the fleece.

We tie up Fine Line nice and snug. Takes some time to get her ready. Hurricanes usually do not come as far south and west as Curacao but just in case....

5 pm at the airport we have a farewell drink and rest up for our journey.

Avianca airlines to Lima via Bogota Columbia. A nice ride

We arrived in Lima at 0130. Our driver is waiting for us and soon we are tucked away in our nice cozy guest house. The next day it is time for some exploring. Hiking shoes out and ready to go. Ooops, looks like Anne's 20 year old hiking shoes are not going to make it. They just don't make things like they used to. Guess we are going shoe shopping.

Our first stop, MiraFlores. Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, MiraFlores is a hopping cosmopolitan suburb of Lima. Parque del Amor lies along the Malecon. Great walking and sightseeing. It is spring time here so lots of lovers are out and about.

The city of Lima is steeped in fog called garua. From April to October the sky is gray and overcast. It is just like being in Southern California during June Gloom when mist from the cold Pacific Ocean drapes the coast line. Around 1 pm the sun peeks out and makes everything come alive. It is short lived, however, by 4pm the gurua is back.

Lima is known for it's cuisine. The selection of fresh fruits and vegetables rival any California market.

Lunch at Mangos. On a terrace overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Our view includes not only the obvious ocean but flying by our window at regular intervals are humans strapped to parachutes....crazy fools. Out to sea we spot three whales swimming south.

Lunch is amazing: cerviche, canchita, maize and sparkling lemonade.

Steve tries out a fried pork sandwich (got the statin drugs with us). A bit dry with all the bread but the meat is tasty on its own.

This city reminds of Manhattan. Bustling, lively, outdoor cafes, taxis....a bit noisy. A place that will awaken your senses.

Next we will visit the colonial heart of Lima, the Plaza de Armas. Museums, churches, stately mansions, more food.....AHHHHHH!

See you soon,

Anne and Steve

Lima Peru

Living In Bonaire

2010-08-04T12:07:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you get an invite from someone who actually lives in a house on the island. Wonderful. Let's go. Manuela and Sid, onboard Paradise, arranged a bus to take us up into the hills to the beautiful Villa Blue and they mixed a great batch of Rum Punch to get us there in style. Sir, please may I have some more?

Steve made sure the cups stayed full

Some got more than others but nobody kept score

We were thankful for our designated driver (who wouldn't be thankful for Eduardo)

Villa Blue is a spectacular home built by Randy and Lourae.

All materials used to build this house were shipped to the island. Most from the USA

Inside, outside, inside, outside....who cares

A great view

Back on our small boats we appreciate the day to day life of other islanders. Hanging out, cleaning some fish, life is good.

The ocean has many surprises like these small crabs that found their way up onto our swim step. They also found their way into our toilet where they got stuck and the smell was beyond description.....phewwww

In the water everywhere were small critters

A serious underwater menace in the Caribbean is the Lion Fish. Locally it is called the Pirate Fish of the Caribbean. It is a beautiful fish but don't touch it. The spines along it's back carry a wicked venom. It is an extremely painful encounter. The Lion Fish is native to the Indian and Pacific Ocean. A broken aquarium in Florida during Hurricane Andrew introduced about half a dozen Lion Fish to the Atlantic Ocean.The half dozen have been busy reproducing. Current studies have demonstrated a Lion Fish can kill 3/4 of a reef's fish population in just 5 weeks. Needless to say, there is a bounty on the head of each and every Lion Fish.

With all the underwater splendors available to us we decided it was high time we learned how to scuba dive. There are plenty of places that teach diving here. We picked Wanna Dive. Close to our boat and highly recommended. Good enough.

The setting is just right. A beach, a dock, great water

A watering hole

And lots of excitement about diving here

The classroom is a little unconventional

But we managed to pass the course along with our three Dutch friends.
Our instructor, Emma, is on the left.

So now we can jump off our boat and go diving. Starting with Bamboo right behind us and the two boats beyond that, we have a regular diving platoon.

Just gotta get all the gear together
See you under the water.

We are working on our underwater photography. Stay tuned.

Anne and Steve

S/V Fine Line

Slow Sail To Bonaire

2010-07-12T05:53:00.001-07:00

Sailing from Curacao to Bonaire is going the wrong way....so to speak. The trade winds in this part of the world blow from East to West. Bonaire lies east of Curacao so the sail to Bonaire is "into the wind" and usually into the seas as well. It makes it difficult to sail this journey and most boaters use their engines and sails combined to make the trip enjoyable and an easy day trip.

The best time to make the trip is when the winds are light and the seas are small. You have to sit around and wait for this scenario. The winds here are usually quite robust. So we wait and the day arrives.

We say our farewells to customs, immigration and friends. Leave port at 7:30am and head for Bonaire.

We picked a good time to go. The winds are blowing between 8-10 knots and the seas are barely 2-3 feet. So far so good.

About 45 minutes later one of our two diesel engines stop. No alarm, no overheating, no warning just STOPPED. Huh, why we wonder. We had just paid big bucks to have them serviced. All we can figure is we have some debris in our fuel and we now have a clogged fuel filter. Lucky for us we still have an engine and with our main sail up we can continue on our way.

Soon the Curacao Coast Guard fly over us to see who we are and what our country flag is. They keep very close tabs on their coast line.

45 minutes later engine number two stops. Bummer. We discuss going back to Curacao, it is after all, much closer than Bonaire. Getting into any harbor in Curacao, however, is impossible without engine power. The entry channels are narrow and the winds are unpredicatable. Bonaire, on the other hand, has no such navigation issues. You simply pick up a mooring along the open coast and you are set. We, therefore, decide to continue on under sail.

But remember, we picked a day with little wind so we settle in for a long trip.
No squalls, no pirates, it is still a good day. We plan for a late afternoon arrival and discuss how we will pick up our mooring under sail. It would be much easier if we had one engine working.....

A little later the captain goes below and changes the fuel filter on engine number one. It is not an easy task in the rolling seas. Down below, smell of diesel, rocking back and forth....you get the picture. It makes him a bit green. But he comes through and voila we have engine power.....for about 10 minutes. To our horror, the newly pampered engine stops again. We can't believe it. Why? And then it dawns on us. WE ARE OUT OF FUEL! How could this happen? It did and it will never again. We laugh because what else can you do?

We continue our trip under sail. It is long and requires multiple tacks. A tack is when a sailboat has to make zigzag course changes to get to it's destination. The wind determines how many zigzags and our wind is having fun with us. 5 tacks later and it is getting late.

Once close enough to Bonaire we launch our dinghy. Steve continues the slow sail to the anchorage while Anne takes off in the little boat and heads for the fuel dock with 2 diesel containers. With 10 gallons of diesel in her tanks, Fine Line finally agrees to motor the rest of the way to the mooring. Long day, 7:30 am to 5:30pm. Now we go visit customs, immigration and the local bar. Bottoms up!

You may wonder why we bother to come backwards to Bonaire. It is a great place. Soccer madness prevails as the Netherlands wins the semifinal game.

The water is spectacular here. We snorkle around our boat and see lots of fish, turtles and sea snakes.

It is easy to cool off

The view out the back door is great

And the sunset is soooo nice

Enjoying life in Bonaire

Anne and Steve

S/V Fine Line

What, are you still in Curacao?

2010-07-04T16:44:00.001-07:00

Still here. Have not left yet. We are caught in the Netherland Antilles. The flag of the Netherlands is also red, white and blue. Makes us feel right at home. Plus the Netherland's soccer team is on fire....so many reasons to be here plus There are some good looking birds here like the National Bird, the Oriole.

But the real reason we have not left the boat yard marina is AIR CONDITIONING. Seems the 6 months we spent in San Diego changed our thermostats a bit and it seems really HOT here. We got our power bill, however, and we have to go! Ouch! This is a photo of the main port of Curacao. We are tucked way in the back....way way back

First thing we do as we exit is motor under the Queen Juliana Bridge.

We pass by downtown

We call the Fort Nassau bridge and ask them to open it for us..please.

Down the coast, about 30 minutes by boat we enter Spanish Waters and drop our anchor. We have lots of company here. It is a very popular spot for boaters to sit out hurricane season in this very protected anchorage.

There is lots to see here. Close by are the ruins of an old fort.

Once through the gate you feel like you have entered a secret garden.

There are lots of old relics along the way up to the fort.

The old fort has seen better days but is still a wonderful monument to the days when powerful European Navies sailed these seas and fought valiant battles for the possession of these small islands.

Can't imagine being stationed here in the heat

Wishing you were out there

Along the coast there are caves used by early inhabitants. The Dutch allow you to climb in and out, no "keep out" signs. No lawyers here

The stately Quarantine building long abandoned but by the looks of the inside is a happening party spot

Anchored in our safe haven we have time for some Sudoku

Pizza on the grill

And on the fourth of July we join our American, Dutch, and English friends at the beach for a good old fashioned BBQ. The beach is popular with the locals

Good swimming for all ages

Good food (Steve is always a bit suspicious )

Most important of all, SHADE. Thanks to Fred and Connie on Tashtigo, we got our own palapa for our 4th of July party.

Happy Birthday America

Tomorrow we leave for Bonaire. See you there.

Anne and Steve

S/V Fine Line

Mojito Man

2010-06-07T10:08:00.000-07:00

It is believed the Mojito was born in Cuba many years ago. Some believe Sir Francis Drake and his pirate buddies invented it for medicinal purposes (go ahead and laugh). Others believe the slaves working in the sugar cane fields were the original Mojito Makers. The word Mojo means "cast a little spell" in African and after a few Mojitos you can definitely feel the spell.

There is this little shop in Curacao in the town of Willemstad. Willemstad is divided into two parts by a busy shipping channel. One side of the channel is called Otrobanda and the other side is known as Punda. If you wind your way around the narrow shopping district of Punda you will find the Mojito man.

We call him the Mojito Man but his real name is Milton.

Milton used to be an English teacher in Venezuela. He speaks English so well we were certain he hailed from a Southern California beach town. But he doesn't.

Milton makes a great Mojito.

Making a Mojito requires fresh limes, fresh mint and of course rum. Milton is not shy about sharing his recipe.
Milton is a connoisseur of rum. He has rum from all over Latin America. He lets the Captain sample some of his wares while we wait for the Mojito Man to cast his spell. Ah,the smell of the fresh limes and mint is heavenly and the taste is exquisite.
Lots of people know about the Mojito Man. Friends Jack and Zdenka are also Mojito fans.

Zdenka gives her Mojito a 5 star rating.

Just so you don't think life is all fun and games. Here is what drives us to visit the Mojito Man once in awhile.

Our boat has been in a dirt boat yard for over 6 months. Can you imagine how dirty it is?

Besides a good cleaning it needs new bottom paint.

First you have to sand and prep the bottom. It is 90 degrees plus in the boat yard with at least 70 % humidity......HOT!

Steve looks for anyway to keep cool. Stylish, eh?

After a week of work she is almost ready to go back into the water. Whew, what next?

At the end of each day we return to our beautiful hotel room. The Kura Hulanda Hotel is located in Willemstad on the Otrobanda side. The hotel is part of a World Heritage Site. Here, in years gone by, slaves were housed and traded. Care has been taken during restoration to maintain the beauty of the original buildings and architecture. We enjoy the elegance of the old style but are thankful it is air conditioned, has a TV and is within walking distance of the Mojito Man.

Up the creaky old varnished stairway

The bedroom

And outside the room is the Bolivar pool.

Around town there is plenty to see. The US Coast Guard training vessel, Eagle, spent a few days in port.

She is 296 feet long overall, has a crew of 56 and 200 cadets on board.

The Eagle is a 3 masted square rigged Barque style cutter. She was built in 1936 in Germany. She was used by Nazi Germany during World War II. The US became her new owner as part war reparations in the 1940's.

Tours are offered daily by the cadets and they are a wealth of information.

One of the more interesting items on board are the tattered old lines covering much of the rigging (furry stuff in the right hand bottom corner).

Left center is more baggywrinkle

There are nice people everywhere
The nights are beautiful in Willemstad

Fine Line is now back in the water. Tied to a dock. Fixing stuff. Such is the life of boaters.

from Curacao

Anne and Steve

S/V Fine Line

6 Months Later...

2010-05-21T17:11:00.000-07:00

It is time to go back to Fine Line. We are on that plane Tuesday morning.

The past six months have been the busiest of our lives. We have accomplished many things, all good. The best was helping our daughter buy her first home.

Thanks Dad!

A little celebration was in order to show off the new house.

Kelly, friend and neighbor, helping in the new kitchen

Meghan's friends brought good cheer and good beer

Joe manned the BBQ

Scotty charmed us all

Al, Connie and Ralph

Steve set up a Bimini Ring Toss game.

The real story, however, began with a cute little house that needed some updating. Dad, can you help me with that? What a silly question! Of course I can.

The kitchen needed a facelift and the tile flooring was not to the new homeowners liking...it was ugly.

So the kitchen was obliterated and the floors ripped up. 10 weeks later the place looked amazing. The bathrooms were updated from this to

this. New cabinets and new granite counter tops, wow!

The old kitchen

And the new kitchen

The fireplace underwent a transformation from this to

This. Nicely done Captain!

The house was very cute when she first found it but

It is much cuter now

6 months on land and 5 suitcases later, it is time to leave. Destination: Curacao. See you there.

Anne and Steve

S/V Fine Line