The Crossing

On the open sea.

Open sea on a sailboat for 32 hours, what is there to say?

The Grrls, Anne (An-Ney) on the left, the Rain Goddess on the right

We had great winds all of the first evening, both sails full and making between 7 and 8 knots without the engine.  Quiet and beautiful, moderate swells, flying fish dancing ont he waves, and a beautiful sunset.  The weather got all kinds of exciting around midnight with big rain squalls and battened hatches, which meant very, very sweaty sleeping (for me) and lots of not sleeping and holding on (for some of the others).

ho hum, another sunset

The next day was cruising, more flyng fish, a freighter, a cruise ship and a dying wind that left us motoring for part of the day.

Greek freighter 

Swallows hitching a ride.

Cartagena!!!!

We navigated into Cartagena at night, making the turn to clear the reef at the blue nav light, even though we had full electronic naviagtion.  Sea Bass brought us in like the pro that he is as the lights of Cartagena slowly grew on the horizon.  No mode of transport could be so romantic as coming into a tropical port in the dark.  I do not have the words to describe the magic.

Inside the harbor

We negotiated the enormous Cartagena harbor and anchored off the yacht club.  True arrival in south America would have to wait until the morning.