To
check out from Aruba it is required that you take your yacht
alongside H dock and the officials come to you. They didn't step on
the boat, simply took our papers for processing and returned them
within 10 minutes. In a lull in the gusting 28 knots winds we got
off the dock and returned to the anchorage to wait for the optimum
time to depart.
For
us this meant early afternoon check out in preparation for an 8pm
departure. It also gave us time for one last weather check. Just as
well because we found if we waited for 24 hours we would have about 5
knots less wind and flatter seas. The first forecast showed winds up
to 24 knots from behind, the second forecast 19 knots. No-one came
to ask why we were still anchored a day after clearing out.
On
the afternoon we had cleared out we watched the boats taking part in
the OCC Suzie Too rally motor out in to 26, gusting 30 knots with
some big waves and were happy we were staying put. When we were
ready to weigh anchor after dinner the winds had dropped as forecast
and we left Aruba with a pleasant 15 to 20 knots following wind.
Our
departure time was picked to accommodate passing both Cabo de la Vela
and the headland at Santa Marta in daylight. The seas off Santa
Marta have the reputation for being the most notorious for high winds
and big seas in the Caribbean. The high Sierra Nevada lies a short
way south of the cape and increases the katabatic effect.
Our
plan worked well; left at 7pm, first night steady 18 knots, 8am
passing Cabo de la Vela, reefed on the second night to slow down and
rounded the headland at Santa Marta at 8am with 20 knots of wind and
then it was steady on down the coast to Cartagena with the wind
dropping. We motored the last 50 miles and entered the bay at 3am.
It's a safe port to make a night entry with all lights working.
We
found a spot to anchor off Club Nautica marina and both headed off to
bed 2 days and 8 hours since we left Aruba and nine years to the day since we first came here.
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