...while we plan those trips time to get some more jobs done. This one is showing Eugenio & Antonio gaining access to our fuel tank in the keel in preparation to clean any muck from the bottom and to "polish"the fuel... that is,to run it through multiple filtration stages. An essential precaution before the Pacific crossing next year to avoid fuel problems in remote areas. We'll need to be very careful now about what fuel we embark, possibly only pour from cans and filter everything that goes into the tanks.
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01/Jul/2012, Taganga - Colombia
Lots of snacks and simple dishes to sample here in Taganga where the fishing boats set off early and come home throughout the day. Empanadas, a smallish sort of pastry wrapped and deep-fried pasty is all too handy to graze from street vendors in the afternoon and evenings. Maybe not on the low fat diet but too tasty not to try once in a while. The fillings offered are typically Carne (meat) or Pescado (fish) packed out with potato or some other staple. The much healthier fare is the Corriente (daily current menu) available at small restaurants:normally a soup dish followed by a fried/grilled fish with rice and veg. At the great value of 7-8,000 Colombian Pesos we treat ourselves to a lunch ashore more often than at some earlier anchorages.
The paper chase continues to the next stage. With the issue of our customs department Temporary Importation Permit we can now apply for out Port Captain's Permanent Permit. While the remaining paperwork wends its merry way through the system we think we might park Spruce in the nearby marina and go off for some day trips travelling inshore with friends Kate & Paul from Iolea.
Another bank holiday weekend here. It seems every weekend in June & July has one attached. Maybe we'll move our anchorage to give our ears a break from loud music ashore this evening.
Photo shows Paul & Kate examining the quality of the local Cervezas (Beers) while considering joining Club Colombia. Washes down the Corriente rather well, we thought.
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28/Jun/2012, Taganga - Colombia
As already mentioned some of the fishing boats that head out along the coast are dug-out canoes, made from a single tree trunk (looks like some type of mahogany) and powered by oars and paddles. This photo shows one being hauled ashore after dark by muscle power alone, using logs as rollers on the sand. Little has probably changed in this technique since European sailors of the 16th and 17th centuries were engaged in sailing this coastline.
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26/Jun/2012, Taganga - Colombia
Sue, Victor & Vincente sitting under one of the traditionally roofed cafes on the front at Taganga. Victor and Vincente are keeping an eye on the dinghy and boat, anchored off, when we go ashore.
Victor is working at learning English and helping us with our Spanish pronunciation.
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25/Jun/2012, Taganga - Colombia
Looking WNW into the Caribbean Sea from Taganga with one of the dug-out canoe style fishing boats in foreground. A beautiful sunset after last nights blustery and wet conditions as a Tropical Wave passed to the north. Enough rain to be inconvenient but not the dowsing we had the other day which would have let us fill the water tanks without running the water-maker.
This evening the plan is to make use of some smelly old squid from the fridge as bait to hopefully catch some juevenile Barracuda. It tastes lovely basted with a mayonnaise and lime marinade and barbecued lightly on each side....or if the plan does not come to fruition it will be a can of something from "the to be used" up locker.
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24/Jun/2012, Taganga - Colombia
One advantage of basing ourselves in Taganga is that English is hardly spoken by anybody except for some of the visitors. The Colombians here seem to be mainly Spanish speakers with an occasional offer to speak Portuguese. Our Portuguese being limited to "Good Morning, eight bread rolls please" and we'll stick with learning the Spanish. From a low baseline we are spending time on book work everyday and then throwing ourselves into the fray to practise what we learn. Pronunciation varies across the Spanish Speaking world which adds flavour to the experience...do we pronounce that "v" as a "b", or should be use a "th" or a sibilant "c". Yesterday we met a Cuban merchant marine seafarer and his accent was somewhat different to locals Victor (pron Bictor) and Vincente (pron Bin-cent-tay) who we speak with the most. Hopefully we'll get there with perseverance in what is a big focus for our time at the moment.
Here in Tanganga we are enjoying watching the rhythm of everyday life. Fishing craft off to sea early each morning, the clamour of fish selling beside the beach upon their return. The massive dependency of coastal communities on regular catches of fish to feed the population is brought sharply into focus when we visit places like these. It was the same in the Cape Verdes. The risk presented by huge factory scale fish harvesting, carried out by some nations, to these folks living at the littoral margins must be significant with the danger of world wide fish stocks collapsing.
We await a delayed visit from the customs officials who need to come aboard and verify our declarations, and our request for tax-free importation of the boat for the duration of our visit. Lots of paperwork but once done we'll be able to cruise the bays of the nearby Tayrona National Park and enjoy some of the Colombian coastline further to the West en-route to another Spanish speaking country, Panama.
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