27/Jul/2012, Ensenada Guiraca - Parque Tayrona - Colombia
Offshore winds have been quite strong and from the NE, apparently gale force last night. Supposed to be going round more Easterly today but still strong for a couple of days more. Our anchorage is on the windward side of the bay, well it should be. The winds are tending to come down from the Sierra Nevada and over the top of the high land to windward and then plummeting vertically down upon us, seeming to come from all directions. Sudden gusts fly into us from one side and then the other, depending where the blast first hits the water. All quite exciting but our anchor seems well dug in. Sleeping tends to be a bit disrupted due to the non-steady nature of the noise and the haphazard heeling with no pattern.
Yesterday we enjoyed a walk along the almost deserted beach and along the higher ground on the opposite side of the bay. Once over the top we descended through acacia and scrubby trees to another near deserted beach. It seems the closest the public road reaches is some 6Km distant so not many people brave the temperature and humidity this time of the year. The scenery is similar to Chatham Bay and other East Caribbean destinations, the main difference is the complete sparsity of people. A handful of local folks live down by the beach, some fisherman have erected a temporary shelter on another beach to the north.
Out to seaward the wind against current conditions mentioned in earlier blog updates are in full spate. Spurts of water leap skyward as short steep waves and very choppy conditions prevail. Not a good day to be out at sea on this coastline. Tomorrow, providing the typical after breakfast lull in the wind occurs, we'll most likely hug the coast and move round to the next bay.
| News & Updates |
|
Comments [0]
26/Jul/2012, Parque Tayrona - Colombia
Nudging out of the marina berth at 7am signified a milestone in the cruising life of Spruce. Our last two permits authorised and we were off to the Five Bays in Tayrona Parque Nacional. We don't quite understand the purpose of all the official pieces of paper but we have them and can now do some cruising in this beautiful corner of Colombia. Friends Eddie and Faye have joined us for a few days, they are in the middle of a multi-month tour of Central and South America and will soon be off to visit the rest of Colobia, Equador, Peru and the other countries south of here.
The plan was to depart early before the winds increased for the day and built up the seas off headlands, always contrary to the constant current flowing along this coast anything more than 15 knots of breeze would make the conditions unpleasant. As it was thje wind speed quickly piped up, but not before we had rounded the headland off Isla Aguja. En route we chose to turn in to the coast a bay before our original objective, the seas reduced as soon as we got behind the headland and entered Ensenada Guiraca. Absolutely stunning scenery. Back into the water for snorkeling, although the visibility underwater was no where near as good as at Bonaire; some nice Porcupine Fish and Angel Fish to watch.
A very blustery night with katabatic winds howling down off the mountains; nothing sustained, but until we got used to the frequent 40+knots blasts heeling us as they hurtled in from different directions it was exciting.
A few days along this coastline and then we'll prepare for the passage down the coast to Cartagena and its splendid former colonial architecture.
| News & Updates |
|
23/Jul/2012
New friends from the hike to the Lost City joined us for an afternoon splashing about in salt water and a beer aboard Spruce. All sporting our scars from insect bites. It was nice to have a swim without first walking over a steep hill.
Left to Right: Andy, Mikey, Rachel, Ibra, Maeve, Orla
| News & Updates |
|
23/Jul/2012
An obligatory steep ascent and descent seemed to be the typical day's programme. A wonderful lush tropical forest provided a green backdrop to our journey. Occasional breaks in the foliage gave a glimpse of the river, tumbling over boulders in turbulent turmoil or an open area of meadowland near a Kogi settlement suddenly opened out, appearing strange after so long in the trees. Hanging shoots and creepers, aerial plants and other greenery replaced by grass, maybe a grunting hog tethered beneath a tree fattening up for a ceremonial meal; a far cry from the ocean or coastal margins, where cruisers spend so much of their time.
A local Kogi native Indian settlement had been constructed beside the trail. Normally the Kogi are a shy people who mainly live at high altitude in the Sierra Nevada, there seems to be some disagreement between various tribal elements on having close contact with modern influences. Mortality in infancy is much higher than our communities would tolerate, women spend much of their productive lives pregnant; the duty to maintain population levels is built within their culture and ethos. Permission was granted for our group to visit the village and gain a small insight into their lifestyles; probably little different than middle age Britain. Dependency on the forest to provide showed the importance of maintenance of their environment. The widespread destruction of the Amazonian forest to the South must be causing tremendous displacement of indigenous peoples reliant on the jungle.
| News & Updates |
|
These refugees from the Conquistadors' exploration and plundering of the sixteenth century now have land protected and preserved by the Colombian government; allowing them to live following traditional values. The fuel used by the Cabanas along the trail was bought from the Kogi peoples and felled by them. Children visiting the camps scavenged food and sachets of sugar, mothers obtained drinks and snacks. These local indigenous people were obviously living a vastly different life than those completely isolated from our twenty-first century societies.
| News & Updates |
|
A ravine bridged by a suspension bridge of sorts. No more than three people to be supported simultaneously. Heavy cables each side, metal planks between them with hand wires at chest height; mesh between prevented walkers from slipping through to the river below. The structure wobbled alarmingly if passengers all walked in step, the old adage of an army patrol shouting "Break Step" made much sense. Beside the bridge remained the former method of crossing the chasm; a single wire with a metal cage suspended below. Ropes used to pull the occupants across were no longer evident.
| News & Updates |
|
