Photo shows Saraoni in Royal Marine Curacao's travelift pen

One day to go before flying to Salt Lake City. The last week has been dogged with nasty smells from the century old oil refinery and an air leak in our inflatable dinghy. We were suspicious when we dropped the anchor that the clouds of smoky air wafting around us would be annoying and so they have been in the last week. We can't wait to get out!

We held our breath when we weighed anchor to steer into the travelift pen afraid that the early morning 20 knotter would make negotiation near impossible but it went like a dream. The boatyard owner and his travel lift driver carefully hauled out the yacht, no problem at all. Very professional!!The Internet works well. There are iguanas scurrying around beneath our feet and troupials and other native birds around, but the smell from the refinery 5 km away is FOUL.

Seemingly, due to its age, pre first world war, collecting sulphur dioxide before emitting it has never been on the owner's agenda. The refinery saga is a long one here on Curacao and not a pretty one, enmeshed in dirty politics, dirty capitalists, and well... just dirty smoke! Curacao does not have its own oil but takes whatever it can get from the oil fields off the South American coast. This means that those living downwind of the plant have been suffering for generations. The wind rarely changes direction so there is no reprieve.

Supposedly, the refinery is going to close later this year to be replaced by a "world class eco resort", a concept which sounds unlikely to say the least, although Aruba's refinery has already closed. Curacao, we have learned, is making more money these days offering big business a base to operate from at a lower tax rate than elsewhere. The refinery is not economic, so has to go. The sooner the better, as far as we're concerned!



Up and out!

Despite 24 hour security and spotlights we took all the sails down to protect them from the contaminated refinery pollutants which engrain the boatyard.

Next has been the dinghy problem. A small but annoying air leak in one of the seams needed repairing. We decided we wouldn't be able to fix it well and to our great surprise no one else is game to either so we had to have a go with the best 2 pack PVC glue available. As expected no luck. So we will have to try again when we get back from the USA. Maybe we can spend a day or 2 looking for some super super PVC glue. Everything else is okay, at least. No noticeable dreaded pox below the waterline and no corrosion in the engine intake valve that always looks green from the inside. Just the dinghy, our lifeline to the shore.



These iguanas don't seem to mind the smell of the oil refinery and nor do the native birds.



When we explored the windward side of the island a couple of weeks ago, we were greeted by a fantastic show of blow holes in Shete Boka NP



There are some very picturesque coves on the west coast of Curacao, with lovely clear water at a perfect temperature.