Floor Duty for Jacksters

December 15

For some unknowable reason, plan for today worked out OK. Morning saw actual, no fooling completion of all activity related to everything boom. Better, new arrangement including preventer may even operate as planned. In addition, saloon, galley and berths were made bare of most objects easily converted into seaway missiles. At noon, rented mo' bettah, albeit underpowered, Hyundai van containing five seats. With rotating floor duty, seven of us headed off like a turtle with a hernia to clear customs and immigration. Waited for harbour control until 5 seconds past scheduled post-lunch reopening before thumbing the collective nose and questing after closest beer followed by afternoon tour of island.

As stated previously, Gary gets blame for dinner. Tuesday's advertised all-you- can-eat ribs slipped minds of Rodeo Restaurant staff until our arrival. Patient, happy (beer) group waited for hurried preparation of less than best effort that was subsequently up-charged from 35 guilders to 50 (special Christmas buffet, we were told). Still good, but everyone agreed to boycott next week from Cartagena.

Early go in AM to copy charts at Xerox (Jackster and Inspiration Lady) and pick up laundry (Anthem) ahead of feet beating (with untried rigging) to Santa Cruz (north end of Curacao) for staging next 400 NM to Colombia. Still no final decision on stop at Aruba, but with good sailing wind diminishing each day through weekend, enthusiasm for delay in "Caribbean Las Vegas" dwindles apace.

Jack