Given the fun of the previous evening we were happy to leave even though the forecast for the day was virtually no wind. And that’s pretty much what we got, we were sailing for only about 30 minutes of the day and the rest we chugged along under the ‘Iron Donkeys’. The auto pilot decided it was prepared to play as long as the waves were small so did provide some help on the trip and we arrived without incident outside Cartagena Harbour where a large cargo ship decided he wanted to charge at us in the last mile – we cleared him easily but there was some study of the AIS to decide the strategy!! Our last ‘sail’ of the season wasn’t as much fun as we’d hoped but it was safe and comfortable.
Our first impressions of Cartagena are very positive, the staff are friendly and helpful the marina is well maintained and our short walk to find a meal last night led to a bustling area of restaurants and bars in a pedestrian street where we had good lamb chops. There is some swell inside the marina but as we are behind the main breakwater we are happy with the berth for the winter season.
Now starts the long list of jobs to ‘close-down’ Splice for the winter and fix all the bits that are loose, broken etc that we haven’t got round to whist sailing. We have booked flights for 21st of October to return to the UK so will be busy on maintenance and some sightseeing as Cartagena has a lot of history to see.

Photo: we don’t have any shots of Cartagena yet (to come) so this shot is of Herradura Bay where we anchored. Chris swimming in the centre of the shot.