When we decide to move on to a new place we go through the usual preparation:-
Upon deciding to leave to go to Jamaica we made these same checks and with everything looking A-OK we said goodbye to beautiful Santa Marta, hoisted sails and set course for Kingston for what should have been a very good 5 day weather window.
After about 10 hours we had burned through 32 litres of fuel and hadn't be able to have the engine off for more than half an hour. Our initial speedy exit from the marina had solely been due to a very strong current pushing us north and now, with the wind not being even half as strong as predicted we were unable to sail without the engine and going through fuel fast.
We sat and worked through some quick maths. With 170 litres of Diesel in the tank and 60 spare, there SHOULD be enough fuel to last us the journey, but only just. There SHOULD be enough wind picking up the next day to make the fuel last. But if we were wrong and the wind did not come (considering how wrong the weather predictions had been so far) we would use up the tank and be left bobbing around waiting for wind with no other means of power generation (Oh to have fully functional Solar Panels).
That was too much chance for us and with heavy hearts we turned around and started the sail back to Santa Marta. In our 10 tonne beast, against the wind and tide it took us two days to return after only 8 hours to get out.
We pulled into the marina in the early evening and were welcomed with many a surprised face. It was all systems go to re-prep the boat and try to catch a new system of wind that was coming at us to get to Jamaica in time to meet our friends. Working into the night we managed a turnaround of refueling (plus a lot more extra fuel this time), food, water etc by 8am the next day and, after explaining our situation to the marina, we didn't have to call our old agent to clear back into the country (whooop whoop). So with renewed energy we were back out on our way to Jamaica.
Attempt 2
We zoomed back out into the seas with a steady 15 knot beam reach wind and beautiful sunshine overhead. It was a perfect sailing day and we made up lots of distance. In the late afternoon with still a few hours until nightfall we put up our Gennaker sail after a slight drop in wind and settled back to watch our speed pick up again. Yet within a few minutes a strong gust came across the starboard bow and the sail ripped clean across one of the coloured joins before we could react. We raced to pull it down and try to salvage it but it was only joined in one piece by a foot of material. The 'gust' turned into a very intense squall and sent our boat reeling in the waves. I had pasta on the stove and as I was pouring out the water we hit a wave that sent me flying into the toilet. I was just very relieved that i had automatically let go of the boiling pot before i fell.
Bye bye dinner...
With our prized sail in tatters we carefully packed it away and re-set the sails. As we finished we heard a high pitched squeal coming from the engine, that sounded like grinding of metal. Immediately we killed it and opened all of the covers to allow it to cool in case there was overheating. We tried to look for any obvious problem but could see nothing wrong so we carefully started the engine again and pricked our ears for the source of the sound.
It started quickly and louder this time and appeared to be coming from the drive shaft. We stopped it once more and then proceeded to spend 3 hours working on pulling apart the drive shaft coupling and attempting to stop it slipping. By now it was about 9pm. We started the engine a third time when we thought the drive shaft was fixed only to now find the noise still prominent but appearing to be coming from the gearbox instead.
It didn't make sense. The noise happened when the engine was both in and out of gear but was worse in high revs. We looked again but could see nothing else wrong and as neither of us know much about gearboxes we were left stumped.
The fact remained that we couldn't run the engine higher than 1000 revs without the noise, that we had just lost our best sail and were only a third of the way to Jamaica.
What to do?! We had enough fuel this time but couldn't run the engine high enough to make an impact and from looking if we took it slower (and i mean REALLY slower i.e. 8 days rather than 3) we would hit a 4 day period that was windless and so once again be left with the possibility of bobbing in the sea. So what do you do. We wanted to push on. Hope that the wind really would pick up, that the engine wouldn't get worse and that we would stay ahead of the wind shadow, but in reality we had to be smart.
For a second time in a week we turned our boat around and limped back to Santa Marta. This time it took us 3 days.
Now everyone feels disheartened and frustrated at times and this for us was one of them. It was official that we wouldn't meet at least one of our friends. We also felt like failures at our inability to successfully sail to Jamaica. We didn't want to try a third time. I mean, what would happen next?!
We trailed back into the marina and reluctantly cleared back into Santa Marta. We had an engineer come out the following day to look at the engine and informed us that the entire problem had been a loose belt! A loose belt that we had a spare for on board. One that we could have changed underway and have kept going. But we didn't know and feared for something more sinister so we had to take comfort in our caution.
The next weather window wasn't for another week which meant Jarvis' 30th Birthday was to be had in Colombia nor Jamaica. We partied in Taganga and had Cocktails, Curry and watched an amazing Sunset. We even found the most random Pizza filled ice cream cones in a cute little bar near the seafront, but it was bitter sweet without those whom we wished we were with.
A weather window finally opened and we spoke with Dino (our agent) to get ourselves cleared back out to give attempt number 3 a try. But the authorities had a different idea for us. We found out what it's like to really hit red tape and the difficulties the can be made for you....
The Curse of Santa Marta still has a few tricks up it's sleeve - a near death experience, learning that justice does not always work and our most difficult sail yet. So come back for Part 2!
Tia and Jarvis, over and out!
- Weather check - on Passage Weather & UGrib/ZGrib
- Refill water & diesel
- Stock up on enough food
- Go through yacht checks to ensure everything in safe & in order
Upon deciding to leave to go to Jamaica we made these same checks and with everything looking A-OK we said goodbye to beautiful Santa Marta, hoisted sails and set course for Kingston for what should have been a very good 5 day weather window.
 |
| Prepped and ready to go! |
After about 10 hours we had burned through 32 litres of fuel and hadn't be able to have the engine off for more than half an hour. Our initial speedy exit from the marina had solely been due to a very strong current pushing us north and now, with the wind not being even half as strong as predicted we were unable to sail without the engine and going through fuel fast.
We sat and worked through some quick maths. With 170 litres of Diesel in the tank and 60 spare, there SHOULD be enough fuel to last us the journey, but only just. There SHOULD be enough wind picking up the next day to make the fuel last. But if we were wrong and the wind did not come (considering how wrong the weather predictions had been so far) we would use up the tank and be left bobbing around waiting for wind with no other means of power generation (Oh to have fully functional Solar Panels).
That was too much chance for us and with heavy hearts we turned around and started the sail back to Santa Marta. In our 10 tonne beast, against the wind and tide it took us two days to return after only 8 hours to get out.
We pulled into the marina in the early evening and were welcomed with many a surprised face. It was all systems go to re-prep the boat and try to catch a new system of wind that was coming at us to get to Jamaica in time to meet our friends. Working into the night we managed a turnaround of refueling (plus a lot more extra fuel this time), food, water etc by 8am the next day and, after explaining our situation to the marina, we didn't have to call our old agent to clear back into the country (whooop whoop). So with renewed energy we were back out on our way to Jamaica.
Attempt 2
We zoomed back out into the seas with a steady 15 knot beam reach wind and beautiful sunshine overhead. It was a perfect sailing day and we made up lots of distance. In the late afternoon with still a few hours until nightfall we put up our Gennaker sail after a slight drop in wind and settled back to watch our speed pick up again. Yet within a few minutes a strong gust came across the starboard bow and the sail ripped clean across one of the coloured joins before we could react. We raced to pull it down and try to salvage it but it was only joined in one piece by a foot of material. The 'gust' turned into a very intense squall and sent our boat reeling in the waves. I had pasta on the stove and as I was pouring out the water we hit a wave that sent me flying into the toilet. I was just very relieved that i had automatically let go of the boiling pot before i fell.
Bye bye dinner...
With our prized sail in tatters we carefully packed it away and re-set the sails. As we finished we heard a high pitched squeal coming from the engine, that sounded like grinding of metal. Immediately we killed it and opened all of the covers to allow it to cool in case there was overheating. We tried to look for any obvious problem but could see nothing wrong so we carefully started the engine again and pricked our ears for the source of the sound.
It started quickly and louder this time and appeared to be coming from the drive shaft. We stopped it once more and then proceeded to spend 3 hours working on pulling apart the drive shaft coupling and attempting to stop it slipping. By now it was about 9pm. We started the engine a third time when we thought the drive shaft was fixed only to now find the noise still prominent but appearing to be coming from the gearbox instead.
It didn't make sense. The noise happened when the engine was both in and out of gear but was worse in high revs. We looked again but could see nothing else wrong and as neither of us know much about gearboxes we were left stumped.
The fact remained that we couldn't run the engine higher than 1000 revs without the noise, that we had just lost our best sail and were only a third of the way to Jamaica.
What to do?! We had enough fuel this time but couldn't run the engine high enough to make an impact and from looking if we took it slower (and i mean REALLY slower i.e. 8 days rather than 3) we would hit a 4 day period that was windless and so once again be left with the possibility of bobbing in the sea. So what do you do. We wanted to push on. Hope that the wind really would pick up, that the engine wouldn't get worse and that we would stay ahead of the wind shadow, but in reality we had to be smart.
For a second time in a week we turned our boat around and limped back to Santa Marta. This time it took us 3 days.
Now everyone feels disheartened and frustrated at times and this for us was one of them. It was official that we wouldn't meet at least one of our friends. We also felt like failures at our inability to successfully sail to Jamaica. We didn't want to try a third time. I mean, what would happen next?!
We trailed back into the marina and reluctantly cleared back into Santa Marta. We had an engineer come out the following day to look at the engine and informed us that the entire problem had been a loose belt! A loose belt that we had a spare for on board. One that we could have changed underway and have kept going. But we didn't know and feared for something more sinister so we had to take comfort in our caution.
The next weather window wasn't for another week which meant Jarvis' 30th Birthday was to be had in Colombia nor Jamaica. We partied in Taganga and had Cocktails, Curry and watched an amazing Sunset. We even found the most random Pizza filled ice cream cones in a cute little bar near the seafront, but it was bitter sweet without those whom we wished we were with.
 |
| Pizza Cones |
 |
| Taganga Sunset |
 |
| B.day meal at PachaMama in Taganga - AWESOME FOOD |
A weather window finally opened and we spoke with Dino (our agent) to get ourselves cleared back out to give attempt number 3 a try. But the authorities had a different idea for us. We found out what it's like to really hit red tape and the difficulties the can be made for you....
The Curse of Santa Marta still has a few tricks up it's sleeve - a near death experience, learning that justice does not always work and our most difficult sail yet. So come back for Part 2!
Tia and Jarvis, over and out!
Interesting.............and very good reading Dad
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