Content Preview: rss
35 minutes ago
As most of you know we came back to MN for 4 months. One month longer than we had planned as Spirit cancelled our flight back. It was great to see family and friends. We do miss experiencing life with you on a day to day basis so keep us posted via email or let us know when you are available to skype. The weather was wonderful with dry and cool temperatures until October when we were able to experience snow and cold. We both worked odd jobs to help pay for Sojourn's expenses while in the marina. We were blessed with friends allowing us to housesit or share their home (Thanks to Carl/Joyce, Judy/Larry and Marge). Its always hard to leave as the unknown and adventure can be unsettling. But then you go back to the sailing life and it feels right. So live whatever dreams you have! Our Love Always Rose & Tom
166 days ago
Cartagena was founded in 1533, by Spaniard Don Pedro de Heredia, it was a center of early Spanish settlement in the Americas. It gained fame in the mid-sixteenth century when gold and silver from the mines in New Granada were exported by convoy to Spain. The city's history includes its role as a center for the Spanish Inquisition and as a major slave market. It saw expansive development in the eighteenth century as the de facto capital of the Viceroyalty of New Granada. Cartagena became the main hub of commerce and transportation in the late viceroyal era, and continued as a seat of commerce into the modern era. It was known as a location where the cocaine drug lords created a safe haven along with this wealth. Mestizo make up 58 percent of the population, white 20 percent, mulatto (mixed black and white) 14 percent, black four percent, mixed black-Amerindian three percent, and Amerindian one percent. After the abolition of slavery around 1819, a national ideology of mestizaje ...
166 days ago
On April 28, 2009, we finally were done with stuff in ABC's and found a weather window to go the 500nm to Cartagena, Colombia. Planning for this was abit scary as can be a rough passage (some say the 5th worst in world). We arrived in Cartagena in late afternoon Thursday, May 5th. It was a good passage with mostly sailing and motor/sailing. Below is a brief passage log of this journey. We hope this doesn’t bore some of you but good for our historic purposes. We left Aruba around 6am to first anchorage of this journey - Monjes del Sur, Venezuela (12.21.65N, 070.55.00W) about 50nm, (small islands about 40nm from mainland Venezuela). E 15-20 winds, 4-6' broad/beam seas so abit rolly broad reaching with full 135' genoa, around 6.5knots with wind vane self steering "Pierre" doing wonderful, so batteries are happy. We left with Wind Dancer (Sue & Lenny Barrett - Ohio), Pearson 419. We tacked broad reaching (as better than running ...
290 days ago
Bonaire has been a place we’ve wanted to visit ever since getting certified to scuba dive. It is a world class diving destination that has pioneered the idea of reef preservation and conservation. The entire fringing reef is a marine park and everything in it is protected. There are about 40-50 moorings available to visiting yachts on a first come, first served basis. Also there is 1 very protected marina with 2 other small marinas available as well. Anchoring is only allowed in an emergency and then the harbormaster has to approve where you anchor. We have taken our big boat a few times to a more distant dive mooring but mostly go via dinghy or off the back of our moored boat. Their aren’t as many large fish as we expected but have seen frog fish, sea horses and colorful sponges never seen before. We arrived here on the 13th of December, 2008 just in time to witness all the fireworks displays leading up to the Christmas and New Years holidays. It seemed like ...
348 days ago
Venezuela – This blog will encompass the crossing to Los Testigos, Margarita, Gulfo De Cariaco, Mochima, Puerto La Cruz (PLC), Los Roques and Aves de Barlovento/Sotavento. This travel was from 10-18 to 12-13. We are currently in Bonaire. We left Trinidad with Timespinner (Cape Dory 40, Peter/Marie from UK/Belgium) heading 90nm northwest toward Los Testigos. We were abit delayed in Trinidad due to stolen outboard motor, haul out, cleaning holding tank for cheap Vene fuel, etc. So we weren’t finding as many cruisers leaving for Venezuela. There was lots of discussion as to how to avoid pirates on the oil rigs and Peninsula De Paria (north coast of mainland Vene). So we hid spare electronics, money in toilet holding tank I cleaned out (for future diesel fuel) and sailed without navigation lights to avoid being spotted. It was the first of many to come down wind sails without motor – YEH! In Eastern Caribbean you mostly get wind on the nose. ...
