San Andres N 12 34 33 W 081 41 50
Grace uses email as a primary means of communication. We did it! We are no longer in Colon. We braved the wind, the rain, and the waves and oh, what waves they were. It was 204 miles from Colon to San Andres. We went 204 miles forward and 250 miles sideways. We didn't eat and barely slept for 34 hours, but we made it. It's the first time I have experienced Grace hanging on her beam and wondering which way she would come down. Sort of like those tilt-a-whirl rides at the county fair. The wind was just off the beam, just enough to keep the sail flopping, and the waves were 6-8 feet on the beam, just big enough to be uncomfortable. We just nestled into some spot that would hold us relatively still; we slept on 1 of the couch cushions placed in the middle of the saloon floor. Jerry forgot to brace himself on the cockpit seat, and a wave just slid him right off into the floor-gently, though.
But San Andres is worth it. It is a Colombian Island about 50 miles off the coast of Nicaragua. A beautiful tropical island surrounded by a turquoise ocean and coral reef it has a beautiful, calm anchorage with about 15 feet of clear water. The side of the island with the anchorage has a malecon along the water on which we can walk almost the entire length of the island. It has many tiny islands for snorkeling, and the water is great for swimming. Jerry is ready to get out his paints. The sunsets and the stars are stupendous. We probably will stay here for Christmas because there is a restriction in 1 of our fuel tanks, and our dinghy engine quit halfway to the boat from the marina. Wouldn't you know?
Have a very Blessed Christmas and a Happy, Happy 2002!
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- December 18, 2001