Crossing to Isla de Providencia

Sunrise at sea

On Wednesday, January 16, 2013 (my 1-year anniversary aboard Le Chat Beaute’!), we finally left French Cay Harbor, Roatan, Honduras.  A flotilla of 5 boats left at 10 a.m.:  Nauti-Nauti (USA) with Alan and Patricia, Beez Neez (UK) with Pepe and Big Bear, Sirena of Oare (UK) with Dee and Eric, Double Helix (Polish) with Jan and Ewa along with us.  @ 30 miles later we were joined by Engenium (German) with Karl and Mary, now totaling 6 boats.   Quite the international regatta! 

Sirena of Oare

 FYI, once you raise the hook (anchor), you are on the move until you are in shallow waters enough to drop the hook.   Paddy and I do shifts at night, so the other one can get some sleep.  I do the 11 p.m. – 2 a.m. shift, a/k/a the graveyard shift.  Around 12:30 my second night (as we spent 3 days/3 nights sailing), just as I was "day dreaming" about the beauty of the moon shining onto the rolling waves, watching the phosphorus water creatures slipping by the hulls, and just Mother Nature in all her glory -  the auto pilot stopped working!! L.  Trust me, you NEED the auto pilot as it steers the boat to the (compass) heading you program in.  If it’s not working, then you are standing at the helm steering the boat in wind, rain, waves,  whatever weather is happening!  I immediately woke up the Captain, and we discovered that a fishing trap and line with a styrofoam buoy had gotten caught by our rudder and hampered the auto pilot.  After about 30 minutes of reverse, forward, reverse, etc. the line came off the auto pilot indicator but was still on the rudder.  But not enough to keep us from continuing our trip.  The line eventually fell off.  Fortunately, all the boats traveling with us were aware of the situation and were in a “ready-mode” to come to our assistance if necessary.   We have constant contact via VHF radio.  So after 75 hours, and 400 miles later, we finally arrived at Isla de Providencia, Colombia.  This was my first multi-day crossing…………and NO Dramamine!! Yeah!

The anchorage at Providencia

From Wikipedia:

Isla de Providencia or Old Providence is a mountainous Caribbean island part of the Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina, a department of Colombia, lying midway between Costa Rica and Jamaica. Providencia's maximum elevation is 360 m above sea level. The smaller Santa Catalina Island is connected by a 100 metre footbridge to its larger sister Providencia Island.

The island was the site of an English Puritan colony established in 1629 by the Providence Island Company, and was briefly taken by Spain in 1641. The infamous pirate Henry Morgan used Providencia as a base for raiding the Spanish empire, and rumors suggest that much of his treasure remains hidden on the island. Many parts of the island are named after Morgan. Forts and cannons dating back hundreds of years can be found scattered all over Santa Catalina Island.

The municipality of Providencia (which includes the smaller Santa Catalina Island lying to the north of Providencia Island, as well as several uninhabited cayes to the North and East) had a population of 5,011 at the 2007 official estimates, and receives just 15,000 visitors per year. The island is one of Colombia's top scuba diving destinations, with a 32 km long barrier reef protecting the Eastern coast of the island. (end of Wikipedia)

Providencia consists of two islands.  The larger being Old Providence, and the smaller is Santa Catalina Island.  The islands are owned by Colombia (440 miles south) but are off the coast of Nicaragua.  Nicaragua has just recently won the rights to the waters in this area of the Caribbean, specifically for fishing and oil rights.  There is a large naval, military presence as the Colombians want the waters protected.   These islands are pristine.  No garbage, healthy looking dogs, and very nice people.  Mr. Bush, the port’s agent, greeted us with his famous line “Welcome to our beautiful island!”  Whenever you arrive or leave a country, you MUST check in with the Port Captain for immigration and customs.  Boat documents and passports are presented along with a Zarpe, indicating departure from the last country you visited.  (My passport is lookin’ good!)  This is when they also ask for money.  The fees vary from country to country.  So far, Belize was the most expensive country to enter and leave.  Scooters and motorcycles are the main mode of transportation here, so we decided that renting scooters would be a fun way to tour the island.  Even the taxis are motorcycles.  Just imagine 3 -4 people on one!  Quite the site. 

Roland's Bar and Grille

  Santa Catalina can be accessed only by boat or a floating bridge.  No motor vehicles there.

This bridge is a little uneven to say the least!

One day 10 of us went on a snorkel trip to 3 different sites, then for lunch.  

Of course, they are always serving whole fish with the head attached and that damn eye ball looking up at you.  All I really want is a grill cheese sandwich..……but no go!    The reefs are beautiful with fish "a plenty".   Alan and Patricia on Nauti-Nauti went diving with us one day.  We were diving with the reef sharks!  OMG!  Our guide, James, had a Hawaiian sling (like a spear gun) to catch the dreaded lionfish and present it on the spear for the feeding.  Four sharks came to have some dinner. 

Yes, that's a shark under me...........................OMG!

 Surprisingly enough, these small sharks (4- 6 feet in length) are not interested in us, only food.  If you don’t know the story of lionfish, I’ll try to keep it short.  Originally they are from the western Pacific where they have predators.  When Hurricane Andrew tore through Miami, some lionfish were swept to sea from the Aquarium there.  They are now thru out the Caribbean with NO predators and they are ruining the reefs.  So the intent is to have the shark acquire a taste for the lionfish, even though their beautiful ruffled fins are poisonous if touched.

Still doing some diving, and it's great!

Paddy over a huge barrel sponge.

Oh, the marvels of the sea.  Sea ya soon!