N 12 34.719
W 081 41.739
Isla de San Andres, Colombia
After 10 hours of sailing from Providencia at an average of 6 kts, with a max of 10.1 kts!, we arrived at San Andrés, Colombia with our friends Alan and Patricia on Nauti-Nauti. San Andres is the largest of the island group in the Department of the Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina. San Andrés is located in the Caribbean Sea, about 140 miles from the east coast of Nicaragua and north-eastern Costa Rica, and 470 miles northwest of the coast of Colombia. The island is almost 8 miles in length and 2 miles wide, making it the largest island in the archipelago. In 2000, the archipelago became a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. San Andres is to Colombia what Hawaii is to the USA. - Colombians' tourist destination!!!
Spanish is the main language here. However, till the 1970s, the English language, architecture and religion were very much part of the island's culture with the Creole-speaking locals. This culture was called the Raizal culture of the Afro-Caribbean ethnic group. It is now more a blend of Latin American and English-Caribbean culture. Other minority groups living in the island are the Chinese and the Middle Eastern people. San Andres is also famous for its local version of music that includes calypso, soca, reggae and church music.
View from the bow.
The currency here is the peso. $1720 peso to one US dollar. So when you go to the ATM, you get $172,000 peso for a hundred bucks. It's shocking to go to the grocery store and spend $128,000!!!
Selection of local beers.
The majority of goods are sold in plastic bags, vs. cans and glass jars. Great for cruisers; they're light in weight and don't take up much room.
This is the best looking produce section we have seen since our last visit to Publix!
Nene's Marina's decor is a collection of old sailor's t-shirts along with used and broken boat parts. They even had old Florida license plates attached to the ceiling. Luckily they have a great internet connection costing $10,000 peso/day = $6.00 USD.
Paddy checking in with the Port Captain's agent, Renee at Nene's Marina.
New species - A lovely "Perrier" bottle tree.
Scooters and small motorcycles are the main mode transportation. Oh, a horn is a requirement!!!
We are leaving tomorrow for San Blas Islands, Panama,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Blas_Islands. We have been advised that the internet is pretty much nonexistent down there, so we'll be out of touch for @ a month. Should be @ 42 hour sail, so here we go........another chapter in our adventures!
xox - Q
