Now in Cartagena, Colombia aboard Microbe our Nautitech 44 catamaran. We left the island of St. Martin the day before Christmas and were underway for 4 tough days and 3 nights sailing 470 miles to the Island of Aruba. Aboard are Ruth and I, our grandaughter Allison and her husband Nick. Allison and Nick are competent sailors having sailed their own boat from San Francisco to Panama this last year, then flew over to help us. We certainly needed it. Living inland does not improve one's maritime skills. Getting older doesn't help either. We never had a genniker before always used spinakkers. We were sailing along the first afternoon making about 12 knots when the genniker halyard eye gave out, down came the genniker and we drug it thru the water until we could wrestle it aboard. My eye splicing wasn't great! It turns out that we could not use the genniker much longer anyway, the winds and seas piped up and with just a jib and double reefed main we were flying along in 25-30 knot winds and ugly seas all the way to Aruba.

Upon arrival in Aruba we were directed into the commercial shipping area to check in with customs and immigration- alongside a high rough concrete wall with truck tires hanging over the side - a few black marks, but all OK. We anchored near the end of the airport and slept well after 3 nights of little sleep. While underway, we each did watches of 3 hours around the clock. In Aruba we did some repairs - the generator was overheating and smoking. Finally replaced an impellar and it is now OK. During our genniker problem, I had jumped onto the front trampoline net and my foot went thru - lucky to not go swimming. We had brought a new net from the USA, so installed it temporarily over the old as needed for safety.

We left Aruba New Years eve, headed 370 miles to Cartagena. This 2 nights at sea were the worst any of us had ever seen, or ever hoped to see. The winds were blowing 30 knots gusting to 40, and the waves were steep, ugly and breaking. A few came over the back dumping water in the cockpit and filling the dinghy hanging from the aft davits - broke the rear attachment at one point and we almost lost the dinghy. Nick's quick work saved the dinghy. It was a black ugly scary night!! We are now anchored at Club Nautico in Cartagena. This is a huge very busy city unlike any that I have ever seen. A bit like Cuba and Spain but also modern and bustling. Night clubs, spectacular restaurants, great old Spanish architecture and people, people. Haven't figured out the money here yet, but just paid 1 million two hundred thousand Columbian Pesos for 2 nights at this hotel. The taxi ride here was only 20,000 Pesos, about $7. Now having a great time with the grandkid exploring this grand old city.