Cartagena/SantaMarta Columbia

Before we left home we booked a Viator boat trip with Sailboats of Santa Marta to Tayrona park. My thought was that we would be on a sailboat. We were not! No matter how many times I asked Viator in Columbia about the boat I never got an answer! LOL They operate on a lot of bait and switch in Columbia, we have learned. Not quite what we expected but it was a great day and we had great weather. We were on a 38 ft speedboat which was a much better ride than the previous boat. We visited three beaches, and had lunch at a beach set up. We visited Playa Cinto, Playa Cristal, and Bahia Concho beach. Snorkeling was at Playa Cristal as well as lunch. The boat Tequila Mexico was a 38 foot Boston whaler with twin 225HP Suzuki outboard. The ride was rough as the day before but this boat cut through the waves better with 50 more horsepower and 4 more feet. Between the mainland at Punta de la Aguja there is an island that the boats cut through. This is where three Kraken meet: Big waves from the open Atlantic, wind, and tidal currents. Fifteen foot waves crash on the rocks on the point 50 yards away while they navigate the rocks. It is class 4 rapids. They haul ass through there to not wreck. (more on that later) I liked Playa Cinto. Kristy like Playa Cristal with snorkeling. She saw angel fish of all sizes and varieties. Small black and white fish, lots of brain coral and red coral. About 30 species of fish. On the way back after we went through the channel at Punta de la Aguja, the twin Suzuki outboard died. THANK GOD we were just about 10 minutes from the marina and not in that scary channel! The wind was blowing southeast toward the Taganga lighthouse. Captain Henry radioed for help. We drifted about 1/2 mile. A big Sailboat noticed we were dead in the water and came over to try to help but they motored away since Henry reached help at the marina. A 20 foot whaler showed up. Greg told captain Henry in Spanish that we needed the Marines. Clearly pissed off he replied in Spanish, "Todos somos marineros!" (we are all sailors) We bumbled over to the smaller craft and Greg about fell between boats as he was the first one to be brave enough to do the transfer on the rough water. Kristy was spotting and pushed his ass into that rescue boat! We headed back to the Marina Santa Marta and the wind and waves drenched us with cold salt spray. We went back to the Hilton and had warm showers, gin, pina colada, mixed mariscos soup and shrimp. Czytaj więcej