Our voyage across the Caribbean was in a Force 7 moderate gale; strong north-east winds and a steep, short swell. Not too uncomfortable for most of my hardy guests, however some were laid-low and confined to their staterooms.
Santa Marta, founded in 1525, is America’s oldest city, and Colombia´s second most popular Caribbean tourist destination-after Cartagena. Crystal clear waters, miles of sandy white beaches, great off-shore reefs and diving, plus historical and Ecological treasures add to the experience,
We arrived off the port at 5:45 a.m. with the intention of embarking our compulsory pilot at 6 a.m. As is the case, (unfortunately, on a Grand Voyage), calling at ports which generally deal with cargo ships, seldom seeing a Cruise ship, our berth was occupied. The interloper, a container-ship, was trying to finish cargo as fast as she could; nevertheless we spent 30 minutes ‘hovering’ on joystick in the harbour while we waited. I kept her ‘head to wind’; with the wind conditions, it is easier to maintain position by taking any side-wind out of the equation.
In the harbour, waiting. Our berth is at ‘9 0’clock’, under the large Portainer crane.
One of our weather programmes is provided to us via email and internet, by a company which specialises in weather forecasts for vessels, had been forecasting strong winds in Santa Marta for several days.
I, being the optimist that I am and, having learned long ago that worrying about it for days was neither good for one’s health, nor could one do anything about it anyway; it being best to wait and see what the conditions were, once we arrived. Unfortunately, the forecast proved to be all too correct, north-east winds, gusting to 40 knots and average 35. (40 kts equates to 44 mph, 64 kph)
The anemometer, registering 34.8 knots on the starboard beam
After a leave period, it takes a little time to ‘get one’s eye in’ with regard to ship-handling. Arriving in a port with high winds is something that one would not wish for; had their been a choice, obviously there wasn’t. It was either ‘have a go’, or abort if necessary.
I can happily write while alongside the berth, ‘parked’ adjacent to containers and container cranes; there is a proviso though, that I have had to leave one of our azipods and our bow-thrusts running, to assist us staying alongside. 😥
Another view of the city from the berth; the ‘straddle carrier’ in the foreground stacks the boxes, takes them on or off the trucks.
Berthed just short of the container cranes. The boom lowers once the container ship is docked. They can lift 65 tonne boxes.
We leave at 4 p.m., bound for the San Blas Islands. Seas should be better as we are ‘running’ with the weather………………
