Hello everyone! We are long overdue in doing a blog post, for that I apologize. I have been sick with a nasty head cold for the last ten days, which I am having a hard time shaking.
We plan on leaving Cartagena today, for the Rosario Islands, a short 15 mile hop from here. The Rosarios are an archipelago of 23 islands, keys and isles that promise clean, clear water, some snorkelling and a chance to clean out our through hulls, and get the water maker going before leaving for the San Blas Islands.
We have sure enjoyed Cartagena. We were leery about coming here due to safety concerns, but having followed the advice of other cruisers: never leave your dinghy in the water overnight, don’t walk deserted streets after dark, and don’t wear expensive jewellery when out; we have never had any problems. Cartagena is definitely a mix of the old and the new. We were surprised to see skyscrapers on the horizon when we first sailed into port, but there is still plenty of history preserved in the old part of the city, which is still surrounded by a wall built in the 1600’s. The architecture of the old buildings in the old City is amazing. Our trip to the fort was awesome; walking through the narrow, deep tunnels, you could close your eyes and imagine soldiers rushing through them, carrying weapons to fend off the enemy. We visited the Palace of the Inquisition, that included room called “The Torture Chamber”, with artefacts like the rack, and in the courtyard, a gallows. We toured the gold museum, with artefacts that dated back to before Jesus Christ’s time. We were intrigued and amazed by everything we learned. As part of his schoolwork, Brett will be posting a blog and photos on these visits.
Ah, now the part you have all been waiting for... the trials and tribulations of Dutch Dreamer! Well, we finally got our shore power and its’ associated problems sorted out, so now have enjoyed air conditioning 24/7 on the boat. What a difference! I actually dug out blankets and our comforter, which were put away back in the Bahamas, I think. It won’t be long lived though, as once we leave here, we will only use it when we run the generator, in the morning and during the day as needed to charge batteries; and after dinner for an hour or so to cool things off for night.
As for the shore power here at Club Nautico, it sucks! The power boxes are a nightmare themselves, with wires hanging everywhere. We spent the first two weeks tied side to, so Pedro could complete our work on the pilot house. During that time, we had to use several long extension cords, instead of our usual thick shore power cord, to connect to one of the scary boxes about 50 feet up the dock. Instead of 110 coming in, it was more like 80 or 90, but with enough finagling; Greg (hurrah for El Capitano!) was able to get things working so we were at least able to charge our batteries. But alas, even though our capable Captain was able to fix the air conditioning, we did not have enough power coming into the boat to run it.
After the pilot house was completed, we moved with delay and tied stern to, next to Chantecler (the boat Mike and Kelly were on, more on that saga later) in hopes of connecting our shore power cord directly to one of the “newer and better” power boxes. Our hopes were quickly deflated though, when we were not able to get any power at all. John, the dock master, called an electrician to come over and help. Now, keep in mind, most of these guys don’t speak a word of English, so there is a lot of sign language going on. Kelly speaks a bit of Spanish, so she was able to convey a bit of what Greg was trying to get across to the electrician, who fiddled and farted around at the power box. Well, we managed to get power alright. We got a power spike that fried our icemaker and our transformer. NOT GOOD! Now, not only did we not have power, but one of the most cherished items on Dutch Dreamer, the beloved ice maker, was smoking instead of making ice. Needless to say, we decided to try another electrician. Between him, Greg and Mike, the sweating trio managed to get our power back to what it was originally, so we were able to charge batteries, but again, no AC.
When we first arrived at Club Nautico, we decided we were going to stay awhile, so it was worth our while to get the long term rate, so we prepaid for a month, which included water and electricity. Now Greg being the tight (and stubborn) little Dutchman that he is, was not happy, as in his mind, he is not getting the electricity he has already paid for, thus the fight was on! We finally lucked out in the form of Alex, an electrician who actually knew what he was doing. He managed to get everything going, and with the use of the proper shore power cord, we were able to get enough power to the boat to run the AC.
As life is never dull, or easy on Dutch Dreamer, there were, of course, other challenges to rise to while fighting the electrical battle. There was our main generator, which died back in Cabo de Vela on our way to Cartagena. After ordering in some parts that did not fix the problem, it turned out the wiring harness connector from the generator to the control box was the culprit. Also, the refrigeration motor was sounding worse all the time, so Greg took it apart, and then had to scour Cartagena for the necessary bearings and pressure switch that needed replacing.
With this all done, I allowed the Captain a few days rest and a chance to breathe before I brought up discussion of the washing machine. The seal went on our little washer back in Puerto Rico last year. While we were in Grenada, we had the part ordered in. It has not been a priority to fix it, God knows there was always something else to fix, wasn’t there???!!!! Up until now, laundry facilities/services were always easy to find and inexpensive, except for Bonaire. There I resorted to the buckets on deck system. Washing the clothes was easy, but wringing them out by hand is hard on the arthritic knuckles, for sure, especially washing clothes for a family of four. Bearing this in mind, and thinking about being in the San Blas Islands with no laundry services for a month or so, I got up the courage to suggest fixing the washing machine. It didn’t go well, but the next day, my Captain, God love him, got up and started dismantling the shelving surrounding the washer. It was a “bitch” to get at, Greg reminded me, as he twisted and contorted himself into the tiny space between the top of the wash machine and the headliner (maybe a foot). He got the part installed, and wisely suggested we try the unit out before putting everything back together again. To our dismay, the machine would not fill with water. We sent the helpful technician we had emailed last year an email describing our problems, and he promptly responded. It turned out the door switch was the culprit, and even more problematic to get at, but he also suggested a “hot wiring” solution to solve the problem until the part can be replaced. Those who know Greg, know that he jumped all over this. “McIvor” is his middle name, so within minutes he had the job done, and the machine worked perfectly. He put the cabinet and headliner back together, and was greeted with a round of applause from the galley wench and crew. Another battle fought and won!
With all the work completed, and the sweaty mechanics and electricians with their greasy hands and tools all gone, Dutch Dreamer was due for a good cleaning. I scrubbed out the aft cabin, walls, woodwork and ceiling, cleaned out the closet and some cupboards. I did a major refit on the v-berth, which has always been a stash of assorted goods thrown and stuffed in. With a few more bins, and some helpful tips from Mike, Dylan and I were able to create an organized and labelled space, where everything is now easier to find and get at.
Our friends Mike and Kelly left with Chantecler two weeks ago. They were heading to the U.S. Well, life is never dully with Mike and Kelly either, maybe that’s why we got along so well with them. Turns out George is gay and tried to get Mike in the sack with him, so they gave him the “sack” in Isla Mujeres, a small island near Cozumel, Mexico. After a nasty experience on route, they got off the boat, and are now on route to Nanaimo, where Mike has a friend who needs some work done on his boat. They will spend the summer there working, and then back to San Francisco, where their boat Isabella is waiting. They plan on heading down the coast and to the Caribbean and Mexico. Their blog address is: www.searchingforbella.blogspot.com if you want to check it out.
We hope to have internet at the Rosario Islands. If not, it may be a while before you hear from us again. We don’t expect to be able to get any in the San Blas Islands. From there, Colon is only a day sail away, and will be our next stop.
We hope you are all well, happy and enjoying spring, wherever you are!
Love from the Dutch Dreamers
We plan on leaving Cartagena today, for the Rosario Islands, a short 15 mile hop from here. The Rosarios are an archipelago of 23 islands, keys and isles that promise clean, clear water, some snorkelling and a chance to clean out our through hulls, and get the water maker going before leaving for the San Blas Islands.
We have sure enjoyed Cartagena. We were leery about coming here due to safety concerns, but having followed the advice of other cruisers: never leave your dinghy in the water overnight, don’t walk deserted streets after dark, and don’t wear expensive jewellery when out; we have never had any problems. Cartagena is definitely a mix of the old and the new. We were surprised to see skyscrapers on the horizon when we first sailed into port, but there is still plenty of history preserved in the old part of the city, which is still surrounded by a wall built in the 1600’s. The architecture of the old buildings in the old City is amazing. Our trip to the fort was awesome; walking through the narrow, deep tunnels, you could close your eyes and imagine soldiers rushing through them, carrying weapons to fend off the enemy. We visited the Palace of the Inquisition, that included room called “The Torture Chamber”, with artefacts like the rack, and in the courtyard, a gallows. We toured the gold museum, with artefacts that dated back to before Jesus Christ’s time. We were intrigued and amazed by everything we learned. As part of his schoolwork, Brett will be posting a blog and photos on these visits.
Ah, now the part you have all been waiting for... the trials and tribulations of Dutch Dreamer! Well, we finally got our shore power and its’ associated problems sorted out, so now have enjoyed air conditioning 24/7 on the boat. What a difference! I actually dug out blankets and our comforter, which were put away back in the Bahamas, I think. It won’t be long lived though, as once we leave here, we will only use it when we run the generator, in the morning and during the day as needed to charge batteries; and after dinner for an hour or so to cool things off for night.
As for the shore power here at Club Nautico, it sucks! The power boxes are a nightmare themselves, with wires hanging everywhere. We spent the first two weeks tied side to, so Pedro could complete our work on the pilot house. During that time, we had to use several long extension cords, instead of our usual thick shore power cord, to connect to one of the scary boxes about 50 feet up the dock. Instead of 110 coming in, it was more like 80 or 90, but with enough finagling; Greg (hurrah for El Capitano!) was able to get things working so we were at least able to charge our batteries. But alas, even though our capable Captain was able to fix the air conditioning, we did not have enough power coming into the boat to run it.
After the pilot house was completed, we moved with delay and tied stern to, next to Chantecler (the boat Mike and Kelly were on, more on that saga later) in hopes of connecting our shore power cord directly to one of the “newer and better” power boxes. Our hopes were quickly deflated though, when we were not able to get any power at all. John, the dock master, called an electrician to come over and help. Now, keep in mind, most of these guys don’t speak a word of English, so there is a lot of sign language going on. Kelly speaks a bit of Spanish, so she was able to convey a bit of what Greg was trying to get across to the electrician, who fiddled and farted around at the power box. Well, we managed to get power alright. We got a power spike that fried our icemaker and our transformer. NOT GOOD! Now, not only did we not have power, but one of the most cherished items on Dutch Dreamer, the beloved ice maker, was smoking instead of making ice. Needless to say, we decided to try another electrician. Between him, Greg and Mike, the sweating trio managed to get our power back to what it was originally, so we were able to charge batteries, but again, no AC.
When we first arrived at Club Nautico, we decided we were going to stay awhile, so it was worth our while to get the long term rate, so we prepaid for a month, which included water and electricity. Now Greg being the tight (and stubborn) little Dutchman that he is, was not happy, as in his mind, he is not getting the electricity he has already paid for, thus the fight was on! We finally lucked out in the form of Alex, an electrician who actually knew what he was doing. He managed to get everything going, and with the use of the proper shore power cord, we were able to get enough power to the boat to run the AC.
As life is never dull, or easy on Dutch Dreamer, there were, of course, other challenges to rise to while fighting the electrical battle. There was our main generator, which died back in Cabo de Vela on our way to Cartagena. After ordering in some parts that did not fix the problem, it turned out the wiring harness connector from the generator to the control box was the culprit. Also, the refrigeration motor was sounding worse all the time, so Greg took it apart, and then had to scour Cartagena for the necessary bearings and pressure switch that needed replacing.
With this all done, I allowed the Captain a few days rest and a chance to breathe before I brought up discussion of the washing machine. The seal went on our little washer back in Puerto Rico last year. While we were in Grenada, we had the part ordered in. It has not been a priority to fix it, God knows there was always something else to fix, wasn’t there???!!!! Up until now, laundry facilities/services were always easy to find and inexpensive, except for Bonaire. There I resorted to the buckets on deck system. Washing the clothes was easy, but wringing them out by hand is hard on the arthritic knuckles, for sure, especially washing clothes for a family of four. Bearing this in mind, and thinking about being in the San Blas Islands with no laundry services for a month or so, I got up the courage to suggest fixing the washing machine. It didn’t go well, but the next day, my Captain, God love him, got up and started dismantling the shelving surrounding the washer. It was a “bitch” to get at, Greg reminded me, as he twisted and contorted himself into the tiny space between the top of the wash machine and the headliner (maybe a foot). He got the part installed, and wisely suggested we try the unit out before putting everything back together again. To our dismay, the machine would not fill with water. We sent the helpful technician we had emailed last year an email describing our problems, and he promptly responded. It turned out the door switch was the culprit, and even more problematic to get at, but he also suggested a “hot wiring” solution to solve the problem until the part can be replaced. Those who know Greg, know that he jumped all over this. “McIvor” is his middle name, so within minutes he had the job done, and the machine worked perfectly. He put the cabinet and headliner back together, and was greeted with a round of applause from the galley wench and crew. Another battle fought and won!
With all the work completed, and the sweaty mechanics and electricians with their greasy hands and tools all gone, Dutch Dreamer was due for a good cleaning. I scrubbed out the aft cabin, walls, woodwork and ceiling, cleaned out the closet and some cupboards. I did a major refit on the v-berth, which has always been a stash of assorted goods thrown and stuffed in. With a few more bins, and some helpful tips from Mike, Dylan and I were able to create an organized and labelled space, where everything is now easier to find and get at.
Our friends Mike and Kelly left with Chantecler two weeks ago. They were heading to the U.S. Well, life is never dully with Mike and Kelly either, maybe that’s why we got along so well with them. Turns out George is gay and tried to get Mike in the sack with him, so they gave him the “sack” in Isla Mujeres, a small island near Cozumel, Mexico. After a nasty experience on route, they got off the boat, and are now on route to Nanaimo, where Mike has a friend who needs some work done on his boat. They will spend the summer there working, and then back to San Francisco, where their boat Isabella is waiting. They plan on heading down the coast and to the Caribbean and Mexico. Their blog address is: www.searchingforbella.blogspot.com if you want to check it out.
We hope to have internet at the Rosario Islands. If not, it may be a while before you hear from us again. We don’t expect to be able to get any in the San Blas Islands. From there, Colon is only a day sail away, and will be our next stop.
We hope you are all well, happy and enjoying spring, wherever you are!
Love from the Dutch Dreamers
