New territory, moving south - Hondura to Quita Sueno Banks, Part 5
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The next day, the sailing vessels "Pendragon", "Norn", "Dutchess" and "Tanquilo" arrived. No one was bashful and it didn't take long for a get together to be organized aboard "Respite". As it turned out, all but "Pendragon" where heading north.
Jay and Cecelia on "Pendragon" are also home teaching their two teens.
The anchorage at Low Cay had good deep sand to set the hook in. Within an easy swim from the boat, there were lovely coral structures and outside the reef, about a mile away there was a 300 ft wreck in 20 feet of water. Nearly all of the boats got together to look for the wreck and within an hour it was found just as "Soggy Paws" had described it in the Seven Seas Crusing Association Newsletter. The main engine and transmission sat upright on the bottom, all of the anchor chain was piled up in what was the fo'c's'le before it split open. A bulldozer (cargo) lay upside about in the middle of the wreck.
After a few delightful days and great company at Low Cay, we set out for San Andres Island about 60 nm to the south. Shortly after hitting the deep water, we caught three blackfin tuna and then a 40 lb dolphin. It was a great start. The seas were calm and there was only a light NE breeze. We had heard so many good things about San Andres and were anxious to experience it.
About half way to San Andres, on VHF, we heard the sailing vessel "Sovereign" talking to s/v "Limerance". "Sovereign" was motorsailing north out of San Andres, but had suffered a transmission failure and turned back. They were concerned about trying to sail into the narrow channel at San Andres. We called and offered to tow them in. The distances and timing were almost perfect and we picked them up for a tow just a mile outside of the harbor. Once again, in the harbor, there was a great group of sail boats and socializing. We shared the blackfin with Malinda and Bill from "Sovereign" and Corrinn and Eric from "About Time".
San Andres is a wonder. The lovely island has a modern town of perhaps 75,000 people and is a tourist mecca for the Colombians. It is a duty free port, very safe and the shopping is wonderful and inexpensive. Diesel fuel was only $1.00 per gallon too. Our washing machine, while working OK now, is getting tired. So we looked around and found a perfect substitute for under $250 (the old one $800 in US). We didn't buy it, but probably will on the return trip. For those of you who might be considering Cancun for a vacation, you ought to consider San Andres. They have beautiful hotels, beautiful women (oops), great beaches and restaurants and lots of water stuff to do at what I would guess to be about a third the cost.
Joan, Ben and Maggie
