11/27/17 We dropped our mooring in Bonaire at 0830 and
headed to Curacao. We ran the engine for the first hour and a half to run the
watermaker. We had winds of 15 to 20 knots and 3 to 4 foot seas with occasional
6 feet. It was an easy sail and we made the 40 miles to Spanish Waters in
Curacao by 1500. The entrance to the harbor requires close visual piloting and
the buoys were missing. We noted rocks to the west of Willenburg island where
there should have been a buoy but it was not there. We anchored in the area
closest to the Pirate’s Nest and fishermen’s marina.
11/28/17 We waited until the next day to check in because
we had been told it required several hours. We took a bus into Willemstad and
walked to the Customs office passing along the river where there were lots of
colorful and noisy Venezuelan veggie stalls with great looking produce and
boats selling fish. After Customs, we had to walk across the bridge over the
river, back up along the river on the opposite side and then another ½ mile or
so to the Immigration office. WE passes a local bus that was brightly painted
and some interesting Rasta graffiti on the way to Immigration. We got our
passports stamped and then went in search of lunch. Friends, Bobbie and Craig
from Mona Kai suggested the Gouverneur restaurant which we found easily and 8
of us had a great lunch. We stopped at the veggie stalls on the way back and
got a few fresh things. Prices were great and everything was really fresh.
 |
| Interesting paint job on the buses. |
 |
| We passed through the Rasta part of town walking to the Immigration office to check in. |
 |
| The Fruit and veggie stands line the street on the way to the Customs office |
 |
| Lunch in the courtyard at Gouverneur restaurant |
 |
| Pretty little bird joined us for lunch |
The old town part of Willemstad is very colonial Dutch with colorful, architecture. We went to town a couple of times and
enjoyed walking around. The pedestrian bridge over the river that runs through
the middle of town divides in the middle when boats need to pass and people can
just stay on the bridge while it moves and wait until the boats pass and the
bridge goes back together to continue on across. We also visited the Maritime
museum and the old fort. We had lunch one day in the old Market where the local
people eat. The food is cooked over coal fires in the open air market. The food
was good, generous portions and very inexpensive.
 |
| Beautiful Dutch colonial architecture in Willemberg |
 |
| Alleyway |
 |
| Colorful rows of buildings along the river in downtown Willemberg |
 |
| Old church with cannonball hole in upper left side. (See dark spot Just below roof line) |
 |
| Bridge open with pedestrians on it |
 |
| The ladies making lunch over hot coal fires in old market |
 |
| Our lunch |
11/26/2017 We took a hike over to Fort Beekenberg which we
could see from the anchorage and toured the fort and a little farther down,
visited the “Pest house” which we were told was an infirmary of sorts for
people in quarantine and other people told us it had been for people with
leprosy (Hansen’s disease, for my medically inclined friends).
 |
| A guard tower at Fort Beekenberg |
 |
| Greg and Greig looking out over the sea |
 |
| a semi submersible production facility being refurbished near the fort |
 |
| Drill ship stacked nearby |
 |
| The "Pest House" |
11/30/17 We snorkeled at Tugboat site which was walking
distance from the anchorage, near the fort. The water was not nearly as clear
as in Bonaire but there was an interesting old tugboat wreck and a few fish we
hadn’t seen before.
 |
| Porcupine fish |
 |
| The sunken tugboat |
 |
| Greg diving on the boat |
 |
| Add caption |
 |
| Christmas tree worms on brain coral |
 |
| A blue Tang |
 |
| Fireworm |
 |
| Christmas Tree Hydroid |
We walked up to Jan Thiel beach and found a nice grocery,
although expensive and had some gelato. We also arranged a car rental from
Budget for a couple of days to explore the island some more.
We had planned to visit the ostrich farm but found out they
charged $17 just to go look at the ostriches. We passed on that and drove to
the National Park. Along the way we stopped at a little lunch truck and had
some great arrepas. When we got to the National Park about 12:30 they were
closing for the day, although the sign said they were open until 4:00. We really seemed to be striking out that day.
Finally, we got to see one of the things on our agenda for the day at the Hato
Caves near the airport. Below the caves, near the sea there used to be an old
plantation. When the slaves escaped, they hid in the Hato caves. We took a
guided tour and the young girl who was our guide was very informative and spoke
English fairly well.
We then drove over to an area called Santa
Marta and Kruz bay to try to find the Blue room which is an underwater cave
with a bluish light in it. We couldn’t figure out where it was but had a good
walk along the shore and cliffs.
 |
| Cave with beautiful coloring along our hike |
 |
| The Hato Caves |
 |
| Neat playground we passed by |
The next day we drove back to the National Park in the
morning and toured the Savonet plantation museum and had a nice picnic lunch
there. We also found the Curacao distillery after many u-turns and a few cuss
words. We toured the distillery which was started by a Jewish family (the
Senior family) and is made in accordance with Kosher laws where they ferment
the peels of a local bitter orange. Of course, we had our blue curacao drinks.
 |
| Savonet plantation |
 |
| The horse stables |
 |
| A statue of a crouching slave |
 |
| The Curacao distillery |
 |
| Greg and Greig |
 |
| Our blue Curacao drinks |
Fortunately, there was a free grocery bus shuttle from the
Pirate’s Nest to a local grocery chain that was well stocked. We made several
trips to stock up on cheeses and certain other things we were told we couldn’t
get in Colombia,and began we planning our passage to Santa Marta, Colombia for
the next weather window. We decided to pass up Aruba because there was only a
short window for good weather and the customs process there was difficult.
12/10/2018 Leaving the harbor of Spanish Waters at 0730 in
the morning, we were forced over to the side of the channel near a reef by a
motor yacht from Florida which came barreling up behind us and would not
acknowledge our calls on the radio. Fortunately, we didn’t run aground, no
thanks to him. We got some great photos of Lequesteau that afternoon as the sun
was setting behind them as we passed Aruba.
 |
| Sun and moon setting behind Lequesteau |
Photos: IMG 1015, 0991, 1005
