Saturday, August 12, 1995 - Curaco

By dawn, we were approaching Willemstad, the capital of Cura‡ao. The entrance to the harbor is guarded by a pontoon footbridge. We called Harbor Control on the VHF, and they opened it for us. Then they even sent out a pilot boat to guide us in. It was a nice calm morning -- quite a contrast to our arrival in Aruba. We had no problem tying to the dock as indicated. Roy talked to an official who had driven up. The official gave him a form to fill out and told him to come to his office at noon. When Roy went there at noon, he was able to clear immigration, so we can go anywhere we want to, but the boat has to stay tied here until Monday, when we can clear customs. There's no charge for staying here! Our kind of price. Willemstad is divided into two sections by the channel leading into the large, well-protected commercial harbor. The original city is called Punda, which means "point". The newer city, on the other side of the channel, is called Otrobanda, which means "other side". Makes sense. To get from one side to the other, pedestrians cross the pontoon bridge, which was originally built in 1888 by a man from Maine, who charged two cents for each pedestrian wearing shoes. Those who were barefoot didn't have to pay. Now the bridge is completely free. When boats need to go in or out, the entire bridge swivels open on a track at one end. It's really remarkable. We've never seen anything like it. While the bridge is open, small ferries provide transportation across the channel at no charge. There is also a 200-foot high vehicular bridge. Roy and I had fun exploring. Unfortunately, many of the old, picturesque buildings are abandoned and going to wrack and ruin. Some are being razed. This is the part of town we have to go through to get from the dock to the downtown area. It's full of trash, crumbling buildings, and trashy, crumbling people. But after we cross a little bridge, things improve. The bridge is an old, hand-operated drawbridge that is no longer opened. We quickly found a McDonald's and ate lunch. Then we rode a free ferry to Otrobanda and walked around. Explored an old fort. Got on the first bus we saw and rode it wherever it went and back. The fare was only one guilder. In Aruba, it was 1.75. I was even able to get a copy of the bus schedule. Cura‡ao is a lot greener than Aruba. There are many more trees, and the trees are much taller. Nevertheless, so far I like the Aruba countryside better. Went in a couple of stores, looking for a net shirt for Roy. The only one he found was big enough for Roy, his brother and sister, and two or three friends all at the same time. But the store did have a very nice, cool, comfortable pair of shorts for me that fit perfectly, so I bought them. We crossed the pontoon bridge back to Punda and walked around some more. Found an ATM, the Post Office, the Tourist Information Center (closed, of course), and the bus terminal. Tomorrow, we're going to take a bus to Spanish Water, where the yacht clubs and marinas are.

Friday, August 11, 1995 - On way Curaco

We were just getting ready to leave the boat when a man yelled to us from the end of the dock. He said he was from Customs and wanted to talk to the captain, so Roy paddled ashore. It turned out they couldn't find any record of Jofian in the computer. I showed him our papers. He drove us to his office in the refinery and made copies of our papers. Then he drove us downtown! We bought some groceries, ate lunch at Burger King, bought a bottle of cough syrup, and bought some more cleaner for the cooling system. We started walking back, thinking we'd have to walk the entire way, but when we were about a third of the way there, two U.S. women in a jeep offered us a ride, which we accepted with alacrity. Back at Rodgers Beach, I wandered around while Roy put the stuff in the engine. For the first time in all the weeks we've been here, I was able to see Venezuela! It wasn't a cloud or my imagination; it was a real mountain in Venezuela. I could see some low land just to the west of it, too. Swam out to the boat and told Roy. He saw it, too. Left for Cura‡ao around 3:30 in the afternoon. We didn't get the northeast wind we'd been promised, but the breeze was light, the sea fairly flat, and a bright full moon illuminated the world, so we enjoyed an easy, pleasant motorsail to Cura‡ao.

Thursday, August 10, 1995 - Aruba

Roy flushed the cooling system while I paddled up the harbor and back. Then we left for San Nicolas, five miles to the south. The engine temperature remained close to normal, even though the engine was revved up to 2100 RPM's. Maybe we'll make it to Cura‡ao yet! San Nicolas is a refinery town. During the forties and fifties, it was going full blast, but now the operation has been greatly reduced. We went past the refinery and anchored in the southeast end of the harbor off Rodger's Beach. Another beautiful location! Palm trees, white sand, blue, blue water. The temperature is perfect. The wind and water caress our skin. We're so lucky to be here! We paddled ashore and began walking into town, a distance of about three miles. We hadn't gone very far when a man driving a laundry truck offered us a ride. Turned out he was the assistant technical manager of the laundry. He had been born on Aruba and lived here all his life except for eleven years in Holland. He spoke English fluently. Also spoke Papiamento, Dutch, Spanish, and Portuguese! How I envy multilingual people! He took us right to Burger King, where we ate lunch. Then we walked back towards the Esso station. Bought some cookies along the way. The woman in the tiny store where we bought the cookies thought we were crazy to be sailing around in a little boat. She told us we should take a cruise ship or fly. She was quite a character. The Esso station had diesel and also had the radiator cleaner and waterpump lubricant that Roy wanted. We tried to phone a cab, but they said it would be fifty minutes before it got there, so we just started walking. When an empty cab passed us, we hailed it, and he stopped. What a contrast between drivers! This one was as pleasant as the one from the airport had been unpleasant. He was off-duty and on his way home, yet he picked us up, took us to Rodger's Beach, waited while Roy paddled out to the boat to get the diesel cans, drove us back to the Esso station, waited while the four jerry cans were filled and we put water in our two five-gallon water jugs, drove us back to the beach, and helped carry the jugs to our Royaks. Then he refused to accept any money! We insisted on paying him anyway, and finally he accepted. The driver had been born in San Nicolas, one of sixteen children. His 95-year-old father and 90-year-old mother are still going strong. He visits them at least once a day. His father worked at the refinery for 35 years. After the cab left, we were suddenly surrounded by two Customs officials and two Police officers. Apparently they thought we had just arrived in Aruba. We explained that we had been in Aruba since May 12th and had cleared in with both Customs and Immigration in Oranjestad. We offered to go out to the boat and get our papers, but they took our word for it. They were very courteous and pleasant. Roy ferried the diesel and water to the boat and then went for a little walk. The large beach club on the point that had flourished during the refinery days is now empty except for a dive shop. The weather forecast for tomorrow was excellent -- northeast wind, 10 to 15 with seas 3 to 5 feet. If that comes true, we'll have an easy sail to Cura‡ao. There was the most beautiful moonrise tonight. The moon was full and orange. It rose behind the palm trees on the beach. We watched it for a long time.

Wednesday, August 9, 1995 - Aruba

Roy worked on the cooling system again, and I paddled around. The weather forecast keeps saying, "East wind, 10 to 15," but it sure feels more like 20. Many times I had to paddle with all my strength just to stay in the same place, and sometimes I even blew backwards, but eventually I got almost to the WEB plant. Returning to the boat was a cinch; I didn't have to do anything but dip a paddle in the water occasionally to stay on course; Mother Nature provided the propulsion. We took some pictures, and then Roy paddled around a while. After lunch, we raised the anchor and took off for Savaneta. This time, the engine ran much cooler, even though we went farther and faster. It only took us a little over an hour to cover the 4.2 miles to Savaneta. Roy still wants to reflush the cooling system before we leave for Cura‡ao, however. And we still need to buy additional diesel. So far, we haven't seen a fuel dock that has diesel. The entrance to Commandeur's Baai at Savaneta is a narrow opening between two reefs, and there aren't any channel markers, but it was still daylight, so we got in okay. We sure wouldn't want to come in here in the dark. There are supposed to be range lights, but we didn't see them. This is the loveliest anchorage yet. There are attractive homes along the shore, there are people and docks and small boats, the wind isn't as strong, and the water is much calmer. We don't rock and bounce the way we did at Eddie's place. We paddled around a little while and then ate supper. There was the most glorious sunset! The reds and crimsons were unusually bright. Towards Venezuela, we could see flash after flash of lightning. The air here is so delightful -- cool, pleasant, caressing. It's too bad we have to leave.

Tuesday, August 8, 1995 - Aruba

Roy put on his SCUBA gear and finished scrubbing the bottom of the hull. Then he paddled back to the dive shop for another 3000 pounds of air. I paddled into town, got rid of most of the rest of my Aruban money, which will be totally worthless after we leave here, picked up a copy of "Aruba Today", the free English-language newspaper, went to the Post Office for a final check for mail at Poste Restante (General Delivery), and bought a few groceries. Around four in the afternoon, we picked up the anchor and headed for Eddie's place. The weather forecast was for 10 to 15 knot winds, but it was blowing 20 and of course directly towards us. It took us an hour to go the two miles. The engine overheated again, but not as badly as on Saturday. Nevertheless, it's a problem that must be corrected before we head out over 70 miles of open sea to Cura‡ao. We also realized we need more diesel. We have 35 gallons, but if we only make two knots, we might run out just before reaching Willemstad. I had hoped there would be less wind in the little cove in front of Eddie's house, but if anything, it's even windier than at Surfside. When we first dropped anchor, it dragged, but we didn't have enough chain out. We put out more chain and ran the lead weight down the chain. After that, we held. We're next to the garbage dump, but the wind blows the smoke away from us. On the beach next to the dump is a dwelling that is difficult to describe. It's too small and dilapidated to be called a hut or shack. It's sort of a droopy tent made, apparently, of pieces of plastic and sticks. Perhaps hovel would be the word. The man who lives there has nine large dogs. No wonder he can't afford a house; he must use most of his money to buy dogfood. He probably earns a living by scavenging from the dump. Despite his lifestyle, he looks healthy and strong. He's probably in his twenties or thirties. At night, he lit a bonfire on the beach. It burned for several hours. Shortly after we arrived, we saw a strange sight. A southbound cruise ship went by a mile or two off shore, stopped, and began drifting backwards. We could only assume it was having major propulsion problems. It continued drifting slowly backwards for several miles. Then it disappeared from our view behind Sonesta Island. But around midnight it returned, brightly lit as a cruise ship should be, and back on course.

Monday, August 7, 1995 - Aruba

We paddled into town this morning to get our exit papers, mail the letters I wrote yesterday, and buy a few things. We went to Immigration first and of course had to wait a while for the official. When we left there, we headed towards the Post Office, but we were passing a bunch of stores, so we went in. Roy was looking for a pair of shorts and swim trunks but couldn't find any he liked in the right size. By the time we got to the Post Office, it had closed for siesta even though it was only ten to twelve. We wanted to get a fluorescent tube to replace one that had burned out, so I phoned every marine supply store in town, but none had it. (While Roy was in California, I found a telephone card with 23 units left on it, so I got to make all these calls for free. Now it's down to 3 units.) A couple of places said we could get it at the General Store, so we decided to try there later. Some clothing stores were still open, so we shopped some more. Roy found a nice pair of shorts and a pair of swim trunks that he liked, so he bought them. He also wanted a net shirt, but the only ones he could find had writing all over them, which he hates. Also, they were extra, extra, extra colossal. By then, we were hungry, so we went to Wendy's for a delicious lunch. Then we went to the Customs building, but they said we had to go to the Customs office near the Port Authority, so we walked over there but found out we were in the wrong building. Eventually we found the right place, and the official made out our clearance papers. We gave up on the shirt and went to the General Store, but they didn't have the tube we wanted. They suggested Wimco, so we went there. The clerk was very nice, but they didn't have the tube. He phoned a lot of places and finally told us to go to Brenchie's, so we went there. Brenchie's was the largest hardware/housewares store we'd seen yet. It was so big, it was in three or four separate buildings. Guess what -- they didn't have the tube either. Well, maybe we can get it in Cura‡ao. We returned to the boat. Roy put his SCUBA gear back on and continued scrubbing the bottom of the hull until he was nearly out of air in his tank. I paddled to Sonesta Island for a refreshing swim, shower, and shampoo. Tomorrow afternoon, we plan on taking the boat down to Eddie's place, which was our original purpose in coming to Aruba. The two- mile trip will give Roy a chance to check out the engine before we take off for Cura‡ao. Incidentally, the TV reception here in the anchorage is excellent. At the marina, it was miserable. Both the picture and sound kept fading out. But now that we have good reception, the TV is starting to freak out.

Sunday, August 6, 1995 - Aruba

It's so good to be out here in the clean water and cool breezes! When we want to go swimming, we just hop off the boat. And we can go Royaking again! All the time we were at the marina, I only used my Royak once, and that was just to replace a broken line. I couldn't stand the thought of putting my Royak into that yucky water. This morning, Roy paddled to town to fill the five-gallon plastic jugs with water and to get rid of the trash. While he was gone, I wrote four letters. In the afternoon, I enjoyed a good paddle while Roy replaced the impeller, cleaned the saltwater filter, put on his SCUBA gear, and cleaned the barnacles and seaweed and glop out of the saltwater intake valve. He told me later he'd had a hard time even finding the intake valve, it was so buried in seaweed and junk.