Having decided to move on from the British Virgin Islands and sail around the world, it was very bittersweet leaving all our friends.  But the oceans were calling and the adventures were whispering in the background.  We sailed down the Caribbean chain of islands, visiting St. Martin, Martinique, St. Lucia, Palm Island and Grenada.  Crystal clear snorkeling and diving.

Then on to the Venezuelan islands of Margarita and Tortuga. Beautiful islands and wonderful food.  Arepas  filled with everything imaginable….stuffed corn pancakes sold all over Venezuela and Columbia….delicious!  Lots of cheese involved!

In Margarita we filled the boat tank and all of our deck jugs with diesel as it was 17 cents a gallon at the time!  Never again!

We never tired of the beautiful sunsets in Venezuela!

Then on to the Netherlands visiting Bonaire and Curacao and enjoying a few spectacular scuba dives while finding our first frog fish!  Sailing past Aruba on our way to Cartagena, Columbia, we arrived with a little bird on board that joined us out at sea when he was too tired to fly anymore.

Cartagena was wonderful, not scary at all and the marina very secure and accommodating.   As we arrived and sailed in the channel, with our American flag flying, we passed a large US navy gunboat on their way out and they all waved furiously at us from the deck.  That first night as we sat having a glass of wine in the cockpit, a huge fireworks show exploded above us.  It was a celebration for the US navy, but we felt as if it was certainly put on for our arrival.  A special evening after a long windy sail to arrive in Cartagena.  On our first taxi ride into town, we shared the back seat with a box that had a lively young sloth in it that clung onto our fingers in a silent plea.  The taxi driver asked if we would like to buy him for $10.00?  We found a wonderful little shop that made spicy fried chicken strips served with VERY hot sauce.  We went there so many times that they would see us coming and have a bag full ready to hand us!

The wildly colorful buses filled with people were everywhere.  On every street corner you could find orange juice stands squeezing fresh oranges and the emerald shops filled whole city blocks.   Yes, I did get one and the experience of purchasing it was delightful.  Every day for 4 days we were ushered into a private room, served wonderful little cups of sweet coffee and shown tray after tray of loose emeralds.  Finally on the 4th day our offer was accepted on the emerald that we had chosen the first day.   I carried that loose emerald with me on the boat until we reached New Zealand and found a very talented goldsmith to make a gorgeous ring setting.  Certainly the highlight of my trip to Cartagena!