Pos: here
Loc: San Juan, 4,9 km from stop on the water
Acc: Navy boat
Dist: 60,1 km
Start: 6:45 End: 16:45
Tomorrow’s estimated landing: somewhere about 50 km more north
I decided today to go the easier way – as I had my four Navy bodyguards with me anyway in their boat, I dropped my luggage on the boat, to have it easier to lift the kayak without stress on the fittings, deck lines and toggles at night on the high board of the boat – and surely to have an easier paddle. Am I getting lazy? Just efficient…
Dario and Felipe waved me good bye – many thanks for your great attention in Tumaco!!! I got a strong current out of Tumaco bay, and paddled for long between 8 and 10 km/h. Great! And even the expected low headwind turned out to be pushing, so I averaged today 6 km/h, and could paddle obviously 60 km in 10 hrs only. Enough for today!
Not much else happened today on the water, besides I did two rolls to cool down instead of squeezing my sponge over me as usual. But rolling always requires to secure everything, gets you water in the ears and nose, the hair fully wet, and eventually also water in the cockpit. So I kept on sponge-showering instead.
A few times I had to paddle further out to avoid the waves piling up on river entrances – I always made it without having to speed up (today…), but I heard my Navy boat far behind me turning up the engines at one time at high speed, and saw them getting sideways washed and jumping just over a crest…hihihi…couldn’t help laughing…
I stopped after my 60 km, almost ten more than planned, just across an area which looked sheltered with islands and a calm river entrance. The guys took me on board, and they were heading about 5 km to the small river village San Juan, where they knew they would have shelter and even three other Navy Infantries boats looking after that village. Thanks goodness it will be a calm night today! But maybe not really bug-free…
The three Navy Infantries boats were similar to the one guarding the Carnival Parade – well armed with four guns to each corner, and any kind of evil looking weapons and armor. My kayak sleeps just in front of the mouth of one of those guns…and me besides…you are getting used to it!
While having dinner – simply cooked potatoes with salt and mayonnaise – I pleased my eye with a bunch of guys having their evening shower – in underwear – probably as much as they must have blinked their eyes when I had mine changing my wet clothing 🙂 Life in a Columbian Navy river camp is not that bad…now they are singing something, maybe rather “rapping”…I never have been a soldier, but would maybe make a good one. But only as a single fighter…
Night is falling, and the bugs are out. But they are a bit at bay with a breeze and my strong NOBITE bug spray. Still, scratching my skin is the worst…
5 comments on “Mon 11/02-2013 Day 391”
Better hot gum boots, than hottest snake bites.
Again very best photos. And your opinion to the prison, i´m in your participation. Ugly.
Hello Freya, Ummm the Navy eye candy made me laugh, honestly enjoyment for both observers. Hey I could see the navies getting competitive. This could be fun:) Sounded like a good scene though.
You had a good paddling day logging 60 km.in 10 hrs. Hope the navy guys are being kind as well as providing a bit of evening entertainment.But im sure they must have as well enjoyed the peek at their guest as well.The guy that posted before me tonight had a lot of good info on the panama cabal coming up.Im sure youd rather just be allowed to paddle it all though.Hope it all works out whatever becomes nessecary.Rest well and safe paddling
schön, dass Du auch etwas zum ” schmunzeln ” hast. Kann mir das Bad der Männern und Dein Lächeln dazu gut vorstellen 🙂
Freut mich, dass die armadas so gut auf Dich aufpassen. Geniesse es
liebe Grüsse aus DK und übrigens auch aus Pto. Montt 🙂
Hi Freya. u r a *. Looking ahead to the Panama Canal? Hopefully you know this already,but it is 3 BIG locks up. a 28mile lake, and 3 locks down to the Atlantic. I went thru it 5 times one week in 2000. Its all about BIG SHIPS of course but they do allow yachts thru. Each yacht HAS to have a skipper a Pilot they provide , and FOUR line handlers. Yachties do each other favours by line handling for each other, and I enjoyed it SO MUCH I did it 4 times + my boat. You could portage the locks , but I am certain you will have a lot of fun making friends with some yachties and going thru as deck cargo.Your kayak would fit on the deck of my 37ft catamaran easily. Most boats are going east to west this time of year. Tahiti beckons.( My 3200 Nautical Miles Galapagos to Marqueses (19 days of perfect tradewind sailing) is one of my lifelong highpoints.) But there are always yachts going the other way,just maybe fewer numbers.
Hope I am not offending by mentioning sail? I did a couple of trips in a kayak back in the ’70’s so may be forgiven?
Love the blog and having just found it I am now a total fan. Thank you and good luck. You are a true inspiration
Cheers Mark
Comments are closed