[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-20yJ4KMjjoU/UX1J_yf3f7I/AAAAAAAAU-M/zhN-0q0DPlk/s144-c-o/P4250035.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage14Colombia2BoarderPanamaToBoarderVenezuela#5871930849397014450″ caption=”The poor still very alive gigantic leather back turtle, caught on the beach and tied to a rope” type=”image” alt=”P4250035.JPG” ]

Pos: here
Loc: before Cabo de la Vela
Acc: tent
Dist: 43,8 km
Start: 0:20 End: 10:45

Another night paddle out of the picture album! It was totally full moon tonight, really bright light, and I was ready to go at 00.20 h. But I didn’t really sleep so well and that much as last night, as locals came continuously to ask for my cards…after some time I was already “sleeping” and not answering any more, what didn’t prevent them to run around my tent for long whilst chatting loud and glimpsing inside if I may be awake…do I do this in their huts???

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-3LEJYLYEuB8/UX1KGmb_4vI/AAAAAAAAU-M/BK9jHUd6zCE/s144-c-o/P4240027.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage14Colombia2BoarderPanamaToBoarderVenezuela#5871930966418645746″ caption=”A literal cactus forest behind the low cliff of the shore” type=”image” alt=”P4240027.JPG” ]

All was easy going on the water, besides my tendency to fall asleep during such an easy paddle, and at night anyway…so my regular paddling speed of 5-6 km/h got pulled down to 4 km/h average by my frequent stops. But I made good 20 km in the darkness until dawn at 5 am. I had a few small 10 cm fish jumping on my kayak, and then the BIG 30 cm one hit me hard at my waist! Ouch! Stupid guy…

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ZlaJhldB51Q/UX02UbMAz3I/AAAAAAAAU-M/28ywJmukV6E/s144-c-o/P4240025.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage14Colombia2BoarderPanamaToBoarderVenezuela#5871909213684420466″ caption=”These kind of poor fihermen huts were all along the shores of the peninsula, with friendly waving indians everywhere” type=”image” alt=”P4240025.JPG” ]

My boys were not there when I launched, and I didn’t know if they’d stay away like last day. but at maybe 1.30 m I saw a flashlight far behind me, surely their boat, but they only showed up at 6 am. I didn’t really need them on this easy paddle.

Soon the full moon was setting beautifully behind me while the dawn started on the other side. There’s a difference being on the 12th latitude or on the equator at dawn time! Now I have about 1/2 hr of light until the sun really rises. On the equator, the sun comes up in no time out of the darkness!

[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-b61B8-4xeFk/UX1ZOg58_yI/AAAAAAAAU-M/M-34FGZhqY0/s144-c-o/P4250038.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage14Colombia2BoarderPanamaToBoarderVenezuela#5871947595047042850″ caption=”The left flipper is attached to a rope” type=”image” alt=”P4250038.JPG” ]

I kept on paddling very close to the beach, and in one village I saw a HUGE massive turtle, tied up on a flipper by the locals. The poor guy was floating in the water on the beach edge, still very alive and probably not happy to be caught. I wonder where they catch them? Out in the deep water, or do the turtles come to shore in this time of the year? It was a guy almost double the size I had seen so far in Australia, about 1,60 m long and probably 0,80 cm high. I landed briefly, and took pictures, while the locals were gathering rather around my kayak which seemed to be more exotic for *them*.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Q55eQw6H9k4/UX1ZF6sNDpI/AAAAAAAAU-M/hu75krwyR3Y/s144-c-o/P4250039.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage14Colombia2BoarderPanamaToBoarderVenezuela#5871947447349874322″ caption=”This gigantic leather back turtle is now owned by the vultures” type=”image” alt=”P4250039.JPG” ]

I should have taken also a picture of a typical local Indian fishermen village family here, but first I was busy with the turtle and second I simply don’t like to hold my camera on people where I just showed up and may have a communication problem. The mummy of the family had her face painted with some brown henna or such, and bright orange fingers. The women all have long open black hair and look beautiful!

[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-DDCNcWXImfU/UX1cCdmfAyI/AAAAAAAAU-M/h8YrRX1CBio/s144-c-o/P4250040.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage14Colombia2BoarderPanamaToBoarderVenezuela#5871950686536532770″ caption=”No half dug out canoe – but the stinky leftovers of a gigantic leather back turtle, still prey of the dogs and the many vultures” type=”image” alt=”P4250040.JPG” ]

I was making signs if they are going to eat the turtle, and they nodded…in the next village, I saw exactly the same size half turtle shell on the beach, where a dog was busy with the left overs, eagerly watched by about 20 vultures to get their turn. It was stinking like hell…the Aboriginies in Australia also ate their turtles!

My crew swapped over with the boat now coming from Puerto Bolivar, and I just made it to a spot before Cabo de la Vela when the wind became really nasty. I put up my tent, and the guys anchored outside. They said their boss would be coming soon by road, good, as I wanted to talk to him anyway regarding my German vacation logistics.

But first I saw the forecast had changed for tomorrow, from just ok 11-15 knots headwind all morning to now 14-19 knots…too much for my gut feeling! It may go back to 11-15 knots on Sunday, and then even more down. I will now ride tomorrow at 4 am on the boat to Puerto Bolivar, the time of the day when the waves and wind are at their lowest. I will stay a day or two and rest my skin, not in the coast guard station, but in the Police station next door. The coast guard station is on a private propriety of a mining company and not allowed to host guests…?!? But good also, thanks to the police to host me, and thanks to the coast guard for the ride to Puerto Bolivar!

I can judge hopefully a bit the real situation compared to the forecast and estimate if I’d make it around the cape on a bit better forecast Saturday or Sunday or even later. I was to take a break for one or two days in Puerto Bolivar anyway to relax my skin. I really would love to finish this section on the very end of Colombia on the boarder to Venezuela, and not have to skip more headlands due to insane headwind. The next windy spot will be the northernmost Cape of the Southern Continent, Punta Gallino. In between and after it’s supposed to be lower wind. We’ll see! Driving back to Cabo de la Vela is no problem, and then I will give it a go in an empty boat, riding that leg back to Puerto Bolivar, if possible. Still all including the night hours to paddle which have the perfect moon now. So chances are there!

For my German vacation, I can leave my kayak in the Puerto Bolivar coast guard station, and they will drive me to Riohacha, the next local airport flying to Bogota and then international. But all hopefully done after I paddled this most windy peninsula!