ROUTES

french riviera

MED. COASTAL ROUTE 🇬🇮 GIBRALTAR 🇪🇸 SPAIN 🇫🇷 FRANCE 🇲🇨 MONACO 🇮🇹 ITALY / SICILY - 90 DAYS - 1800 NM

A)  COASTAL ROUTE -1,800 NM

COASTAL ROUTE

B)  ISLAND ROUTE – 1,000 nm

ISLAND ROUTE

a) COASTAL ROUTE –  PART I – 875 NM  🇬🇮  Gibraltar along the Spanish Mediterranean Coast to Costa Brava 🇪🇸



🇬🇮 Gibraltar 10  nm
🇪🇸 Sotogrande 20  nm
🇪🇸 Estepona 18  nm
🇪🇸 Marbella 15  nm
🇪🇸 Fuengirola 20  nm
🇪🇸 Malaga 17  nm
🇪🇸 Caleta 20  nm
🇪🇸 Motril 31 nm
🇪🇸 Almerimar 42  nm
🇪🇸 Cabo de Gata 13  nm
🇪🇸 Puerto de Garrucha 22  nm
🇪🇸 Marina Juan Montiel 36  nm
🇪🇸 Cartagena 45  nm
🇪🇸 Torrevieja 45  nm
🇪🇸 Alicante 30  nm
🇪🇸 Punta de Pinet 25  nm
🇪🇸 Cala Mascarat 10  nm
🇪🇸 Calp 4  nm
🇪🇸 Cap D’ Or 7  nm
🇪🇸 Cova del Llop Mari 7  nm
🇪🇸 Club Náutico de Javea 8  nm
🇪🇸 Puerto Denia 14  nm
🇪🇸 Cullera 30  nm
🇪🇸 Valencia 22  nm
🇪🇸 Puerto Deportivo Pobla Marina 13  nm
🇪🇸 Port de Borriana 24  nm
🇪🇸 Port Esportiu de les Fonts 34  nm
🇪🇸 Port de Vinaròs 20  nm
🇪🇸 Punta de la Banya 14  nm
🇪🇸 Badia del Fangar 42  nm
🇪🇸 Tarragona 35  nm
🇪🇸 Vilanova 30  nm
🇪🇸 Barcelona 26  nm
🇪🇸 Puerto Mataro 24  nm
🇪🇸 Port de Blanes 21  nm
🇪🇸 St. Feliu de Guíxols 15  nm
🇪🇸 Port Esportiu Marina Palamós 8  nm
🇪🇸 Port esportiu de Roses 33  nm
🇪🇸 Port de Portbou 27  nm

WINDS

Tides and Currents

SWELL AND WAVES 

A) PART II – 400 nm – 🇪🇸  Costa Brava SPAIN  🇫🇷  Côte d’Azur FRANCE  🇲🇨  MONACO  TO ITALY SAN REMO Liguria  🇮🇹














🇫🇷  Port-Vendres  nm: 50
🇫🇷  Sète  nm: 45
🇫🇷  Port La Nouvelle  nm: 25
🇫🇷  Port Camargue  nm: 20
🇫🇷  Port-de-Bouc  nm: 52
🇫🇷  Marseille  nm: 21
🇫🇷  Cassis  nm: 20
🇫🇷  Toulon  nm: 32
🇫🇷  Hyères Islands  nm: 32
🇫🇷  St-Tropez  nm: 35
🇫🇷  Plage d’Agay  nm: 20
🇫🇷  Cannes  nm: 13
🇫🇷  Antibes  nm: 13
🇫🇷  Nice  nm: 10
🇫🇷  Villefranche-sur-Mer  nm: 6
🇲🇨 Monaco nm: 12
🇫🇷  Menton  nm: 6
🇮🇹  Sanremo (Italy)  nm: 16

WINDS

Tides and Currents

 

SWELL AND WAVES 

a) PART III – 925 nm  🇮🇹  ITALIAN  COASTAL ROUTE ALONG THE LIGURIAN AND TYRRENiAN SEA TO SICILY

 


































🇮🇹 Sanremo 20 nm
🇮🇹 Andora 20 nm
🇮🇹 Port of Capo San Donato 35 nm
🇮🇹 Genoa 20 nm
🇮🇹 Portofino 10 nm
🇮🇹 Chiavare 10 nm
🇮🇹 Seno Canneto 20 nm
🇮🇹 La Spezia 40 nm
🇮🇹 Porto di Pisa 46 nm
🇮🇹 Capraia Isola 27 nm
🇮🇹 Porto di Marciana Marina 20 nm
🇮🇹 Pianosa Vecchio Porto 21 nm
🇮🇹 Isoal de Montecristo 31 nm
🇮🇹 Giglio Isl 40 nm
🇮🇹 Civitavecchia 35 nm
🇮🇹 Ostia 30 nm
🇮🇹 Anzio 75 nm
🇮🇹 Ischia 20 nm
🇮🇹 Capri 25 nm
🇮🇹 Amalfi 15 nm
🇮🇹 Salerno 45 nm
🇮🇹 Porto Marina di Casal Velino 30 nm
🇮🇹 Porto turistico di Sapri 8 nm
🇮🇹 Maratea 17 nm
🇮🇹 Isola Dino 32 nm
🇮🇹 Porto San Benedetto Marina 33 nm
🇮🇹 Porto Turistico di Amantea 27 nm
🇮🇹 Tropea 45 nm
🇮🇹 Scilla 32 nm
🇮🇹 Messina 30 nm
🇮🇹 Taormina 25 nm
🇮🇹 Ognina 43 nm
🇮🇹 Syracuse 0 nm

WINDS

Tides and Currents

SWELL AND WAVES 

B)  Part I  – Gibraltar – Balearic Island –  850 NM























































🇬🇮 Gibraltar 10  nm
🇪🇸 Sotogrande 20  nm
🇪🇸 Estepona 18  nm
🇪🇸 Marbella 15  nm
🇪🇸 Fuengirola 20  nm
🇪🇸 Malaga 17  nm
🇪🇸 Caleta 20  nm
🇪🇸 Motril 31 nm
🇪🇸 Almerimar 42  nm
🇪🇸 Cabo de Gata 13  nm
🇪🇸 Puerto de Garrucha 22  nm
🇪🇸 Marina Juan Montiel 36  nm
🇪🇸 Cartagena 45  nm
🇪🇸 Torrevieja 45  nm
🇪🇸 Alicante 30  nm
🇪🇸 Punta de Pinet 25  nm
🇪🇸 Cala Mascarat 10  nm
🇪🇸 Calp 4  nm
🇪🇸 Cap D’ Or 7  nm
🇪🇸 Cala Saona 62 nm
🇪🇸 Platja de ses Illetes 6 nm
🇪🇸 Badia de s’Alga 2 nm
🇪🇸 Illa des Porcs 2 nm
🇪🇸 Marina Eivissa 9 nm
🇪🇸 Punta des Llumbí 11 nm
🇪🇸 Punta Roja 5 nm
🇪🇸 Cala d’Hort 3 nm
🇪🇸 Cala Moli 4 nm
🇪🇸 Port de San Antoni 9 nm
🇪🇸 Ses Balandres 8 nm
🇪🇸 Cala Sant Miquel 9 nm
🇪🇸 Cala de Portinatx 6 nm
🇪🇸 Port de las Caletas 5 nm
🇪🇸 Cala Aigua Dolça 4 nm
🇪🇸 Puerto de Palama 66 nm
🇪🇸 Cala Sa Puntassa 20 nm
🇪🇸 Port d’ Andratx 10 nm
🇪🇸 Sant Elm 4 nm
🇪🇸 Cala de ses Ortiges 7 nm
🇪🇸 Punta del Àguila 10 nm
🇪🇸 Cala Deia 8 nm
🇪🇸 Marina del Port de Sóller 5 nm
🇪🇸 Port de Sa Calobra 8 nm
🇪🇸 Cala Castell 16 nm
🇪🇸 Islote  Colomer 5 nm
🇪🇸 Cala Figuera 4 nm
🇪🇸 Puerto Antiguo de Menorca 35 nm
🇪🇸 Cala del Amarrado 6 nm
🇪🇸 Cala de Algaiarens 9 nm
🇪🇸 Cala Ferragut 10 nm
🇪🇸 Badia de Fornells 10 nm
🇪🇸 Arenal d’en Castell 9 nm
🇪🇸 Port Addaia 4 nm
🇪🇸 Illa den Colom 8 nm
🇪🇸 Port de Maó 12 nm

🔧 Cruising Considerations

  • Shorter hops: Almost daily harbor options.

  • Better fuel & provisioning: Especially along the Spanish and Italian coastlines.

  • Weather: Coastal cruising allows for ducking into marinas in case of mistral or scirocco.

  • Marina Fees: Expect higher prices in France and popular Italian zones in summer.










































🇮🇹 Piscina de Fornelli 2 nm
🇮🇹 Passaggio della Pelosa 3 nm
🇮🇹 MARINA OF STINTINO 10 nm
🇮🇹 Spiaggia Scoglio Lungo 26 nm
🇮🇹 Spiaggia di sassi “di Robinson” 25 nm
🇮🇹 Spiaggia Rena Majori 5 nm
🇮🇹 La Colba 3 nm
🇮🇹 Cala Spinosa 4 nm
🇮🇹 Porto di Santa Teresa Gallura 5 nm
🇮🇹 Cala Marmorata 6 nm
🇮🇹 Porto Liscia 3 nm
🇮🇹 Cala Corsara 5 nm
🇮🇹 Cala di Villamarina 4 nm
🇮🇹 Porto Palma Caprera 5 nm
🇮🇹 Baia Porto Piccolo 8 nm
🇮🇹 Golfo Pevero 5 nm
🇮🇹 Capriccioli Cala del Principe 4 nm
🇮🇹 IGY Portisco Marina 5 nm
🇮🇹 Cala Sabina 9 nm
🇮🇹 Cala Moresca 3 nm
🇮🇹 Cala di Sssari 7 nm
🇮🇹 Porto Turistico Marina di Olbia 10 nm
🇮🇹 Porto Istana 4 nm
🇮🇹 Cala Finanza 4 nm
🇮🇹 Isloa Molaa 6 nm
🇮🇹 Cala Brandinci 4 nm
🇮🇹 Poto Ottilolu 10 nm
🇮🇹 Orvile 23 nm
🇮🇹 Cala Liberotto 10 nm
🇮🇹 Cala Osalla 11 nm
🇮🇹 Cala Sisine 6 nm
🇮🇹 Cala Goloritze 1 nm
🇮🇹 Cala Ombra 9 nm
🇮🇹 Cala di Pedra Longa 6 nm
🇮🇹 Marina de Arbatax 34 nm
🇮🇹 Melisenda 7 nm
🇮🇹 Le Piscine 10 nm
🇮🇹 Porto Corallo 9 nm
🇮🇹 Cala sa Figu 11 nm
🇮🇹 Cala Sinizas 8 nm
🇮🇹 Porto Giunco 6 nm
🇮🇹 Marina di Villasimius 0 nm

by admin

crossing the gulfstream

FLORIDA TO THE BAHAMAS

FLORIDA TO THE BAHAMAS

Don’t Go Into The Gulf Stream With A Northerly Wind Component

 

Miami / Miami Beach TO BERRY ISLANDS 130 nm

  • Best for: Crossing to the Berry Islands
  • Pros: Shortest crossing to Bimini, good marinas, well-equipped for provisioning
  • Cons: Heavy boat traffic, busy city environment

MIAMI TO THE BERRY ISLANDS









 Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades)

  • Best for: Bimini (53 NM) or Grand Bahama (West End)
  • Pros: Easy inlet access, major marinas, well-stocked marine stores
  • Cons: Heavily trafficked inlet, commercial ship traffic

 

Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) to Grand Bahama (West End)




Palm Beach (Lake Worth Inlet)

  • Best for: Grand Bahama (West End – 55 NM)
  • Pros: Wide, deep inlet, fewer boat traffic issues than Miami/Fort Lauderdale
  • Cons: Slightly longer trip if heading to Bimini

 

PALM BEACH – LAKE WORTH INLET to Grand Bahama (West End)



 


Stuart (St. Lucie Inlet)

  • Best for:  Abacos (~110 NM)
  • Pros: Less crowded departure point, good for northbound Bahamas routes
  • Cons: Shallow inlet, can be tricky in bad weather

Stuart (St. Lucie Inlet) to ABACOS   110nm



 




 


Key Biscayne / Florida Keys (Marathon, Key Largo, Key West)

  • Best for: Bimini, Berry Islands, Nassau, Exumas
  • Pros: Warmer waters, fewer Gulf Stream concerns, easier access to central Bahamas
  • Cons: Longer overall crossing distances compared to Miami/Fort Lauderdale

KEY BISCANE  to BIMINI 50nm





 


General Considerations:

  • Gulf Stream Timing – Best to cross with calm winds and a light southerly breeze to avoid rough conditions.
  • Weather Windows – Check forecasts carefully, as strong north winds create dangerous waves.
  • Customs Check-In

 

Crossing form Cap Canaveral to the Bahamas is not advised

NOTE Crossing form Cap Canaveral to the Bahamas is not advised

Tides and Currents

WINDS

by admin

routs and tracks

ROUTES

OCEAN POSSE ROUTES

There are many key routes along the Ocean Posse - we are collecting reports and are compiling a comprehensive list of how to get from A to B in favorable conditions.

  • Maritime Routes: These are established paths or corridors on the sea used by vessels for regular voyages between cruising ports, often based on historic patterns, ocean currents, and safety considerations. They are like highways of the ocean, used for seasonal sailings, staging for ocean crossings, and enjoyable cruising. Choose from the ROUTES menu above.

  • Maritime Approaches and GPX Tracks: These refer to the navigable waters leading into anchorages, marinas, to moorings, into small harbors, into atolls, though reefs or coastal areas. They are recorded for safe entry and exit from a known points of interest and  involve a series of, way-points, and controlled access points. Approaches require careful navigation, GPS accuracy due to factors like shoals, reefs, rocks, obstructions,  tides, yacht and small vessel traffic and potential hazard. GPX tracks are kept within GOODNAUTICAL.com for Ocean Posse participants and are organized by global maritime areas (GMA's)

  • Access know routes or challenging passages from the ROUTE sub menus above

 Routes cover long-distance navigation between places, while Tracks and approaches focus on the final stages of a vessel's journey near a marina, harbor anchorage, or moorings.

by admin

downwind fast and furious

ABC'S to COLOMBIA

ABC’S to COLOMBIA

this is a downwind run – fast and furious

Route Overview

Distance: Approximately 350 nautical miles
Estimated Duration: 2–4 days, depending on weather, vessel speed, and stopovers
Route Highlights:

  • Aruba’s protected leeward coast
  • The open Caribbean Sea crossing
  • Venezuelan Waters – don’t get too close
  • Santa Marta’s dramatic Sierra Nevada backdrop

Weather Considerations

  1. Trade Winds:
    The prevailing northeast trade winds (15–25 knots) will likely be on the beam or quarter. Expect steady winds but prepare for gusts.
    They can pipe up to 35 knots – accidental gibes and risk of rig breaks  due to heavy sea state and winds.
  2. Seas:
    The waters ill be choppy, with swells ranging from 4–8 feet. It can become rough near the Guajira Peninsula due to accelerated winds.
    You can expect up to 12 – 15 foot seas and massive following seas

 

  1. Season:
    • Best time: November to May
    • Caution: June–October is hurricane season. Though storms skew north of thi route
      rare in this region, the sea can be unpredictable with squalls and lightning

Route Planning

  1. Departure from Aruba:
    • Depart from Oranjestad or Barcadera during daylight.
    • Clear customs and immigration before leaving.
  2. Open Crossing:
    • Stay south to avoid the rougher central Caribbean.
    • Monitor weather updates for squalls.
  3. Guajira Peninsula:
    • The region can have strong katabatic winds and high seas.
    • Approach with caution; night passages are not recommended.
  4. Arrival in Santa Marta:
    • Santa Marta Marina provides excellent facilities and a secure anchorage.
    • Clear customs and immigration upon arrival.

PILOT CHARTS FOR THIS ROUTE

 WEATHER

CURRENTS

SWELL AND WAVES 

by admin

SV GARGOYLE TRANSITS THE CORINTH CANAL IN GREECE

SV GARGOYLE TRANSITS THE CORINTH CANAL IN GREECE

The Corinth Canal offers vessels a much shorter and more protected route over the Peploponnese Peninsula.

This week SV Gargoyle shares their final stages of their cruising season in Greece with the Ocean Posse:

Gargoyle and her crew are enjoying the last few weeks of the season cruising with family in Greece. This week we've made the transition west from the Saronic Gulf to the Ionian Sea via the incredible Corinth canal. To make things perfect, our daughter and son-in-law have joined us for a ten day stay before we head towards our winter home, Malta's Manoel Island Yacht Marina. Cheers from warm and sunny Greece!

Heading through the Corinth Canal. Hard to believe the idea started in 60 BC and it finally was finished in the late 1800's?!
The Corinth Canal is a tidal canal.

The Corinth Canal connects the Gulf of Corinth in the Ionian Sea with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. It cuts through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth and separates the Peloponnese from the Greek mainland, making the peninsula an island. The canal was dug through the Isthmus at sea level and has no locks. It is 6.4 kilometres (4 miles) in length and only 24.6 metres (80.7 feet) wide at sea level

SV GARGOYLE 🇨🇦 Kevin & Carla - Beneteau 50'

by EDITOR

ATLANTIC ROUTES















by admin

ROUTE MEDITERRANEAN SPAIN TO GIBRALTAR

ROUTE



PILOT CHARTS ROUTE SPAIN TO GIBRALTAR

 

Weather Patterns

WINDS

Tides and Currents

SWELL AND WAVES 

[/mepr-show]

by admin

STRAIT OF GIBRALTAR

STRAIGHT OF GIBRALTAR

STRAIGHT OF GIBRALTAR
Over 100,000 ships transit through Gibraltar every year

Density of seawater in the Strait of Gibraltar One of the unique features of the Strait of Gibraltar is the inflow and outflow of the Med  which consists of layers of water with different salinity (salinity). Atlantic water is less saline and less concentrated than Mediterranean water, and flows eastward into the Mediterranean through straits as a surface layer, flowing at a speed of 2 to 3 knots at a depth of about 125 m. In contrast, heavier, cooler, and saltier water flows westward into the Atlantic Ocean. Depending on the phase of the tide, the currents flow eastward faster or slower.

Tides in the Strait of Gibraltar – 
A very distinctive feature of the Strait of Gibraltar is the continuous evaporation of water. Vertical water height in the Mediterranean Sea decreases by almost 1 meter every year. About 6.5+ million years ago, the general shape of the Mediterranean base was similar to what it is today. The movement of the plates cut off the flow of water from ocean to ocean, completely evaporating the area. But about 5+ million years ago, the plates moved again and the straits opened, allowing large amounts of water to flow out of the ocean and refill the Mediterranean basin. This evaporation continues today, and it is estimated that if the strait were to close at current high sea levels, the basin would evaporate again. Backwash and Internal Waves Adding another challenging piece to the tidal puzzle that shapes the Strait of Gibraltar near the African continent are the often narrow two-knot backwashes that interact with the Caminal Stile (the shallowest part of the strait) and cause internally generated waves. As stated by NASA; "The waves are generated when daily tidal pulses flow through the shallow Caminal Stile near Gibraltar. They flow eastward and break up the coastal topography. They can be traced up to 90 nm, and in some cases produce interference patterns due to refracted waves

Internal waves are vertical movements between two layers and can have displacements of over 100 m with wavelengths of 1-3 nm. They are so noticeable as surface wave patterns that sunlight is carefully scattered by the water surface


Alboran Gyre

As the upper-level flow pours into the Mediterranean, the Coriolis force (an effect of the earth's rotation) causes it to form a large clockwise eddy (gyre) off the North African coast called the Alboran Gyre. A smaller weak anti-clockwise eddy forms to the North. Countercurrents (westward direcction) can be seen close inshore along both shores, particularly near headlands that project into the current.

The western end of the Mediterranean, aka  Alboran Sea, is the habitat for a  largest population of dolphins in the western Mediterranean

A layer of outward-flowing dense water stays deep after exiting the Mediterranean and forms a ribbon extending along the Spanish and Portuguese coasts at about 1000m depth.

Sailing through the Strait of Gibraltar requires careful attention to weather and sea conditions due to its unique geographical and meteorological characteristics. Here are the key weather considerations:

1. Winds

  • Levanter (Easterly Wind):
    • A persistent easterly wind often brings cloudy conditions and rough seas. It can funnel through the Strait and increase in intensity.
    • Best avoided unless heading westward, as it can create challenging conditions for eastbound sailors.
  • Poniente (Westerly Wind):
    • A prevailing westerly wind, generally milder than the Levanter, but still capable of creating choppy seas.
    • Ideal for eastbound passages toward the Mediterranean.

 

2. Tidal Currents

  • Eastward Currents:
    • A strong eastward current flows into the Mediterranean, influenced by the Atlantic Ocean's higher sea level.
    • This can work to your advantage when heading east but poses a challenge for westbound sailors.
  • Tidal Variability:
    • Currents can reach up to 4 knots in some areas, especially during spring tides. Timing your passage with favorable tidal flows is crucial.

3. Sea State

  • The Strait is narrow, creating significant wave amplification when winds oppose tidal currents.
  • Crosswinds or opposing currents can result in steep, short-period waves.

4. Visibility

  • Fog and mist are common, particularly in early mornings during the summer months, requiring vigilance and radar/plotter use.

5. Seasonal Variations

  • Summer:
    • Higher Levanter activity. Calm mornings with wind building in the afternoon.
  • Winter:
    • Westerly Poniente is more prevalent, with occasional storm systems moving through.
    • Sea conditions can be rougher, with occasional squalls.

6. Traffic

  • The Strait is one of the world's busiest maritime routes.
    • Monitor AIS (Automatic Identification System) to track large vessels and maintain safe distances.
    • Cross the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) at right angles if crossing rather than hugging the coast.

7. Best Practices

  • Check local forecasts from Spanish (AEMET) and Moroccan Meteorological Services.
  • Consider timing your departure for slack tide or favorable currents.
  • Have contingency plans for anchoring or sheltering in nearby ports like Tarifa, Algeciras, or Ceuta.

 

 

Modelling the Strait of Gibraltar

WINDS

CURRENTS

SWELL AND WAVES 

 

Transiting the Straits of Gibraltar

Navigating the Straits of Gibraltar requires careful planning, considering wind, tides, currents, and potential orca encounters. Here are the key points for a successful passage:

Timing and Conditions

  • Wind: Prevailing winds are the Levante (east) in summer and Poniente (west) in winter. Avoid strong winds; a light or nearly windless forecast is ideal.
  • Tides and Currents: Complex patterns; use a Tidal Stream Atlas for guidance.
  • Forecasts: Use ECMWF models and monitor Tarifa Radio for updates.
  • Shipping Traffic: Stay clear of busy lanes and cross perpendicularly if necessary.

Specific Strategies

  • Eastbound: Best with a light Poniente or calm conditions; depart from ports like Barbate or Tangier.
  • Westbound: Favorable with a light Levante; wait for suitable conditions in Gibraltar or Ceuta.

For a detailed guide, visit the original article.

by oceanpossecom

route FROM CARTAGENA TO COLOMBIA

COLOMBIA TO ARUBA - THE IMPOSSIBLE UPWIND ROUTE

COLOMBIA TO ARUBA - THE IMPOSSIBLE UPWIND ROUTE

route FROM CARTAGENA TO COLOMBIA
WIND GUSTS
route FROM CARTAGENA TO COLOMBIA
WAVES
route FROM CARTAGENA TO COLOMBIA
WIND AND SWELL
route FROM CARTAGENA TO COLOMBIA
CURRENTS

ROCHAMBEAU 2024-05-05  account from SV ROCHAMBEU

Beyond devastated. That’s how we feel right now. It’s been a while since I’ve really documented our nomadic lifestyle. We have sailed from California, USA through Mexico, Costa Rica, the Pacific side of Panama, through the Panama Canal, the Caribbean side of Panama, through Colombia’s “pirate alley”, and two thirds the way to Aruba, actually into the waters of the Netherland Antilles. We met some of the most amazing adventurous people along the way who will forever be in our hearts. Some of them we met in California and others in Mexico. Some have split up but then we meet back up and call it “bungee-boating”. Some we will never see again. But yesterday morning we split up unexpectedly, heart wrenchingly. After motor sailing for 2 days and 2 nights in benign sea conditions, the weather took a drastic turn. Suddenly while on night watch, 25 knots of steady wind came out of the Atlantic and the seas starting pounding. By daylight we were feeling drained from a lack of sleep and our buddy boats had begun drifting away. We were still fine, all communicating on VHF radio, and eagerly waiting to just get through it for another 40-50 miles so that we could wake up to sunny Aruba and eat an anticipated Dutch breakfast. (You should’ve seen how excited Rolf grew a few nights ago when it dawned on him that we were going to sail to a country where people spoke his language and he could eat Dutch food again.) But then suddenly a new tie down strap for our dinghy snapped and blew away. Shit! Because we were bashing there was a lot of force and our dinghy davits were compromised, now damaged and weakened. We had another new strap and were able to secure the dinghy. Good. But, our solar arch is also partially sitting on top of the davits and now the dinghy and solar panels are at risk of just breaking off and going kerplunck into the angry ocean. If that weren’t enough, we had a 2 knot current that we were fighting against while feeling like we were riding a bucking bull. This slowed us down to a whopping 1 knot of “speed”. We were crawling and waves were crashing over our bows every now and then. Making life go from worse to miserable, our autopilot shutoff because it couldn’t keep up with the bashing. Conditions matter. And yesterday morning was a perfect example where with rough seas, strong current, and high wind (all on the nose) was a trifecta for poor motor performance and loss of the autopilot. So we had to make one of the toughest decisions ever - either steer by hand for 2 days and crawl to Aruba or turn back to Colombia. The main considerations were the stability of our dinghy davit system, our own safety & fatigue, and the comfort of our 14 year old dog, who was clearly suffering too. We bashed for an hour debating back & forth whether we could make it safely to Aruba or turn back. The problem was that the weather forecast now indicated the wind and sea state could persist for another couple of days. So with immense sadness we turned around. 😭😭😭 Now we’re alone, sailing back down the Colombian coast to Santa Marta, maybe even back to Cartagena. Next up, we have to still work our day jobs, which can be stressful and demanding at times while we figure out how to reinforce our dinghy davits and consider replacing our props. Really, I wish we could buy a bigger and more powerful boat with tons of horsepower for the 5-10% of the time we really need to motor hard from one amazing destination to another. But for now, I’m back to the night watch cruising solo. At least we’re comfortable with the wind and swells behind us and our sails are up.

 

 

https://oceanposse.com/fleet-update-2025-05-04/#passage
Colombia to Spanish Water, Curaçao: We knew we were in for an uncomfortable bash against the elements and had been waiting for a decent weather window to leave Colombia for a few months. With only a few more weeks on our tourist visa, we pulled the trigger on what looked “good enough” and something we knew our sailboat could handle. Weather windows out of Colombia were not frequent and this year and had been closed out most of the season with intense trades. Predict wind indicated seas of 3-4 feet every 4-6 seconds, steady NE winds at 11-15 knots with gusts up to 18, and a counter current of 1-2.3 knots. Cape was low to zero which was needed for our psyche after dodging lightning storms from Panama to Colombia. 😅 Our sailboat typically averages 6-7 knots motoring and we anticipated a 3 day 2 night passage. Once we left the shelter of Santa Marta Marina, we had steady winds on the nose of 17-19 knots and choppy conditions (about 4’ waves at 5 seconds) that made us question what we were in for… We decided to continue to push forward still holding the thought in the back of our mind that we could always turn around and head back if we needed to. The first day and night at sea remained consistent, with random blasts of saltwater spray coming over our dodger and into the cockpit from the bow charging through the waves. However, that night, the current was much stronger than expected and we started averaging 4.5 SOG. Nobody else was out here except cargo ships in the distance. Day 2 we decided to tuck into Bahia Honda for 12 hours to get some rest/recovery and to avoid some CAPE that showed up on our latest forecast and because the additional current would have meant a nighttime arrival to Aruba or Curacao. Moreover, a delivery captain advised rounding the corner of Colombia between 2-5AM for more favorable conditions. We took the dinghy to shore to stretch our legs and saw a momma goat and her 3 babies who were very interested in our presence. The landscape at Bahia Honda is reminiscent of Baja Mexico; a desert-like landscape with rocks and plants that can handle minimal water. Left at 3am the following day (day 3) and as we rounded the northern nub or tip of Colombia towards Aruba the currents against us really kicked in and slowed us down! We can typically motor against the conditions with increased RPMs at 6knots SOG without issue but there were times when the waves were stacked and current would slow down to 3-4 knots! The stretch from Colombia to Aruba is not to be underestimated! The seas were confused with bashing up and down but also rolling us side to side making it impossible to boil water on a gimbaled stove to make a simple Mac and cheese dinner. (We look like drunk floppy babies trying to move around our boat to perform the simplest of task.) I had the unfortunate pleasure of being on the toilet when the hinges broke off the seat sending my bum to the floor; luckily no injuries and can laugh about shit going down on the shitter! Winds and waves stayed within what was forecasted and we passaged past Aruba around the middle of the night, enjoying the lights from shore and some protection from the island. However, there was still a strong current between Aruba and Venezuela dropping our average speed in the 4 knot range but the waves were more mellow. The next day we were able to make up speed to get to Curaçao in time before dark. The current started to ease about 1/4 of the way between Aruba and Curacao. Total of 4 days and 3 nights with a total average speed of 5.4 knots SOG and distance of 350nm, 65 hours of actual passage time. Helpful tip is not to use the Current data on Windy. Keenan found that the RTOFS model was much more accurate from predict wind. We didn’t figure that out until the last day.

by oceanpossecom

Costa Rica Golfo de Nicoya - Panama Posse

PACIFIC NORTHBOUND FROM PANAMA ROUTE

This content is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:


by oceanpossecom

© 2025 OCEAN POSSE. All rights reserved

Privacy Preference Center

Privacy Preferences