Day 3 - Friday Dec 30 San Andres, Columbia

San Andres photos

position: 14:47:27 N latitude x 81:32:38 W longitude
(100 miles ESE of Cabo Gracias a Dios at the border between El Salvador and Nicaragua)
speed: 18 knots with a with a 300 degree head wind at about 18mph.
temperature: 80F and 90% humidity at 7:30 am - partly cloudy

Internet and blackberry were up this morning but were lost midmorning and were only up for a short period in the afternoon. Debbie started her exercise program today going to 3 classes between 7:30am and 9:00am. She worked out the scheduling conflict and empty stomach problem by eating 2 breakfasts. She went alone down to the Coffee Corner and had a latte and a chocolate croissant and 3 strawberries, then went with me to LaVeranda after 9 and had oatmeal+banana. When they kept asking why she wouldn't take coffee, she told them it was her second breakfast.

It looks like we will be able to go ashore in San Andres today. The ship should anchor at 2pm with the last tender leaving the dock at 5:00.

We went to a wine tasting in the Compass Rose at 11am. There were two French wines (a white - Chablis Premier Cru Domaine Larose 2003; and a red - Chateau Mazeris 2002) and two Autralian wines (a white - Sauvignon Blanc Brancott Vineyard 2004, Marlborough Valley New Zealand; and a red Koonunga Hill Penfold's 2002 South Australia). The whites were a little more acidic than we like, but were good. The reds were strong finishers. We had to leave the tasting before the end of it to make it to Captain Dag's WOrld Cruiser's Cocktail reception in the Horizon Lounge. They served champagne and caviar. Then there was a special luncheon in Signatures Restaurant. They served Foie Gras, Dover sole and veal medallions along with floating islands for dessert. Debbie later went up to the pool bar where they were having Mexican food to get something to eat. She was busted at her second lunch and laughed at by the Laurens, the Food & Beverage Manager with whom we dined last night. He had seen her earlier at the Captain's luncheon. Also, having learned her weird food rules last night, he had told her that she would not be able to eat anything at the Signature's lunch which only confirmed Debbie's hunch and she really hated to miss the Mexican lunch. So, she made nice at Signatures and raced up to get an enchilada, but it was pouring rain and the thing was just about shut down but she was able to make herself a beef burrito and find a dry place to eat it. She told me that she has become a hobbit with first breakfast and second breakfast, first lunch, second lunch, etc.

At about 3pm, we arrived at St Andres Island, Columbia. This is strictly a technical stop. A cruise ship cannot leave one US port and arrive another US port without visiting an approved foreign country. Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico are not approved, but Columbia is. Hence the reason for the stop. There is nothing at the dock. The city center was 10 (km or miles?) from the dock. It was a tender stop with the tenders leaving from the straboard side. We left on the first tender and returned on the second tender. We were on land for about 20 minutes or so. Walked up and down the road a bit, took some pictures of the ship anchored off shore. And that was it. But Debbie did get some shore time.

Back on ship, Debbie was off to another set of fitness classes and Clay was doing a little work communicating with his office on his blackberry, though some spotty signals. About half the time, it displays a message Data communication refused. He hopes this is a temporary thing.

Ate dinner in the Compass Rose. Debbie had a filet mignon and Clay had chicken. We made it an early evening. Overnight, there was some general movement in the ship with lots of creaking and groaning noises in the cabin.

San Andres photos