Kay Chung
Posted in Caribbean Islands, Sailings, South America
One of East Coco Bandero Islands, San Blas, Panama. Tourists can sleep overnight in a small building on a hammock.
Small building with palm fronds and solar panels. Coco Bandero Island, San Blas, Panama
Hammocks in the Building on Coco Bandero Island, San Blas, Panama
View from my cabin looking at the Island where we buried my cat, four years ago.
I made to my cat’s island. San Blas, Panama…
Kay Chung
Posted in Sailings, South America
Sculpture by the Beach in Santa Marta, Colombia
Souvenirs Made from Venezuelan Money, Santa Marta, Colombia
Street Vendors on the Main Street, Santa Marta, Colombia
Street Vendors on the Main Street, Santa Marta, Colombia
Sancocho, A Type of Typical Colombian Soup
A Shot during a Break for Hiking for River Tubing, Palomino, Colombia
We took a moto-taxi to the trail (10 Minutes), hiked more (1 Hour), and tube ride to the ocean (3 hours).
Fried Fish (Snook) Lunch by the Beach after Tubing, Palomino, Colombia
Before departing Santa Marta, we loaded with lots of tropical fruits and vegetables.…
Kay Chung
Posted in Sailings, South America
Rumba Class (Instuctor: Luis Marrugo) at Santa Marta Fitness Center, Colombia
My recent hobby is going to the gym; because, a work-out makes me feel good. While staying in Santa Marta, I decided to join the fitness center. A temporary membership cost about USD 25 (= 80,000 Pesos for 15 uses in two months ). They offer various classes. I attended a Rumba class and a Combat class. The Combat class was the same as the Kickboxing class in my gym in Fort Lauderdale (Broward General Hospital Fitness Center). I liked both the Rumba and Combat Classes. I developed a friendship with my classmates and the instructors.
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Kay Chung
Posted in Sailings, South America
Wind blows plastics bags uphill to get stuck in the brush.
It has been extremely windy in Santa Marta, blowing easily 30 to 40 knots at the marina for a week now. Sometimes, almost to 50 knots. Definitely not smart walking with a dog or a kid. When I was in 2015, it was so hot. This time, it is so windy. This area is notorious with strong wind in the Caribbean, especially in December, January, and February. We are looking for a good weather window to leave Santa Marta.
Very windy, note the waves in the marina and the palm tree!…
Kay Chung
Posted in Sailings, South America
Plastic bags of drinking water are economical.The Central Market in Santa Marta is busy and alive. Fruits and Vegetables are real tasty here. Tomatoes taste like tomatoes and Pineapple melts in your mouth. We have been eating lots of fruits. Making a big jar of Salsa with fresh Cilantro, Tomatoes, Onion, Pepper, Garlic, Lime Juice, Salt, Pepper, and Sugar. For breakfast, we put salsa and oil in a pan. Then, add eggs. It is simple to make and very delicious. For drinking water, we are cautious. Thus, we buy bags of water and transfer it to bottles.
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Kay Chung
Posted in Sailings, South America
I am back on the boat. Good or bad, I chose to live this way. Some challenges and some incredible experiences. During my absence on the boat, John’s Spanish skills improved greatly. We lost one cat, and now have only the other cat, Swat.
People start the day early in Santa Marta in order to beat the heat of the day. For the last 15 months, John hired a local worker, Daniel for his boat projects. Daniel’s schedule was 6 am to 11 am, 3 hours lunch break,
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(January 1, 2020) New Decade, I started a new chapter in my life today. Fort Lauderdale Airport was quiet on New Year’s Day: one way ticket to Santa Marta via Bogota, Colombia. John’s sailboat (in Santa Marta) has been waiting for me. As soon I get organized, we plan to sail to San Blas, then cross the Panama Canal, weather depending.
I am wishing you LOVE and PEACE. Also, happy MIND and BODY. Wherever I am, I am hoping our friendship grows continuously. Friends and families are my asset.
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Kay Chung
Posted in Atlantic Islands, Boat Projects, Caribbean Islands, Sailings, South America
(February 13 – 16, 2018) From Suriname (South America) to Chaguaramas in Trinidad, we sailed a total of 565 miles in 77 hours. On the second day, even including the slowdown for the autopilot repair, we still made our fastest daily trip, 184 miles.
Motoring out of the Suriname River, we scheduled our departure time with the tides. Not wanting an incoming current slowing us, we left the Waterland Marina at 6:50am, about two hours after Paramaribo high tide. It might have been better if we left one or 1.5 hours after the Paramaribo high tide, but we waited for daybreak.
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Kay Chung
Posted in Atlantic Islands, Caribbean Islands, Sailings, South America
Suriname is not well-known as a travel destination yet. It is an easy going country. A massive river flows through it, and thick green forest are all over Suriname. It offers jungle tours and a unique mixed cultural experience. Most of the sailboats and travelers are from the Netherlands.
Driving on the left side of the road was new thing for us. We managed quite well even while avoiding lots of pot holes and slowly driving over the Drumpels (Speed Bumps). With a non-Suriname Driver’s License, we can drive for two weeks. John applied for a ‘Suriname Driving Permit’
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Kay Chung
Posted in Internet Abroad, South America
(January – February 2018) In Suriname, I bought a SIM Card from the Digicel store in Paramaribo, Capital of Suriname. SIM Card cost 30 Suriname Dollars (about USD4) and 6GB data cost 153 Suriname Dollars (about USD21) which is good for 30 days. I paid it by US Dollars and received change in Suriname Dollars. The store person setup my phone. There was no waiting line in the store.
We stayed in the Waterland Resort Marina near Domburg (http://waterlandsuriname.com/w/). There is Wi-Fi available at the outdoor café/restaurant in the marina. This Wi-Fi speed was good but the connection speed from the boat was not fast enough for me.
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