Santa Marta, Colombia

The next portion of our passage west and now somewhat south is 120 miles and with the wind and seas still up we decided to hug the coast and see if a day hop was a possibility. After our hair raising passage around Cabo de Vela a calm and flat sail to Santa Marta was very much anticipated. Dolphins came out
to greet us as we made our way down the coast, always a good luck sign for a smooth sail. 

A perusal of the open road stead off muddy Rioacho did not strike us as an anchorage for the night and so it was determined that an overnight passage to Santa Marta was the best course of action. With a full moon for our night sail, we passed the Five Bays a little before dawn and made landfall at Santa Marta just at sunrise. 

Santa Marta is a busy port town as well as a weekend destination for locals. There is a large marina here now that makes entry into the country much easier than it use to be, although Colombia is still requiring the use of an agent for processing all your paperwork for immigration, port captain, and customs. Tying up to the dock was a luxury we indulged ourselves in as there is so much dirt and diesel fuel everywhere from Bonaire, Curacao, and the anchorage under the airport in Aruba that the thought of unlimited amounts of fresh water almost has us drooling. We have renamed the ABC’s the wind and dust islands and other than the fantastic diving in Bonaire they will remain on our least favorite islands list. 

Founded in 1525 by the Spanish conquistador Rodrigo de Bastidas, Santa Marta is the oldest city in Colombia and the second oldest in South America. The famed Venezuelan born Simon Bolivar who liberated South America from the oppressive rule of the Spanish is buried here and the streets are picturesque, full of beautiful historical buildings, and swept clean nightly. 

Local colorful buses are cheap and frequent and one of the best things Don and I love about being back in Latin America, public transportation is everywhere and convenient. The malacon along the waterfront was the place for delicious local food and we indulged in fried corn arepas with local farm cheese, freshly barbecued skewers of chicken, beef, and sausage known as pinchos, and small cups of the best ceviche I have ever had! 

A stop was made at the Starbucks of Colombia, and a small shot of rich Colombian coffee helped to fuel our wandering.

Plazas with the requisite cathedrals are everywhere, some shady and a welcome respite from the oppressive heat, and some blinding in the sun. This cathedral was not open for viewing and the plaza empty of people in the Sunday afternoon heat. Sunday is my favorite day to take photos of historical buildings as there are less people and cars about. Huge doors are a hallmark of colonial Spanish architecture as it was custom to keep horse stables on the ground floor of the inner courtyard where they were well protected. Usually made of incredibly thick wood and heavy, sometimes beautifully carved and ornate, doors always catch my camera’s eye.

Being a builder and well versed in many types of materials, Don is always fascinated with the many layers of construction seen in ancient and abandoned buildings. 


The ornate scroll work of the balconies and brightly colored vines of bougainvillea meandering aimlessly contrast sharply with the ancient plaster and sheet metal and puts a whole new meaning to the words reuse, recycle, renew! 

Brick, wood, glass, limestone, gravel, rock, and later cement all make for an interesting pictorial study in texture and color. 
Even though some buildings looked old and discarded on the outside, the inside courtyards are made for shady escapes, cool and inviting. 

This abandoned building’s beautiful doorway immediately caught my eye, and the polished and ornate staircase inside and courtyard beyond had me seriously eying the sign posted on the wall. 

On our way back to the boat and in the midst of tall glass high rises and cement, this Victorian era building seemed out of place, appearing displaced by its' modern surroundings. A cross between the Bates Motel and the home of the Addams Family, it belonged to a Spanish general and now is undergoing extensive restoration. Santa Marta has been a welcome stop, beautifully historical, the marina modern and convenient, and the Colombian people as friendly as we remember. Next stop.....Cartagena!