After choosing a weather window with relatively calm seas and Easterly winds for sailing we set off from Grand Cayman and arrived in Providencia 355 miles or 3 days later. Your first sight of Providencia is the glistening palm trees and rocky cliffs and as you enter the channel you pass Morgan’s Head on Santa Catalina Island and in front of you is Morgan’s Crack on the main island Providencia.

You have to use an agent to check in to Columbia so we contacted Mr Bush the only agent here. After providing him with all our documentation we then found we had to negotiate his fees down as what he quoted was higher than what friends had paid 2 weeks previously. Must be end of season, hmmmm.

I then went in search of a Columbian courtesy flag but no such luck here. Luc and Aline on S/V Oceana1 who we knew from the Rio Dulce came to our rescue with a flag Aline had made us. Thanks Aline!

Providencia is a small natural colorful island with no large resorts, a few small communities scattered around the island and this impressive rocky volcanic landscape, with its highest point being 360m; the Peak. The locals here are very friendly waving out as you wander by their homes and most people here speak English, which is a bonus.

Santa Catalina, the smaller island is a national park accessed via the 100m floating Lovers Lane bridge. The channel here was dredged by pirates to protect the islands from invasion. We climbed up the stairs to Fort Warwick and then walked the trail out to Morgan’s Head past pirate beach. Henry Morgan, an English admiral and privateer (sanctioned pirate) in the 17th Century terrorized the Spanish fleets from this area and set their headquarters at the Fort. We enjoyed snorkeling the coast here and came across an old Cannon under the Fort.

Together with Luc and Ailene we hired scooters (40,000 pesos/ US$13 day) to see the main island and its sights.

The bus stops scattered around the island are unique

We took our dinghies for the day out to Crab Cay and into the national park to the Three Brothers and the surrounding reefs to get some snorkeling in. (16000 pesos entry fee each to park incl Crab Cay). The views from Crab Cay were amazing looking out at the reefs and color changes of the water on this side of the island.

Unfortunately the coral here is covered in a brown green film as we have seen in many places in the Caribbean. The far reef out from Crab Cay was amazing as you felt like you were in a city as there were lots of huge coral structures coming up out of the sand.

I organized a cruiser group hike up to El Pico ( The Peak) where Russell & Laura from S/V Lutana decided to join us as our guides, as they had already done the hike. It starts at the community of Bottom House an area which was where the freed slaves settled and was named this since the plantation owners were high above in the mountains.

Along the hike Laura who is Columbian showed us lots of different plants and explained their uses.

We had heard that there are bareback Horse races on the beach at Southwest bay Saturdays so together with Stu & Steph from S/V Matador we headed down there. After being told there was going to be a race it was cancelled as the sand was too soft. It’s meant to be a fun day with betting and brings lots of people out to watch it. Oh well lunch and a day out isn’t such a bad thing.

After getting permission from the Port Captain to go to Low Cay we sailed the 10nm north, for a change of scene for a few days. Crystal clear water and just a lighthouse on the reef.

Finally word spread around town that there was going to be a horse race so off we all went again………

Roland from Roland’s beach bar even did a lap of the beach

Definitely a great place to kick back and relax. Moving on to San Andreas, Columbia.