Archiv
CW 44 2002
20.10. - 26.10.2002
It's Sunday again, and after an enjoyable Saturday evening it's time to spend
a relaxing day at the beach again. The beautiful beach Playa Caribe is very
close to Juan Griego. A beach, of course, not missing the fresh oysters and
nice beach restaurants (and I enjoy both). The sound of the surf is wonderful
and the sun shining down beautifully, just maybe a little strong.
I've had a sore throat for the last few days, and now, on Sunday evening,
I notice that I probably have quite a fever. Yep, 39°C and that only leaves
me one choice: try to bring the fever down. So I retreat to my bunk with a
few aspirin. Surely it will be better tomorrow morning. Well, not really.
My fever is still high and my throat is swollen closed. So, early in the morning
I make my way to a hospital on Isla Margarita whose Ambulance is equipped
to treat mild cases. And, what awaits me there is impressive. Sure, the equipment
can't be compared to European standards, but the patients are treated friendly
and with respect, even though the hospital is quite full already. I don't
have to wait very long and the doctors' expert knowledge is also very large.
They quickly find out what's wrong with me. A male and a female doctor confer
together, deciding what prescription I need and then explain to me in detail.
I'm really glad that I know enough Spanish to be able to understand. A perceptive
nurse also gives me an infusion to lower the fever and then they give me a
friendly Adios, shake hands and that was it. And the bill for all that?
Nothing! All that was for free. Amazing, isn't it?
Back outside, the taxi I came with is still waiting and together we set out
to find a pharmacy that's open. That's not going to be easy today since a
general strike is going on. Almost all shops in the entire country are closed
and nobody's working. They are protesting against the current government,
demanding a re-election. But the pharmacies, just like the friendly people
in the hospital make sure their countrymen's basic needs are covered and therefore
I also get what I need through the closed security bars of a pharmacy. After
that I quickly make my way back, pull the dinghy of the shore, into the water
and get back to my boat. Back home I first had breakfast and then took my
medication, and that was it for the day.
On Tuesday I'm already feeling a lot better, so I'm able to go out and buy
a few fresh supplies. Actually I had planned to sail to Blanquilla on Monday,
then I'd postponed it to Thursday, but now, that the wind has changed direction
the smell from the nearby saltwater lagoon is really bad and Silver Blue is
already weighing anchor on Wednesday morning.
It's about 60 nautical miles to Blanquilla and it's good fun to be sailing
again. With 4-5 Beaufort and the main sail slightly reefed Silver Blue is
doing a steady 8-9 knots.
On my way I have a short "meeting" with a Philippine freighter who
is crossing my way. Sure, since I'm under sail, I do have the right of way,
but there really is no need to force a commercial ship to make way in the
middle of the ocean! So, as it becomes evident that a collision will take
place, I turn into the wind and let my sail flutter for a while. The freighter
with approx. 100 busses aboard passes me very closely and the captain greets
me from his bridge.
Thanks to the good speed I already drop anchor in the afternoon, in front
of a beautiful sand beach on Blanquilla. BILD
And guess, who else is here, has been here for more than 2 weeks? The yacht
"Julia". And they like it here so much that they're going to stay
for even longer. Even though Blanquilla is a very flat island with sparse
vegetation, it's really beautiful here and there's a lot to be discovered.
Short bushes and grasses grow on the island, as well as a few gnarled trees
and plenty of cacti that sometimes grow extremely large.
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| The fauna here is mainly under water. Plenty of colourful fish swim
around the beautiful corals close to shore. There's not much ashore. A
few donkeys live on the island, but you only get to see their excrements
and at night you can hear them. There's a very special kind of animal
living here - and only here on Blanquilla - though. There are quite a
number of black lizards scuttling around here in a cute way. The island is from volcanic origin and on the shore you can find a lot of petrified corals, some of them enclosed in lava. |
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Apparently the island had more inhabitants 50 years ago. A few old, tumbled
down houses which nature reclaimed give evidence of that. Today, apart from
the coastguard crew, only a few fishermen live here temporarily and then in
rather simple camps.
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On Saturday those fishermen were just about to leave, to sell what they caught at Margarita, as I stop them and, after some bargaining buy a cheap, nice, fresh fish from them. (I haven't had any luck angling here yet.) After cleaning it the whole fish goes into the oven with a few potatoes and after an hour I enjoy the fish with a glass of white wine, watching the sunset. Could live be any better …
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Next week: more impressions from Blanquilla and what else happened… TOM |
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