Providencia Continued

Providencia Continued

Sunday 30 March – Tuesday 15 April

Sunday night Steve started to feel really bad, and went to bed early. Had a bad night of aches & pains, severe headache and fever & chills. Monday he woke still feeling bad, mostly a really bad headache. By noon we decided to go into town to see the doctor at the local hospital / clinic. Doctor was a very nice young lady, spoke very good English, looked like she was 16 years old, but very competent. They gave Steve two IV bags of fluid as he was dehydrated, took blood for testing and urine sample found he had a urinary tract infection so gave him antibiotics for that. Finally left at 5, walking back to the dock we saw Bill & JoAnne & Bruce & Gina and told them what the Doctor said and that Steve was feeling a little better. Tuesday he woke with another horrible headache, JoAnne brought us a wonderful lunch of veggie burgers, but Steve could not even eat. We went back to the hospital / clinic again, this time a different doctor not so good with her English but she had a friend visiting to help interpret. She gave us an RX for a steroid, to be injected to help with the headache. We stopped by Dream Catcher to talk to Bruce, a Physician, to check on the drug before taking it, then Bruce came over to give the injection.

Steve was able to eat a little that night and had a good nights rest and woke up Wednesday morning feeling great. Feeling great but not wanting to over work himself, he spent the day catching up on internet and cooking. I got to give him his second shot to boost the recovery, and hiked back up to drop off another load of laundry. We invited Bill & JoAnne & Bruce & Gina over for dinner to thank them for their help & support while he was sick.

Thursday into town to see what the stores had. They get a few different supply ships several times a week so you have to keep checking back to see what they have.

Friday another hike to pick up laundry. Then a small gathering at the beach close to the anchorage for sun-downers with several of the boats at anchor.

Early Saturday Gina's brother Kelley and nephew Blake arrived. Along with the many items they brought for Bruce & Gina, they also had our watermaker part along with a few other things we ordered as well as things for Ultra. So wonderful to have family & friends visit and be able to bring boat parts that can be hard to get. Saturday afternoon Steve put the watermaker back together and reinstalled it, a slight leak so he would have to work on it again the following day. But by 4 we were ready for a break, so along with Bill & JoAnne we went over to Santa Catalina Island to do the short hike out to Morgans Head. Stopping to talk to Bruce & Gina who had been out on motor scooters touring the island with her brother & nephew. Gina had been in contact with a dive shop, and we were going to join them on a dive on Monday.

Sunday working on the watermaker leaks, and cleaning out the fore-peak where it lives and had leaked salt water, then bolting it back into place. One project done, at least for now. Sunday night we, along with Bruce & Gina, Kelley & Blake went over to Ultra for Pizza night. JoAnne had made the pizza dough and we all brought toppings to load them up with. They were delicious !!

Monday the dive boat arrives first to Dream Catcher to pick 4 up, then to our boat to load us & our gear in then to pick up Ultra, 8 divers with driver Alex and dive guide Jim head out. They have a LOT of gray reef sharks here. Glad to be in a group and told they are not aggressive sharks. Unless you spear a lion fish and hold it out for them to come get & eat which Jim did. They swim pretty close to you but don't really seem bothered by us swimming in their water. After the first dive we go back to the shop to switch out tanks and do our surface time, before going back out for the 2^nd dive.

Tuesday, Dream Catcher had an early departure to go San Andres to get their guests back for a Friday flight. We will either catch up to them in San Andres, another Colombian Island 60 miles from Providencia or in Bocas Del Toro Panama.

Next few days doing small boat projects, reading, going into town, just enjoying our beautiful surroundings.

Thursday night dinner on Ultra, talking about weather window to move on. Places like here make it hard to move on.

Friday night we go with Bill & JoAnne to a local's house. Jaime, a cameraman, that filmed their interview with Kattea, the hostess of a local show called Cool Land. A small get together that we enjoyed before stopping at a restaurant in town that was open before going back to our boats.

Saturday we climb to the peak again. Just the 4 of us this time, so we found a ride there in the back of a truck. Did not stop for as many pictures this time. Bill & JoAnne had a flag that they wanted to put up on top. We had a picnic lunch on top then signed the flag and Bill hung it on the pole before making our way back down. The guy we got a ride from lived down the street so he said we could come find him or ask someone to call him, but when we got down another taxi car was driving by so she brought us back to town. A nice swim off the boat then a quiet night to rest my sore knees.

Sunday we took the dinghies to go snorkeling on the east side of the island. The winds are still pretty strong so the ride over was a little rough & wet. The outer reef kept most of the waves down but it was a speed snorkel as we drifted with the waves, current and dinghies. Bill & JoAnne had announced earlier in the day about another cruisers get together for sun-downers over on the beach again getting to know a few more of our temporary neighbors.

Monday woke to rain, around 11 semi clear skies so we went into town with Bill & JoAnne to see Mr. Bush to let him know we would be checking out on Wednesday. Stopped at the store to get some things for dinner, making it back to the boats before more rain came. Cloudy skies the rest of the day with light showers through out the day. Steve decided to cook since we were stuck on the boat and we had Bill & JoAnne over for dinner.

Tuesday we get our departure papers and get a few more provisions as we will be arriving in San Andres the day before everything closes for the Easter Holiday. Clean the prop & anchor chain and snubber line so we will be ready for an early departure on Wednesday.

Link to Pictures;  https://plus.google.com/photos/103931849054358791487/albums/6006727877463942209?authkey=CJrirKry8v-tRw