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 2nd 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
