Avoid Santa Marta?

[Dr. Sea]

[QUOTE Cartagena is lovely and a must do, but the harbor is the pits. . . . The marina options are not good. QUOTE]

Thanks for the info, SailNautilus. Have you been there since the Club Nautico was refurbished in 2015? I was assuming that it would be a pretty good marina to stay in.

[Four Coconuts]

I was their “post refurbishment”. Still not good. We had a berth reserved at Club Nautico , but after seeing the facilities and attempting to get into our berth that required a draft of 4’, we decided we would rather anchor out. Their is no such thing as a no wake zone, and so large power boats regularly plow down the harbor creating huge wakes. It is absurd. The boats in Club Nautico are so crammed together that masts literally crash into each other as massive wakes roll through the totally unprotected marina. How do you like that visual???? Can you imagine a marina that thinks it’s okay to have masts dueling every time a powerboat goes by?? Also, the water is so disgusting that you will need a bottom cleaning if you are there for more than four days. You will not want to fall in it under any circumstance.

With that said, Cartagena is an awesome city full of contrasts. The old town is like old San Juan x5. We took about 750 pictures. Stunning. The food is spectacular. The condition of the fort is unfortunate. They could have a potential gem if they had a park service running it like the Puerto Rico forts, but they don’t.

In summary, I would definitely recommend cruisers go there, it’s a super cool city, but it has significant downsides. Reflecting back, if money were no object, if you were coming from the East, I would put into a marina in Santa Marta for a week, take a bus to Cartegena, and stay in a hotel.

[robert sailor]

We enjoyed Santa Marta a lot, great times there actually. Highly recommended. Cartagena was a blast, we were there for around 10 days, old town was a treat. Our experience in Colombia was really good. Never felt the least bit unsafe in either city. After a couple of years in the Med, Colombia gave us a taste of Europe once again.
As far as the river between the cities, way over stated, sure it's muddy and we saw the odd bit of debris but it's more dangerous sailing around the Pacific North West which is another way of saying, don't sweat it. Time it for the day and its not that long and your through it, just go and have a good time, you shouldn't miss either of these wonderful cities.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

...After a couple of years in the Med, Colombia gave us a taste of Europe once again.
....

Thats an interesting phenomena that we have noticed too. Colombia, and some other S American countries, are far more European-like than Central American countries. I assume thats because historically the seat of Spanish Colonial power was really in S, not Central, America. In Colombia the food is big step up from Central America (excluding Mexico...which I think in many was is more S America like...for the same historic reason). The fashion...wow, we feel like grungy cruisers in Central America, but in larger S American cities many locals are dressed very stylishly.

And the craft brew industry is booming in Colombia...yumm...with many brew pubs like Bogata Beer Company.

[Dr. Sea]

Originally Posted by Four Coconuts

The boats in Club Nautico are so crammed together that masts literally crash into each other as massive wakes roll through the totally unprotected marina.

Wow, that's what caused a lot of the boats in Paraquita Bay in Tortola to lose their masts during Irma. I don't want that.

Originally Posted by Four Coconuts

Reflecting back, if money were no object, if you were coming from the East, I would put into a marina in Santa Marta for a week, take a bus to Cartegena, and stay in a hotel.

I respect your advice because you have been there and I haven't. But I guess I am still resisting the idea of spending the extra days and hotel money if I can have my boat in Cartagena harbor. What about the Club de Pesca de Cartagena? It is closer to the old town and further away from the Terminal Turistico. I don't care about how fancy the marina is, just will my boat be safe there.

[Four Coconuts]

It's a short walk between the two marina's. I can't be sure, having not stayed there, but the problem is likely still present as it, to, is open to the channel and the docks have no finger piers. You can imagine the result when a 50' sportfisherman goes by making maximum wake. You can Google an aerial video of Club de Pesca which shows both marinas. The one in the distance is Club Nautico (boats anchored off from it, which is what we ended up doing).

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sea

Wow, that's what caused a lot of the boats in Paraquita Bay in Tortola to lose their masts during Irma. I don't want that.



I respect your advice because you have been there and I haven't. But I guess I am still resisting the idea of spending the extra days and hotel money if I can have my boat in Cartagena harbor. What about the Club de Pesca de Cartagena? It is closer to the old town and further away from the Terminal Turistico. I don't care about how fancy the marina is, just will my boat be safe there.

Ive docked at Club de Pesca before. Nice place with friendly staff, but very limited transient dockage, especially for cats. First time I tried they had none available. On a delivery about a year later, we lucked out, but side to on the outside so a bit more choppy, but not bad...nothing a few extra fenders didnt handle. Great location, just a short walk over the bridge to old town. Less wake than Club Nautico (at least when Ive been there).

[belizesailor]

(Deleted)

[chouliha]

We didn’t cruise in Colombia but rather left the boat in Ecuador and did land travel. It was our favorite country in all the months of land travel we did in South America. We found it very safe and the people fantastic. We were often stopped in small villages and towns and had locals introduce themselves to us and made us feel very welcome.

If you do stop there be sure to experience the wonderful inland travel that the country offers. The HUGE flower festival in Medellin, the river of five colors to name a few.

Linda wrote about our land travels under passage notes(#64-67) and also wrote a Trip report about the places we stayed, travel options, etc. Mostly details to help our fellow travelers. You can find the info on our website jacarandajourney.

Be sure to get off the boat and travel inland. I hope you will be pleasantly surprised like we were. Great country, friendly people.

Chuck
Jacaranda
Bora Bora

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by chouliha

We didn’t cruise in Colombia but rather left the boat in Ecuador and did land travel. It was our favorite country in all the months of land travel we did in South America. We found it very safe and the people fantastic. We were often stopped in small villages and towns and had locals introduce themselves to us and made us feel very welcome.

If you do stop there be sure to experience the wonderful inland travel that the country offers. The HUGE flower festival in Medellin, the river of five colors to name a few.

Linda wrote about our land travels under passage notes(#64-67) and also wrote a Trip report about the places we stayed, travel options, etc. Mostly details to help our fellow travelers. You can find the info on our website jacarandajourney.

Be sure to get off the boat and travel inland. I hope you will be pleasantly surprised like we were. Great country, friendly people.

Chuck
Jacaranda
Bora Bora

+1. Have really enjoyed our inland travels in Colombia too.

[Dr. Sea]

Thanks for the great information, everyone. We arrived in Cartagena today and will start hitting the sights tomorrow. Based on the advice in this thread we skipped Santa Marta and avoided the Magdalena garbage river. We are at Club de Pesca and so far its great.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sea

Thanks for the great information, everyone. We arrived in Cartagena today and will start hitting the sights tomorrow. Based on the advice in this thread we skipped Santa Marta and avoided the Magdalena garbage river. We are at Club de Pesca and so far its great.

What strategy did you use for the Magdalena?

[Dr. Sea]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

What strategy did you use for the Magdalena?

Well, I don't think we actually had a strategy. Our route from Santo Domingo to Cartagena took us rather close to the coast of Colombia. We passed the Magdalena garbage flood in daylight and actually it wasn't so bad. We saw quite a bit of what looked like gardening vegetation and a few small tree limbs, but nothing that would have damaged the boat or caused a problem.

By the way, Cartagena is a wonderful city. Such rich history, and the people are the happiest I've met almost anywhere we have traveled. I'll go back there some day.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sea

Well, I don't think we actually had a strategy. Our route from Santo Domingo to Cartagena took us rather close to the coast of Colombia. We passed the Magdalena garbage flood in daylight and actually it wasn't so bad. We saw quite a bit of what looked like gardening vegetation and a few small tree limbs, but nothing that would have damaged the boat or caused a problem.

By the way, Cartagena is a wonderful city. Such rich history, and the people are the happiest I've met almost anywhere we have traveled. I'll go back there some day.

Daylight is good...better to see the junk given the option.

Yes, Cartagena is awesome.

[Santa Marta]

I have been living in downtown Santa Marta for three months. Message me if you have questions or need help.