LandhuisAscension
A huge ostrich egg!
Colin feeding the ostriches!
The ‘mountain’ overlooking Seru Boca marina.
And so to the C in the ABC islands, 30-ish miles further east of Bonaire…..a fairly pleasant downwind run (uh, oh…..yes, giving away more miles to windward!) with just our headsail out in some fairly lumpy seas.
Of the three islands, Curacao is the middle one both in size and position. About 30 miles long and 10 wide it is much more attuned to cruising yachts than Bonaire, in that it boasts several marinas and some deep bays perfect for anchoring. We were more than ready for a few days in the relative seclusion and luxury of a marina (being able to step off the boat straight on to terra firma is indeed a luxury to Gilly at least). Consequently, after entering an alarmingly shallow, narrow channel into one of the huge anchoring bays called Spanish Water, we gladly headed away from all the anchored yachts into the far northern corner to Seru Boca marina. There, Robert, the Marina Manager and his assistant Sam were there to take our lines and welcome us and explain where the facilities were to be found – showers, laundry, wifi and a free supermarket shopping bus twice a week……luxury indeed. Yes, you are right – such luxury comes at a price but we were only going to stay for about 4 days – until smooth-tongued Robert informed us that 7 days were on offer for the price of 5. A week it was then!
Seru Boka Marina nestles under the rugged slopes of an angular, flat-topped mountain – well, I say ‘mountain’ in the Dutch sense – not very high at all, but at least a large, imposing ,geographical feature which created a good wind-break. Seru Boca is part of a high-end holiday resort including a hotel, villas (owned and rented) a golf course and another marina for super yachts near that scarily narrow entrance into Spanish Water. We whiled away a pleasant week doing precious little. Robert organised for Joel (Sam’s mate) to take us in to Willemstad the capital to clear in. Kindly, Joel incorporated into this trip a quick tour of the city which was, on this Sunday morning, relatively quiet. Even from this first brief encounter with the town we could glean that Willemstad was not really one town, but two. The division is formed by the Sint Annabaai channel which links the sea to the inner harbour. Connecting the two distinct areas called Punda and Otrabanda, there is both an opening pedestrian bridge and a massively tall road bridge across this expanse which is frequented by large tankers going to the oil refineries in the harbour proper. Yes, Willemstad is certainly not all quaint and pretty as its UNESCO World Heritage label would suggest. Behind the façade of pretty pastel 17 and 18th century Dutch colonial buildings lies the less aesthetically pleasing secret to Curacao’s wealth – oil. But this was just our first glimpse – there is more about Willemstad to come.
Oh those wonderful Dutch supermarkets! With such easy access to a huge one by a minibus which dropped us at the door and delivered us to the pontoon we took full advantage making two visits during the week. Our rationale for such a huge restock was sound – our next proposed ports of call being Haiti and Cuba where we know things are going to be in short supply…….and Christmas of course too…if another excuse were needed. Poor old Resolute being loaded to the gunwales again ….her water-line sinking more and more with each shop (best not to comment about our waist-lines)!
Having caught up with ourselves – laundry, internet researching of our future ports of call and email, shopping (did I mention that?….) walking straight off the boat – no dinghy involved…..our week was soon up and it was time to face the anchorage. Some Ocean Cruising Club friends who had followed in our tracks all the way from Trinidad and thence Bonaire, helpfully arrived in Anchorage A in Spanish Water just a few days before our intended move and were therefore able to recce the place for us (as we had for them in Bonaire). Anchorage A (there is also B, C and D in Spanish Water) is the easiest from which to get ashore in the dinghy and has access to a bus service to Willemstad and some nearby bars with wifi. We therefore headed there when our week was up. Despite the strong winds (it is always breezy in the ABC’s) we anchored without incident in a basin quite crowded with foreign yachts……many with Dutch flags of course. How lovely for the Dutch to have a beautiful home-from-home in the sunshine. Being Holland though, everything is strictly regulated, so our next essential piece of documentation now we were at anchor was an anchoring permit. Without a handy Joel this time we had to catch a local bus. “On the hour” everyone advised us……..but when we arrived at the bus-stop just before 10 we had to wait until 1050 before a bus arrived! It was the beginning of a very hot day full of bad luck actually. Having somehow got that later bus we trogged across a Willemstad jam packed with tourists from two cruise ships very pleased to reach our destination…. the Port Authority Building at 1146…….but to our chagrin the front doors to the building were locked. On closer inspection we saw a sign saying they were shut for lunch from 1145 until 1330…..give me strength! Call themselves Public Servants! Who shuts for lunch at 1145???! Gilly especially was not impressed by this turn of events. And turn is what we had to do…..turn around and walk back along the dockside, back in to the crowded town where the only place which wasn’t too heaving with people to spend our enforced lunch break was KFC!
The afternoon improved in that we were able to return to the Port Authority after they had (deigned) to return from their lunch break and obtained our anchoring permit. So disgruntled and hot were we by this point though, that we wanted nothing more than return to the boat so we waited for the next bus (the 2.30 which arrived at 2.50ish – ah, now we were getting the measure of these bus times!), managed to get off at the right stop and went back to the harbour and dinghyed back to Resolute. Phew!
Our friends had arranged two day car-hire for us all to explore the island, just as we had in Bonaire. We had high hopes that this jaunt would improve our impressions of Curacao somewhat…..and it did not fail to deliver on that score. The island feels completely different to Bonaire – it is busy and sophisticated with industry and businesses crowding around Willemstad harbour. For the tourist trade – resorts and cruise ships – not to mention us yachties – there are beaches (playas), shopping malls, old plantation houses (Landhuizen)….not to mention ostriches! But I am getting beyond myself….
The first day we headed north – over the massive Juliana Bridge in Willemstad, stopping at a typical plantation house for coffee (Landhuis Ascension), learning that this plantation had grown not just aloe vera and divi-divi as we had seen on Bonaire, but also indigo. Carrying on to the north we arrived at one of the two National Parks at Shete Boca. (Boca means cove). Here the waves were crashing dramatically against the steep windward shoreline – and that, we soon understood was the point of this National Park – vantage points along that piece of coastline to encounter the full force of the Caribbean Sea as it hits the shores of the windward side of Caracao. Invigorating and quite awe-inspiring – a far cry from the calmer waters on the leeward protected coast where we were anchored – a fact which was soon borne out when we motored round the northern tip of the island to Westpoint. Here all was tranquil – a different temperament of blue, blue waters entirely. As you might suspect these peaceful waters are strewn with beautiful beaches –or ‘playas’ in the local Dutch/Latino parlance. We found one (Kleine Knip) and cooled off in the shallow waters, buying a snack and beers from a couple who had set up shop in the rather dilapidated former café. Feeling refreshed we headed back down the leeward coast exploring a few other playas – some virtually deserted stretches of beautiful silver coral sands where once resorts had thrived but where now ghostly edifices of past commercial success. By dusk our little Kia was parked up in Willemstad on the Punda side. We walked into town past what is known as the ‘floating market’ – little boats from Venezuela selling fresh fruit and vegetables and of course fish, at the busy harbour’s edge. And there was the pedestrian bridge resplendent with lights – such a pretty sight alongside all the old Dutch buildings and pavement cafes. Having taken in the Christmas lights on both sides of the town and explored the up-market fort area we headed to a restaurant overlooking the St Annabaai Channel watching the pedestrian bridge opening and shutting to let shipping in and out. No need for a cabaret here – plenty to watch below us on the water. Wearily we then headed back to Spanish Water where our respective vessels awaited us.
The next day we headed south. Another Landhuis but this time next to what had been a salt lake but these days was very much in the Willemstad suburbs on the multi-laned ring road itself. Curacao the island is synonymous of course with Curacao the drink – that distinctive yucky-looking blue liquer so beloved of cocktail bars. So this particular landhuis had long-since stopped the production of salt in favour of alcohol – made apparently from the dried skins of a bitter orange. Many Jewish families had immigrated to Curacao in the 17th century escaping from the wrath of the Spanish Inquisition in Europe. Where there are Jewish settlers there are always of course successful businesses and the Curacao distillery is a fine example. We saw the distilling process, bottling and then tasted the product (which comes in many colours – not just blue). Amongst the parched, cacti-strewn plains in the south of the island we saw fields of aloe vera alongside a thriving cosmetic business using aloe as its base. Onward then to another commercial business – this time harnessing a geographical link with the former Dutch empire – Africa. You can imagine the business-men scratching their heads and wondering what they can do to attract visitors to this arid featureless part of the island….what, apart from iguanas, would thrive here? Ostriches of course! So there we were before we knew in a large open safari vehicle being given a tour round an ostrich farm! Every part of the bird is harvested: the feathers, meat and even the bones – once stripped by the handy crocodiles they keep are ground and fed back to the ostriches to provide the calcium they need to produce their massive hard-shelled eggs. Another incredible commercial concern making something from nothing.
Our little Kia took us north to another playa to swim and relax for the afternoon – this time a more private concern charging a small entrance fee for a rather more sophisticated beach experience….loungers, bar and showers. Then back to a dusky , breezy Willemstad to search for a different restaurant. This time we wanted something rather special as it was our wedding anniversary – 37 years – who’d ave thought it?! An anniversary celebration a quatre is not easy – this was no exception with our friends rather feeling like the interlopers. Some of the nicest restaurants in the town were on the Punda side in the old fortress looking out to sea. That evening the waves were crashing rather too close for our friends to the open seating areas of some of the best restaurants whereas we loved the exciting vista. Eventually a compromise was found – we at one table on the water’s edge in the battlements of the old fort and they, determined to be safely away from the waves on an inside table. A shame an accommodation for the seating arrangements could not be found but a wonderful meal nonetheless.
So that, in a nutshell, is Curacao. Hidden coves and deep bays; silvery coral beaches with turquoise waters; Landhuizen where poor slaves worked tirelessly on hot, dry plantations; vibrant modern businesses; infuriating bureaucracy; crowded ghetto-esque anchorages and delight-full supermarkets……oh and don’t forget the ostriches!
Next……all being well…..4 days from here……..Haiti…..then Cuba!! Contain yourselves!
resolute-en-voyage 