Since we had already spent the night in Puerto Lindo but weren’t scheduled to meet our fellow passengers and the sailing ship’s crew at the marina until 3pm, we spent the free morning enjoying a cup of coffee.

Around noon, we gathered at the harbor to prepare our bikes for the upcoming journey. Just as we were about to pack the bikes into heavy-duty plastic bags, our captain, César, came by and advised us to secure the bikes on deck without wrapping them and to rinse them thoroughly upon arrival in Colombia. We were convinced, and shortly afterward we were greeted by First Officer Memo and cook Milton. They showed us our quarters for the next few days, the bow cabin on the 16-meter-long sailing yacht La Gitanita (The Gypsy). We stowed our luggage and waited for the other passengers over another cup of coffee. The eight cheerful backpackers from the Netherlands, South Tyrol, Germany, Brazil, and Switzerland arrived on time. All of them about 15 years younger than us😉. After they’d been briefed, we went into town for dinner together. We’d all been back on the boat for quite a while when Captain César arrived at 10 pm. Without saying a word, he started the engine, crossed himself three times, and sailed off into the night.

First Officer Memo had warned us of rough seas and asked us to take a seasickness tablet. We did so and lay down immediately, because we wanted to fall asleep before the rocking really started. Unfortunately, this didn’t work. It took less than an hour before we were taking turns vomiting. David curled up on the floor of the tiny “hallway” in a mixture of vomit and seawater that was sloshing in through the leaky hatch, while I leaned against the wall in the equally tiny bathroom and threw up everything I could. What a terrible night! Who would voluntarily subject themselves to this and pay a lot of money for it, too?! And how on earth were we supposed to survive the next five days?

We were immensely relieved when we dropped anchor at 6 am next to one of the 365 islands of the San Blas Archipelago. Finally! It took a lot of effort to get ourselves and our cabin presentable enough to step out onto the deck. What a relief the fresh air and the breeze were! We quickly felt better and enjoyed a delicious breakfast with fresh fruit, toast, and muesli with a hearty appetite. Afterward, jumping into the water and taking a quick swim to shore was truly refreshing. We spent the whole day on the island, and since I was still pretty groggy from the sleepless night, I had no trouble skipping the rum, volleyball, and karaoke. So, the ordeal had its good side too😉. Our group was very nice and easygoing, though everyone was a real party animal! The alcohol flowed freely, and the next day, some people couldn’t quite remember everything that had happened😊.

Although we’d been dreading the return to the boat and our cabin all day, the time eventually came. We swallowed a pill and lay down immediately. But fortunately, our fears were unfounded. At anchor and with the hatches open, we slept wonderfully that night and made peace with the ship. The next two days passed quietly. We visited two more islands, snorkeled among dying reefs, and David played cards and volleyball. The big parties, sunbathing under the blazing Caribbean sun, and posing in outfits that changed (several times) a daily were left to the others. Unlike our fellow travelers, the crossing was primarily the best (🤔) way for us to get from North to South America. For them, however, the islands, beaches, bikini photos, and parties were the actual destination, and we had absolutely nothing against that. On the contrary: the atmosphere was incredibly cheerful, and we were impressed that everyone voluntarily took a break from social media (despite the available Starlink connection!). And I think everyone was fine with Grandma and Grandpa opting out on the second evening😉.

After a bonfire with another tour group and a few self-absorbed sailors to wrap up the third day, the inevitable happened and the very thing we’d been dreading: The anchor was hauled in, and we set course for the open sea toward Colombia. We spent two nights and a day and a half at sea… and they actually passed. David threw up just once more and then slept or dozed for 24 hours on a bench in the calmer stern of the boat. He shared this spot with two others who were feeling similarly. Some of us, I was one of them, felt much more comfortable out in the fresh air on deck. We spent many hours staring wordlessly at the waves and avoiding any movement. Here are two useful tips:

• Drink only minimally so that as little liquid as possible sloshes around in your stomach. This really helps and also saves you the unpleasant trip to the bathroom, which can be quite a challenge on a ship.
• Never choose the bow cabin! It rocks much more violently there, and the crashing of the waves is very loud. This would be obvious to many people; it became clear to us landlubbers too.

The time at sea wasn’t all monotonous, though. There was some excitement when we came upon a sailing ship drifting in the sea with a malfunctioning steering system. With two-meter-high waves, our first officer, Memo, rowed out to the stricken vessel in a daring maneuver, carrying some spare parts. He wasn’t exactly comfortable doing it, but real sailors are brave😉!

And they’re gifted fishermen! The morning before our arrival, there was a sudden, powerful tug on the fishing line we’d cast out. A kingfish weighing about 30 kilograms had taken the bait, challenging our crew, who spent half an hour trying to haul it aboard. When they finally succeeded, they rejoiced like little children—how sweet! Captain César skillfully filleted the fish himself while the boat cruised on autopilot. Cruised? Yes, because we were only sailing to assist the diesel engine.

We chugged along for what felt like an eternity toward the skyscrapers of Cartagena, which had been visible for ages, before we finally docked in the harbor around 2 pm after a 39-hour journey across the Gulf of Darien. Phew, we made it! While our passports were being stamped at the immigration office, we had delicious kingfish for lunch. Our luggage was brought already ashore, and we used the handy pressure washer at the marina to give our bikes a thorough rinse. The salt water had left some rust spots, especially on the chains. Let’s hope only there! After waiting about two hours, our passports were ready. The moment had finally come to say goodbye to our fellow travelers and set foot on solid ground. Welcome to South America!