Finally we continue with our arrival in Curacao. After we docked we met the couple on the boat across the dock from us as well as Fred, a singlehander on a Fontaine Pajot Bahia 46' catamaran, whom we would meet again from time to time over the next 4 years.

Our crew left the next day to return to South Africa, and Charlie and I gave the boat a much needed cleaning. The boat across the dock left for Cartagena, Colombia, and I had my first experience with how it felt to say goodbye to cruisers I'd developed an attachment to in a very short time. That's one thing you learn to do while cruising since you're always meeting people only to go your separate ways sooner or later. It was hard at first but it does get easier, especially when you realize you'll probably meet up with them again somewhere.

On the following day we took a minibus into Willemstad, the capital of Curacao, anticipating checking in with Immigration, getting a cell phone, and renting a car. We accomplished the last two, but Immigration told us to return the next day. That is no small feat considering that to get to Immigration you need to walk from the bus station over the Queen Emma pontoon bridge that connects the Punda section of Willemstad with the Otrobanda section across the waterway, and then walk another half-mile along the Otrobanda waterfront until you reach the building housing Immigration, which is marked in Dutch, the national written language.

That night we attempted to take the dinghy across Spanish Water to Sarifundy's, the main cruiser watering hole located on the other side of the huge bay. Needless to say with all the many inlets, small islands and shallow areas in the bay, plus not knowing exactly where we're going, we end up returning to the marina and decide to try again in daylight.

We had better luck the next day and were able to check in with Immigration and Customs. By the way, these are not near each other: Customs is on the waterfront in the Punda section, but at least now we had a car, which we had to switch because the first car had a tendency to stall and fill the interior with exhaust fumes.

To be continued.