The latest update from 48N Editor Andy Cross and the fun-loving crew of SV Yahtzee, who started in the PNW and are now in Colombia.

For those unfamiliar with living and cruising on a sailboat, there’s a common misconception that we can sail wherever we want, whenever we want. Unfortunately, that’s simply not the case—mostly because of the weather. From winters in Alaska to hurricane seasons in the tropics, we are well versed in this area.

In our current situation, it’s the wind. Too much wind.

Before coming to Cartagena last year for hurricane season, Jill and I were keenly aware that once we got going on Yahtzee again, there would be a good bit of waiting in our future. The place we wanted to wait was Santa Marta, on the northern Caribbean coast of Colombia and after two upwind hops, we made it here just before the new year. Santa Marta is a mountains-meets-the-sea city with a fascinating and

somewhat brutal colonial history, and plenty to see and do nearby.

But when sailors speak of Santa Marta, you’re likely to hear stories about the WIND. It’s super windy here most of the time. Gusts come down from the nearby Sierra Nevada that can hit 30 to 40 knots and regularly top 50. As such, it’s not so easy to safely move a sailboat. On top of that, the consistent easterly trade winds sweeping across the Caribbean Sea have been accelerated this year, which means that any progress on a sailboat to the east is going to be extremely difficult and uncomfortable.

Read on at sailingyahtzee.com