Sea transportation, Cartagena - Colon
 

Would anyone like to share contacts they have for the above crossing? the 'Melody' is now asking $350 for bike and $200 per person. E mails to the 'Tatoosh' are now undeliverable. Any info. greatly appreciated.

Sorry that I have no answers to your question, but I'm trying to figure out what the current story is in the opposite direction...Colon to Cartagena. Does the ferry still exist, or is that just a fantasy on my map?
How's Colombia treating you, StretcherMonkey? Sounds like the roads are fun!

Grant

Hello Grant - you still thinking about it rather than doing it! I understand there is no ferry, but some people have managed to find sailboats to take them. Torrias, see latest e-zine, did it recently but not without some problems, I suspect. Paul Thorenson whom I am staying with in Medellin came by contraband boat. And Yes!! - Colombia and it's people are beautiful and exciting - one could get stuck.

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"There's no justice, just us".
2004 650 KLR, Colombia

thanks Mick,
Yep, still puzzling over maps and scratching around with itineraries that will get chucked out after two weeks on the road anyway.
Been working in Shanghai for the past week or so, which has been a good diversion. Great city, but bloody cold.
I guess I'll just have to sniff around for boats once I'm in Panama.

Grant

Big Red,

I was just bicycling down in Panama last year at this time. Never made the jump to Columbia, but spent some time at the yacht club in Colon, considering the options. Most private ships heading west dock there for a spell to prepare for the Canal transit so its a good location to find a ship heading west (Fiji, NZ, OZ...) (Also very easy to find a free cruise on the Canal itself, because by law all ships need 4 hands to handle rope during the crossing. Sailboats are always looking for help. You could leave your bike in Panama city, take bus to Colon, and sail back to PC.) There is also a commercial port, and by exploring around there, people find passage to Columbia on various sized commercial ships.

Legitimacy of these ships sure does seem to vary, however, and while I was down there I heard of one pretty sketchy situation. I split with some folks I'd been travelling with in Panama City when they decided to find a boat to take them from Colon>Cartagenas. A couple weeks later, I met back up with them in P City at a hostel full of pissed off people. Turns out the captain of a small Cargo ship out of Colon had set up passage for a group of 12 or so travellers, gotten their passports and some cash, and then 'lost' everything.

Anyway, just a caution to choose your captain very very well. And also, when wandering Colon to find a ship, be pretty careful. Its a rough town, especially the port, and I wouldnt recommend being out at night, especially with a fancy motorbike.

peace


[This message has been edited by Universalcat (edited 20 March 2005).]

Hey Mick,

Where the heck are you? Lost contact after you entered Guatemala last April. Back to Medellin? Or.....?

Porter

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on the road(almost)
and lovin' it!!
KLR650-A13 'BURRO'

Check out the posting I just put up. Its a large 126' sailboat leaving mid to late feb. '07 and may have other sailings through out the year


http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...mbia-mid-25077