In Cartagena, we had our hull cleaned near to perfection by Pedro and Yair. Only three weeks later, in Bocas del Toro, we wanted to free our waterline from algae. We also checked the underwatership and found our hull covered in barnacles. Trouble in paradise?
Ya’s waterline was covered in algaeUgly and bad for Ya’s speed. Time for action.Ya’s hull got covered in barnacles in several stages of development within 3 weeks
So, we started cleaning. The fish adored our work, and that kept us going.
Lots of fish appeared when we started working.The fish loved our activity, perhaps because of all the algae and barnacles that we were serving
We managed to get most of the barnacles off.
Ya’s hull: difference before (left) and after (right) cleaning the algae and barnaclesYa’s hull after cleaning
We were happy, especially because it looks like our Biocoat is still working after 2 years of sailing. But, we also found that barnacles look a lot like humans. They thrive at temperatures between 24 and 28 degrees Celcius and they like boats a lot.
Ya at Playa Bluff, Bocas del Toro, Panama
So, to keep out of trouble, keeping our hull free from barnacles is going to be part of our daily routine as long as we are in the Caribbean.
“The ideal of Wasteless World is to become redundant”, says Thomas Wright, “but until we reach that, recycling and upcycling can work wonders”.
Tom started Wasteless World two years ago. Using his private savings and devoting all his time, he set up a warehouse with a workshop here in Bocas del Toro, Panama. He involves the local community, companies and government, and organizes beach clean-ups. His core team now consists of six devoted ‘warriors’.
During our beach clean-up, one of the locals is interested. Thomas discusses the possibilities of going to schools and other ways to create awareness. In the background you see a collection station. On Carenero, every 100 meter you find a collection station like this.
We learned about Wasteless World, since they organized a beach clean up at Carenero. This is the smallest island of the Bocas archipelago. The island is small enough to clean it up by us, 12 people, but big enough to make a positive statement. Our group largely had a western outlook in common, but we were enthusiastically joined by some local children.
Awareness is key
Thomas tells: “The reality here, is that we need to create awareness. It is only 15 years ago that they used a part of the beach as the dumping ground for the garbage. Now, the local government is charging the population $ 1,50 per garbage bag and brings it to a landfill.”
With cooperation of the municipality, Wasteless World has put collection stations where you can put plastic, glass and tin cans in. Obviously, this would save on what you throw away in the garbage bag. However, Tom estimates: ”People throw their waste in remote pits, burn it, or throw their waste directly into the environment. Perhaps 5% of the town’s recyclable materials end up here. So, it is still a long way to go.”
With the help of students from the Dutch University of Applied Science ‘Windesheim’, they set up an educational program for the local schools. Then, the next generation will do better on sustainability.
The Bocas International School was the first school where Wasteless World initiated an art programme. Good for the children’s awareness, and for the exposure to the local people.
Added value: the Wasteless World warehouse
Near the airport, we find the heart of the Wasteless warriors: the warehouse. Here they create products out of waste. You see that most products are smart products, as well as statements showing the value of garbage. Here are some examples.
The caps of plastic bottles can be shredded easily. When melted, they get pressed in moulds. They make products like plastic tiles, combs, surfboard wax scrapers.You might recognize the ‘Precious Plastics’ stamp; here you buy the machines and moulds needed for this kind of operations. But also, you can download the blueprints for building the machines yourself there, for free!
The Lionfish is an invasive exotic fish that needs to be caught in great numbers; they eat everything and they breed like rabbits. So, they endanger the rest of the fish and the coral in the region. In the workshop their fins find themselves in artistically crafted, attractive jewelry.And, the resin is homemade -, from plastic.Bottles are great to turn into stylish glasses, if you pick the right ones. The edge is well polished, even softer than a regular glass. By the way, did you know that blue glass is about 20 times more expensive than the other colors?
Going for the mass flows; the Recycle Center
Anyone can bring their recyclable garbage straight to the Center, for free. Talking about money: only 20% comes from donations, mainly from the people from the USA and Europe living here. Seeing their environment deteriorated by the garbage, they were very enthusiastic about the Wasteless World. So, they were happy to donate, to make a next start up possible: the Recycle Centre.
The purpose of the Recycle Centre is to process the mass streams to products, especially plastic and glass.
When we came, the Centro Reciclaje was still in its starting phase, but the machines already worked.
The value chain
People can bring in their garbage for free here. And much comes from the collection stations. As soon as the recycling station has processed one of the types of waste, they gain in worth.
The glass shredder makes a lot of noise, but does not use a lot of energy. Each color is shredded separately. Wasteless World prefers to sell the shredded glass locally, to people who want to use it for decorating their house or garden. Wasteless World sells the rest to Veolia.
The compressing machine is pure hydraulic force. It turns the plastic bottles some 5 to 10 times smaller, sizeable for storage and transport. The ferry and the transport companies bringing goods to Bocas, are willing to help Wasteless to transport the waste to the mainland for free.This large machine can shred plastics on a mass scale.If you take 1 kilo of the right sort of plastic, and you press, shred and melt it in a mould, you have about a meter of really sustainable lumber. Wood needs to be impregnated regularly with biocides, to avoid rotting. Plastic lumber does not; it is near-maintenance free, and far more durable than wood. This saves forests. The right mix of shredded glass and plastic with some cement and water, makes bricks of high quality.
At its start, the Recycling Centre can already employ two local employees, working four days a week. They learn all about the different sorts of glas, and will distinguish polyethene from styrene, PVC, PET LDPE and HDPE, EPS and many more plastics, so they are able to separate the glass, cans, and all plastics, and operate the machines. They create the added value.
“But still, although the outlook is promising,” Thomas emphasizes, “the help of volunteers is necessary, and donations are very welcome.”
‘love bottle’: this bottle is lovingly filled with lots and lots of plastics.
Two fellow sailors passed by in their dinghy and read the text on ‘Ya’: ”Hey, fossilfreearoundtheworld.org, that sounds interesting!” They stepped on board the ‘Ya’. They are Andries Bik and Jip, better known as Bik and Jip.
We gave them an introduction on how we live fossil fuel free and they filmed it. Peter with his enthousiasm and Bik’s reactions with his spontaneity, delivered a flash introduction to fossil free living and sailing.
This film is the result.
Comments? Like to sail on Ya? mail to info@fossilfreearoundtheworld.org
When we arrived in Columbia, we were planning to sail on the Canal del Dique. We could enter the Canal near Cartagena. Would the bridges would be high enough for Ya to pass through? Would the Canal be deep enough for Ya? The more we read about the Canal, the more intrigued we got.
Open CPN screenshot tugboats on Canal del Dique, May 2022
The first agent we consulted, said it would be better not to sail the Canal. It was before the presidential elections and “the levee channel is a little bit disturbed”. “Too little depth and too much vegetation” said the second one. Our third agent said she “sent our questions to the maritime officers and that it should not be a problem”. So, when we had the chance to ask local sailors, we did. We were lucky to be at the champions’ table after the Regatta. “Canal del Dique?” Laughter and unbelief. “Let me know how it goes, call me!” And they explained.
June 2022, the water levels at Rio Magdalena and Canal del Dique reached their highest levels.
There had been severe rain in the headwaters of the Rio Magdalena. So, there would be lots of current. Also, the vegetation in the river (waterhyacint) and logs would make sailing difficult. Heavily motorized boats can do this. Ya had better not.
But, we got curious about the Canal anyhow. In the Naval Museum we found its history.
The canal was necessary because it was impossible to sail in the mouth of the Magdalena River was virtually impenetrable, and Colombia’s two main colonial ports (Cartagena and Santa Marta) had no access to the river. It was built by the Spanish in 1582 and was rebuilt in 1650. However, by 1821 it was again completely blocked. Trade moved from from Cartagena to Santa Marta. By 1831 traders in the city began to lobby for the canal’s reopening, but repeated efforts to redredge the channel failed and by the end of the 19th century a railroad had replaced it.In 1923 and 1952, the canal was improved, but again undone by increased sedimentation of the Magdalena River. Currently, a modernization of the channel is being considered in order to boost trade in the port of Cartagena.
Within a few years, the Canal will be undergoing major works in the years to come. These works will be assigned three days before the new president starts his term. The work is supposed to create over 60.000 jobs, construct two locks, a control gate and interconnection works between swamp and canal. The works will be done along the Canal del Dique from the Magdalena River to the delta of the Caribbean Sea.
The project intends to regulate the flows and floods, sediments, salt water influx and enable scenario’s for adaptation to climate change.
Wetlands near Cartagena
The government organized over 100 meetings, yet there are some who question if these have reached those who need to know. For cargo, the importance of the Canal is immense; 67% of all river transportation is on Canal del Dique. And through the Canal, 92% of the liquid cargo of petroleum products is transported.
However, Colombia’s total petroleum and other liquids production fell considerably in recent years. This was the result of COVID, but also of social protests and attacks by guerilla groups. The protests were targeted against the social inequalities and the environmental damage of the oil industry.
We understand a bit better our first agent when we learn about Gustavo Petro. This newly elected president of Colombia promises to keep fossil fuels in the ground.
We like Colombia. And we wish Colombia and the new President a flourishing fossil fuel free future!
In Mompox, we first saw the cows and afterwards ate ‘carne a la plancha’, lovingly prepared by Davide. He even shares his secret recipe for the marinade!
Is eating meat part of a sustainable lifestyle? Not when we eat lots of it. And also not when the animals are raised without respect.
But especially in parts of the world where agriculture is difficult, herding some cattle is necessary.
Emission of greenhouse gasses is not the only thing to take into consideration when discussing cattle. Also the use of fossil fuels and chemicals can play a role.
And so, we think that eating some meat can be part of a sustainable lifestyle. As long as you know where it comes from, prepare it with love and eat it with respect.
What is sweeter than sweets? When you are in the tropics, like here in Columbia, it is easy. But come to think of it, it was also easy in the Netherlands. If you don’t eat or drink sugar, fruit is the sweetest thing on earth. Especially when you eat it in the season, nearby to where you can pick it. No plastics, no chemicals. Enjoy!
Inge asks the young street vendor about the unknown fruit
We had a young guest in Cartagena, Columbia. An amazing 8 years old girl. She wants to be an environmental scientist when she grows up, ‘just like Peter!’. And, she politely refused the ‘juice’ we had brought with us from Suriname. ‘This one is not too bad, but some drinks have only water with sugar and colorants’. She was right. And it made us think.
When we are working on our computers it is easy to eat sweets, like these:
Appealing? yes, but… plastic bag, plastic coatings, plastic straws and no fruit other than the ones on the image.
We will enjoy these artificial sweets as a ‘guilty pleasure’ and dispose of the plastic responsibly. But, we certainly will eat less of them, especially now we are in Columbia where you can buy incredible fruit from the street vendors!
A selection:
Genip
A little gem. You can slice the peel of or just crack the shell with your teeth and suck out what is inside. That may take a while but it is sweet and a little acid closer to the pit. When you feel like binge eating, it is a great alternative for peanuts.
Yellow Dragon Fruit
This exotic fruit is believed to originally come from Colombia. The pitahaya generally has yellow or red skin with white flesh and black seeds. You can only eat the inside.
Chop of the head and you easily spoon the inside out in one move. It tastes nice, refreshing and sweet. The seeds are not hard but crunchy.
As beautiful as it is, it’s not known to be a love potion, but it is supposed to be good for your bowels.
Tomate de árbol
This fruit has a smooth skin that is orange and red when ripe. You cut it in half. You can eat it out with a spoon, or just take a bite out, mold it a bit, take a bite again, till you hit the skin. The intense orange pulp is fleshy. It tastes a bit like a tomato and is rich in vitamins A, C and E as well as iron, potassium and magnesium.
Guava
Guava is used for the most exquisite pink drinks. You can also eat them; peel and slice or spoon it out. They also make all kinds of jams and jellies, but then the colour turns into a slightly dull brownish orange.
The flavor of guava is complex and rich. Despite the hard seeds, it is definitely worth a try. It is fruity, but it is not very sweet. But you can also taste hints of flowers and spices.
Mamey
The sweetest fruit we met so far. It looks a bit like a kiwi, but bigger. We cut it in half around and were surprised to find a big pit. Take it out. Mamey has a custardy texture with a flavor reminiscent of sweet potato, mango, and papaya.
Papaya
You can find Papaya anywhere in Middle-America. It is well known for its specific taste and a good source of vitamin A and C. You cut it over the length and take the seeds out. The taste of this fruit is very specific and kind of heavy. When you also eat a coincidental seed, there is a pepperish addition to it.
We like to eat Papaya with something else, like with some yoghurt and muesli in the morning. The combination with lime adds freshness.
They don’t keep really well. So, if you get a big one (which is not uncommon here) you can easily make lots of jam or ‘dulce‘.
Lime
Lime is indispensable. You can buy them everywhere, in large quantities, and cheap. They keep long if they’re not in the sun. Even if they turn yellow or brown on the outside, they are still fresh and green when you slice them open. They are served with every dish. Rich in vitamin C and less sour than lemons, they have become our favorite addition to afternoon tea.
So, you can imagine that this sweeter than sweet fruit has drastically reduced our bad taste for artificial flavours and plastic wrapped ‘sweets’.
Here in Cartagena, Colombia, we see, as simple Western people, what we have lost on fossil free solutions. One of these solutions is definitely the flexible and cheap and accessible means of transport. Look what we’ve found!
There’s noisy cars, vans and taxis everywhere. But also… other vehicles, without engines!
Colombia has the advantage here. All variations of fossil free transport are still present. In Western cities we gave them all way to the bigger means, “for safety reasons”. And indeed, all smaller transport is pushed to the margins and the big cars and trucks have that much space, they can’t do harm anymore. Now, with much pain and difficulties, planners and traffic planners are experimenting, like in a Paris area around schools, where they forbid all cars. Or like in Amsterdam, where they stimulate the bikes again. Well, reluctantly, not too much, because the Amsterdam county needs ‘her’ parking fees. Better do it as in Cartagena, where still all is possible. And in the mean while, many people have a proud living from it.
Looking for the ‘spirit of the Caribbean’ we found the beautiful beach of Bayahibe, and we found the colorful market in Barahona, but we also found Larimar. This pectolite can only be found near Barahona, Dominican Republic. We talked to David of Casa de Larimar. What makes Larimar so special?
Davide Bolques tells us all about Larimar, and more!
It is not all roses. One day after we went to Casa de Larimar, the New York Times published an in-depth article on Larimar. Two miners had died in April, so, the government had shut down the mine. Let’s hope the improvements come fast; the artisans need the income from Larimar. They benefit most if you buy Larimar jewelry that is produced in the Dominican Republic itself. So, if you are in Santo Domingo: visit the museum and the museum shop. And if you are in Barahona: visit Casa de Larimar!
Do you want to know more about these treasures of the Dominican Republic?
Just anything, as long as you can transport it by moped or motorbike, you will find it on the market of Barahona. There are so many people living from it.
This is another loud call from us to buy local, and don’t buy the stuff from the supermarket (mostly cooled vegetables, because of the long voyages from other continents in cool ships so an enormous use of fossil fuels). Just use your senses, including the common one, what products to buy.
We are at Isla Beata. The beach is incredible. We thought it would be very crowded. But, we saw only fishermen’s boats. After a short swim, we were received by the ‘commandante’ of the village. 20 people live here, all fishermen and their wives. Sometimes, when all the fishermen are here, the population is up to 60 persons.
Ya at Isla Beata
The commandante offered us to use his internet to solve our problem. This is why we can send you this newsletter. Not the one we had intended, but the one we can. Have a great day!
