When Thijs, hanging over the side of the ship, finally puts his arms together and makes it look as if he was rocking a baby, it means that ship is clear - the anchor is out of the water and there is nothing entangled in it.

Alejandro cooking.
Photo: Isabel Leal

We are now sailing away from Isla del Carmen, heading south. I hope that if I ever return (with diving skills!) I will not find this area destroyed by destructive coastal development. It would be a pity to demolish the marine wildlife in order to feed a few foreign investors with dollars. There are other and more ecologically sustainable ways to develop tourism and create jobs and income for the local communities.

As I write this chairs are keeling over, and something just came off the wall on the bridge. Of course it's nothing like the roaring 40s, but it is rough enough to make things move. I shot the little movie below to give you an idea.