Idle Time...

Routing in the last two weeks:
Cabo de San Antonio to Maria La Gorda (red), then
from Maria La Gorda to Ensenada de los Barcos (yellow),
and from the entrance of Nueva Gernoa to Cayo del Navio (in blue)

Cabo de San Antonio to Isla de la Juventud

From Cabo de San Antonio (western tip of Cuba), our next move was to sail to Isla de la Juventud (south side of Cuba). The main town on Isla de la Juventud is called Nueva Gerona, and is described as being charming and having plenty of provisioning opportunities. In the past few weeks we've crossed no towns nor provisioning opportunities so we were excited about the prospect of all of it!

Our best/not ideal/only weather window for the foreseeable future meant leaving right away and beginning the 24 hour passage in a headwind. It's safe to say beating to windward is never fun but the marine conditions were predicted to improve throughout the evening so we decided to go for it since the rough part would only be for a relatively short period of time.

As we rounded the point and turned eastward, the waves were ready to rock! We sailed slightly off the wind, tacking our way toward Isla de la Juventud, but even at that, it was so rough we couldn't do much of anything but hang on. We had secured everything on board before departure but, in big seas, things can get loose. We heard a thud come from the main cabin (a thud other than our hull pounding waves... new thud...new thud not good...) Julian's watermelon had taken flight. And crash landed, leaving juicy fruit brains all over the floor. Though I dreaded entering the cabin, it would only take a few waves to have the place looking like the lid came off the daiquiri blender, so I quickly dove in to take care of the mess. You do what you've gotta do. (A moment of silence for precious fruit lost... Approx. 1/3, however, was saved.)

By 11pm (9 hours into it), the wind still hadn't eased up nor clocked around as it was supposed to, and we'd made very little progress. It was the darkest night in recorded history (unproven) and the wind was blowing dogs off chains! A grey cloud formed above us causing wind bursts that heeled Kianda beyond her rails, making water rush along the deck and flood into the cockpit. I know this happens (that's what cockpit drain holes are for!) but I do not like it - not one bit. I can't believe my stand up paddle board (deflated and folded in its bag) remained tied down on deck despite being submerged every few seconds.

The conditions were exhausting and we still had far to go. We started considering alternatives and luckily there was a good option: Maria La Gorda was 2 hours away with an easy approach that is manageable in the dark. (Arrivals after dark are generally to be avoided.) This would give us a place to rest and wait for better weather. We changed course and comfort level greatly improved. What a relief! On approach, I stood at the bow with our spotlight, shining periodically into the darkness for potential hazards. My light kept catching glistening fish darting around everywhere! In a senseless move, one hit our boat (maybe he should have been scanning for hazards). My light eventually carved out the four mooring balls as we expected to see at Maria La Gorda and we knew that just beyond them was the anchorage. We dropped anchor at 3am, relishing the relative stillness.

That part of the passage was like a physical endurance test but we weren't actually in danger. It was just a bad point of sail. In contrast, we received news from British friends we met at Marina Hemingway who had a real incident, quite possibly on that very same night. They had left Hemingway for an (estimated) 8 day sail to Panama. Yeah - they're in the big leagues. On the 6th night at around 4:30am (because that's when bad things always happen), they smelled burning and could see flames coming up from the floorboards around the engine. The source was discovered to be the wiring loom - an electrical fire. Down below, the smoke was so thick it was hard to see and impossible to breath. The 3rd blast of the fire extinguisher thinned the smoke and the fire was out. They managed to continue sailing but on the following day, the wind died down completely. They eventually jury rigged a connection and regained electrical power, got the engine going and motored in to Panama. We're very thankful they're safe and highly impressed with how they coped facing such a nightmare. Cleaning watermelon off the floor in rough seas no longer seems like something to write home about.

After 4 hours of sweet rest at Maria La Gorda, we awoke at 7am to find the wind had finally clocked around - it was the forecast we had expected the night before. We set sail once again for Isla de la Juventud on a much nicer passage, cruising along with a 2 knot current and under a double rainbow during breakfast. Apology accepted, Ocean. We arrived to our chosen bay (Ensenada de los Barcos) at midnight - another nighttime arrival. I again found myself at the bow, shining our way in with the spotlight, scanning for unlighted markers bobbing in the darkness (which are super eerie) and shining the light on flying fish, for comic relief.

Much better sailing on day 2 - from Maria La Gorda to Isla de la Juventud.

Ensenada de los Barcos (Isla de la Juventud)

During the winter in Cuba, the normal frequency for cold fronts ranges anywhere from two per month to two per week. We're getting the latter. Here's the math: 2 cold fronts per week that can last 3 days or more = deal the cards while I make us another drink.

Unsettled weather confined us to the boat in Ensenada de los Barcos for 8 days. Isla time became Idle time...

We couldn't go to shore in our new anchorage because there's nowhere to land a dinghy. The entire bay is thickly fringed with mangroves, which is what made it a comfortable place to wait out the blow. The only sign of civilization was the flames we could see in the distance at night - farmers setting tobacco fields ablaze to prepare them for harvest is our best guess as to what it was. For a few days we shared the huge bay with a Cuban fishing boat (who unfortunately did not attempt to trade lobster for Havana Club) and then a Dutch flagged sailboat took refuge here as well. (That was the third sailboat we'd seen in a month.) The fishing boat tried leaving a few times but always returned after poking its nose out of the bay, indicating to us that it was still bad out there. The beautiful mountains of Isla de la Juventud were the backdrop and Nueva Gerona tantalizingly close, but we would have to wait.

Idle Time

It's a rare thing, especially at our age and in our busy society, to have idle time. Idle time isn't the same as a vacation, which one wants to 'make the most of' and which always feels too short. I'm talking about simply being stopped, paused, with ample time and no pressure to spend it wisely. Our idle time was a forced situation because if we had our way, we would be onshore exploring or underway toward a destination. We were never bored, however, and the days rolled on by.

Once everything that needed troubleshooting, fixing or cleaning got taken care of, we tended to things that didn't even need troubleshooting, fixing or cleaning. For example, our kettle now shines like a jewel inside and out - took me all morning. This led to meticulously cleaning the stovetop burners and the oven. I did more debatably useful things like reinforcing the seams of our courtesy flags by resewing them - shouldn't fray now! Dave was occupied with our electrical systems and other maintenance projects. We read, swam when feeling tough enough (chilly!), planned our next moves, watched movies. I baked bread, pizza dough, scones - all wonderful. Since the mini bananas were passing expiration date, we blended them up and made cocktails mid-morning (can't let more fruta go to waste!) A friend emailed joking that she would likely have "accidentally lost" her boyfriend overboard by now. Our living space is limited but we're used to that. Sometimes we'll each bend down to do something at the same time and collide heads, but for the most part we don't feel in each other's way. Besides, I can't lose Dave overboard; I need him to play cards. Our only connection to the outside world is our satellite system from which we get our weather forecasts. It's linked to Dave's email so we can also send and receive basic emails. Thank you to our friends who have kindly been googling things that we ask for!

Pizza pizza!

Fishing with the Bahamian Sling but nothing to catch here. 

One afternoon in the anchorage, a gull-like bird landed on our bimini. He was totally unconcerned by our presence. On our 6th day onboard, this visitor was 100% entertaining to us. We watched him walk around, we took pictures with him, we realized we might be going stir crazy... He stayed for a long while, then pooped on the canvas and took off. We still talk about Ernesto - wishing he would return, but he won't because the wind got too strong to even attempt an approach.

Kianda sure could use a fresh water rinse; her metal components especially need it. She's frosted in a salty glaze from weeks of accumulated ocean spray. (I thought "frosted in a salty glaze" sounded more poetic than "she's crusty".) Though the marine weather isn't great, it hasn't rained at all. Since we're not certain when the next opportunity will come to refill our fresh water tank, rinsing the boat isn't a high enough priority for water usage right now.

As I yell: "Don't touch him!"

Ernersto!

Nueva Gerona (Isla de la Juventud)

After 7 days in the anchorage, the wind finally calmed the fudge down and we headed for Nueva Gerona! We planned on requesting permission from Guarda Frontera to stay at the dock for one night, though we knew that was asking a lot (*rolls eyes). The guidebook says that entry isn't always permitted but a transient boat may be allowed to tie up for a short period of time to provision or to escape bad weather. Through word of mouth, we heard that 2 hours is the standard allotment these days and possibly more if you resort to bribery. Offering beer may get you more time at the town dock.

When we reached the buoys marking the entrance, we contacted the Nueva Gerona authorities on the VHF, as per procedures. They responded: "Negativo. Negativo." Permission was denied; simple as that. We tried a second call, re-explaining ourselves: two Canadians on board, requesting a short stop, necessito food and water. It didn't make any difference. (...) So we had to move on to our next deserted island.

I don't know which is worse for keeping us onboard in Cuba: the cold fronts or the Guarda Frontera.

If I let Dave have his way, we'd have run out of cheese long ago. The other day, he gazed at his dinner topped with grated cheddar and with serious emotion said: "This cheese is so special." After my 3rd square of dark chocolate tonight he warned me: "That's your last one... And take it easy on the peanut butter" - jokingly reiterating things he hears from me every day!

We've been confined to the boat without going to shore for 14 days. Weird! But the hiatus is almost over. It's time for a new chapter and the weather looks promising! Our next cruising grounds will be the Archipelago de los Canarreos including the resort island of Cayo Largo. We're ready for a slice of paradise (and a slice of cheese would be nice too, eh Dave!)

From our anchorage: Isla de la Juventud to the East.

The closest we would get to Nueva Gerona.

And from our other anchorage: Isla de la Juventud to the West.

Update from the Galley: Our food situation did a 180.

A lone mangrove at "our end" of Cayo Levisa.

Well, the cruising guidebooks said finding food in Cuba (outside of Varadero and Havana anyway) would take patience, curiosity, local knowledge and time. And it does. In reality, it also takes a big dose of physical effort. We're well stocked on board and we won't go hungry, but even with the best preparation, fresh fruit and vegetables only last so long before needing replenishing. And the fresh stuff is what queremos!

We realized that the Cayo Levisa mini-resort might be an opportunity. We spoke to a cook and, in terrible Espaῇol, explained how:

-we've been stopped due to a cold front that just won't move on,

-boats are no longer permitted to land in the upcoming coastal towns,

-our fresh food supplies are getting low and there are no provisioning options for hundreds of miles.

Julian told us to meet him at the crack of dawn the next morning. We dinghied to shore and walked 30 minutes along the beach to the resort lobby (with our headlamps on in the mangovy parts so as not to trip over roots - this was before sunrise). Julian initially showed up empty handed so we thought we were out of luck, but then he signaled for us to follow him. He led us to a cabin where we waited outside...and he returned with a big box full of fresh fruit and vegetables! More than we ever expected. Then he invited us to breakfast at the little resort. Then he snuck buns and shortbread cookies in my bag when I wasn't looking. So kind!

Fruta y vegetales!  Yay!

In other food-related news, our fridge is full of lobster. In Cuba, the government owns all lobster (or langoustine to be more precise); it is illegal to buy it from fisherman and it is illegal to fish it ourselves. So I won't be specific about how this is happening, but oh, it's happening! Our protein needs are being met en masse.

And lastly, today we discovered that Julian's shortbread crumbled over guava is awesome.

So we're happy! The weather is warm again and we're living in our bathing suits, paddle boarding, swimming off the boat and making our way along the North West coast admiring the beauty of the mountainous backdrop. Sometimes the water is so clear we can see the bottom 25ft below. We're trawling lines but no luck catching fish...

We just arrived in Cabo San Antonio, the most western tip of Cuba. There's a marina here to replenish our potable water, solar showers, fuel and beer (though not much else, yet, surprise! There's wifi so here I am with this update, with kittens playing all around me at the bar). Tomorrow, we set sail for Isla de la Juventud!

(If you can see my red arrows) We're now heading from Cabo de San Antonio to
Isla de la Juventud.

North West coast of Cuba.

A visitor!

More visitors! (And they're stayin!)

Dave onloading his Bucanero.

Signing a flag to hang in the Los Morros marina bar (Cayo San Antonio).

A Cuban navigational aid (better than nothing!) marking a shoal.

Our view from the dock.

The North Shores of Cuba.

We made it!  And after already three weeks of cruising Cuba, we're merely scratching the surface in discovering this country.  There's so much to say, I could write pages and pages about what we've done, who we've met, what we've seen... Just the experience of buying eggs could take up a whole post!  The regulations, the culture, the oddities, the scenery - there's no shortage of material but I'll keep this to 'snippets', however, as painting the full picture of cruising Cuba would take a fair amount of explanation.  Plus internet is scarce.

Upon arrival at Marina Graviota in Varadero, Cuban officials presented themselves three by three and boarded Kianda to process our entry into the country.  Our experience clearing in to Cuba was a bit time consuming (and may have increased our cholesterol level as we had to eat our dozen eggs before departing for our next port of call a day and a half later) but otherwise very easy as the officials are the ones filling out all the paperwork.

 

Our adjustment to Cuban culture was done in baby steps, beginning within the ease of the 'resort bubble'.  Marina Graviota is a huge complex where everything is a no-brainer, translated, generic; your typical all-inclusive resort.  Two days here was good enough for us.  It was time to see the real world! 

The Guarda Frontera (Cuba's Coast Guard) came to clear us out.  This will be the routine in Cuba: we must present ourselves to the Guarda to checkin and checkout whenever we move the boat.  Guarda wants to know where we are and where we're going.  Seeing as we will be in very remote cruising grounds, we don't mind Big Brother watching... at least someone knows we exist out here.

We set sail for our next port of call, initially surrounded by Marina Graviota's large catamaran fleet taking tourists out for a day-trip on the water.  As Irma edged closer to Cuba's north shores last October, the captains of the catamaran fleet were ordered to man their boats and leave port!  They each rode out the hurricane onboard their vessel, tucked away in the mangroves, hoping to be spared.  The Port Captain told us it was absolutely terrifying.  In the end, none of the boats were damaged.

On the short day sail from Marina Graviota (glittery resort bubble) to Marina Darsena (tired, hurricane battered, super chill, friendly spot), we were rolling through the big emerald blue waves in the breeze when Dave exclaimed: "Holy shit, a swimmer!"  A swimmer?  We were nearly two miles offshore!  The swimmer didn't even look at us though he was only about a boat length away.  We had never before considered the possibility of running someone down with our boat at sea.  We've since read in our cruising guides that this sight is a common occurrence in Cuba: fishermen swim for their catch in open water, in up to 100 foot depths!  One of our western region charts even has this advisory: "Freedivers are often spotted in this area fishing for lobster.  They are dropped off by a larger vessel and left to work alone.  A sharp lookout is advised."

The swimmer!!!

Marina Darsena, still a part of Varadero and adjacent to the town of Santa Marta, is a more humble setting, but this is where it got interesting!  Here we made the acquaintance of Debbie - a Canadian ex-pat who's been living on her boat at the marina for 17 years.  She invited us along on a bunch of interesting outings, including the Santa Marta Sunday market which was buzzing with activity.  Even the walk to town is an adventure with crossing the aircraft runway and dodging horse-drawn carts.  At the market, produce is piled on tables or on the ground, often still in its dirt from the garden (or from being piled on the ground), awaiting to be weighed on rusty scales for purchasing.  It gave us a good idea of what we'll be eating in this country.  To make a long story short, besides buying fruit and vegetables from a vendor's cart when we find one, and eggs if ever possible, we will be relying almost entirely on our provisions for food while we're in Cuba.  The selection of available food is slim and will prove increasingly tricky to find, but the freshness and flavour of the produce are without comparison.  As for meat, we haven't been adventurous enough to buy it from an outdoor market yet.  If you've seen this, you understand the hesitation. 

We've been to a few indoor "supermarkets" and they are not, at this point anyway, useful places for us to get food.  At first glance it looks like the shelves are stocked but then you see the whole aisle is filled with only pickles, the next is mayo, the next is oil - so in reality there is very little selection and nothing that I consider of nutritional value.  Finding rum will never be an issue though.   Healthy crackers and cereals, whole grains, seeds and nuts...not gonna happen from what I can see so far! 

Cubans have a national system of monthly rations which ensures no one goes hungry, and eggs are a part of this bundle of basic needs.  I also consider eggs a part of our basic nutritional needs but, due to a current egg shortage, egg rations are being filled by card-carrying locals before any extra will be sold to the likes of us.  So far, the only eggs we've eaten have been gifts from new cruising friends who were lucky enough to find some, but it hasn't been for lack of effort on my part.  It feels more like Easter than Christmas since I'm always hunting for eggs.  My Spanish is now fluent in one area: huevos.  I know a dozen ways to inquire about the egg situation.  Sometimes though, no words are required - the egg vendor simply waves his finger and shakes his head when he notices me standing in the line, meaning no huevos for you.  I've come very close via the black market but both times the plan was poached when my egg dealer got caught by an honest coworker and scrambled.  In Havana, an egg vendor was willing to sell me 12 eggs for $12 but we'd be fools to accept.  It's true that $12 is nothing to us, and I sure wanted those eggs, but it isn't right to try to take advantage of visitors like that and we won't support it.  (*The dual currency system and the way in which Cuba treats its visitors when it comes to money is a loaded topic, one on which I have much to say, but probably best suited for another time!)  In Santa Fe, we got a tip from a veggie vendor that lead to a goose-chase which ended successfully.  We purchased two dozen eggs in a legal fashion at standard Cuban prices.  And we're rationing them carefully as this chance may not come again soon.

Santa Marta market.

 

Going to donate clothes to the poor with Debbie.

Before leaving Marina Darsena for Marina Hemingway (Havana!), Guarda explained in rapid-fire Spanish that we were to sail directly to Hemingway and not stop until we arrive there the next day.  He made wild hand gestures motioning big waves while he talked.  I cut in to explain it to Dave: "He's saying we have to go directly to Hemingway but that if the waves get big and dangerous we can pull into an anchorage along the way."  Dave corrected me: "No, he's saying even if the waves get big and dangerous we are NOT to pull into an anchorage along the way."  And to that, Guarda nodded in agreement.  Oh...okay...no stopping no matter what...

Hemingway Marina was our home through the Christmas holidays and over the course of ten days we formed a nice little community there with the few other cruising boats.  Jorge, a private taxi driver who operates out of the marina became our primary 'go-to guy' for transportation, butane refills, local knowledge.  He is also a genuinely kind individual who was a pleasure to know and whom we hope to see again in the future.  Jorge's car (which comfortably seats seven) is a 1949 Chevy that his father-in-law bought in 1950.  All the parts are original and the ones that fall off during the day are reattached each night.  The situation is the same for every vintage car-owner here; we can imagine the nightly overhauls required to make it through one more day.  To keep his car going straight, Jorge must constantly turn the wheel back and forth from right to left - like in the movies!  In a different taxi, a 1954 Chevy, when we headed West to visit the mountains one day, a friend dropped something on the floor in the backseat that made a clank sound.  We immediately noticed the driver's ears perk up; he thought it was a car part breaking off and was listening carefully to guess what it might be.  They say Cubans can fix anything with nothing.  They sure have (impressively) managed to keep these old relics dominating the roads!  The cars are a real highlight, adding so much colour to the scene.

Kianda at Marina Hemingway.

You can see that Havana was once spectacular.  And it's still beautiful, equal parts in spite of, and because of, its complicated history.  It's an extremely interesting place to walk around.  It's vibrant, loud, colourful, and filthy.  Beautiful architecture stands next to crumbling buildings - like in a war zone.  There's a nearly perfect balance of 'magnificent' and 'ruined' and this contrast makes Havana fascinating at every angle.  Just make sure to watch your step!   

Jorge dropping us off in Havana.

Cabaret night at Hotel National!

Leaving Marina Hemingway to sail West means you're ready to go at it alone.  There isn't much along these shores except for uninhabited cayos lined with beaches and mangroves.  (The swimming has been a-ma-zing by the way!)  There will be no diesel, butane, nor potable water available until Cabo San Antonio at the western tip of Cuba, and a line of cold fronts is impeding our advancement.  There are a couple small towns along the way where fruit and vegetables would be purchasable, however we do not have Guarda's permission to go to shore there.  So we're really not sure where our next fresh food will be found - Isla de la Juventud most likely but hopefully sooner!  (*I won't get into politics, or more specifically the topic of 'freedom', but it's one that I ponder a lot here...both that of the Cuban people and that of visitors.)  We will just have to make do with what we have onboard, which is what we prepared for and it should be fine.

A food vendor in Havana.

We're being mindful not to waste our water and the butane for cooking.  We're also being extra cautious with safety related things as help isn't exactly around the corner should we encounter a problem.  We're reading our cruising guides to anticipate what comes next and we're trying to make the best decisions with regards to routing and weather.  Dave has acquired access to great electronic weather products and has become a very impressive forecaster which helps enormously in keeping us and the boat out of harm's way.  It's an interesting experience to be faced with these challenges; such a far cry from the land-of-plenty and protection that we come from.  

There's a cold front passing through (frente frio!) so we're holed up in Cayo Levisa for a week (which is really great!) while the North wind blows.  We're allowed to roam on this island because there are no local residents, it's for tourists.  There's a little eco-resort on shore, a 30 minute beach walk from our anchorage, where we can enjoy pina coladas, delicious coffee (Cuban's may not have much but they do have great coffee machines!), and treat ourselves to an occasional buffet dinner which by Cuban standards is fit for royalty - and only $10 each!   So we're doing pretty well these days!  This cold front is associated with the same low that is causing a winter bomb back at home in Canada.  It's been windy here which means we've got lots of power onboard through the wind generator.  The temperature has dropped and the sky clouded over a bit, but don't worry about us - it still isn't cold enough for socks!

Happy New Year to our family and friends!  Wishing you all the best in 2018!

Incredibly beautiful Vinales in the Western mountains.

We caught two barracudas!  We released them though.  But good practice.

New Year´s Eve dinner venue.  Fit for royalty! Cayo Levisa.

Watching the cold front approach.  Better get back to the boat...

And...it hit!

Our backyard, the boat is tucked behind the mangroves.

Provisioning

We should have bought more peach preserves in Georgia!

In Coconut Grove, Florida we provisioned for the next phase of our journey: Cuba!  Cubans eat, we know there's food there, but the situation is very different from what we're used to.  I expect shopping for food will take some patience, local knowledge and an openness to  substitution.  The rule of thumb when shopping in Cuba is "buy it when you see it" because if you wait, the chance may not come again soon.  And I highly doubt I'll often come across items like chia seeds, quinoa four, spices or fine mustards.  (Side story: in the NY State Canal System, we were tied to a canal wall when a posh canal cruise ship squeezed by with its passengers on deck looking down at us.  We heard a man in the sailboat tied behind us call out to them: "Pardon me, but do you have any Grey Poupon?"  Hadn't heard that one in awhile.  Haha!)  With an open mind, I'm sure we'll do just fine but that being said, we don't want to spend too much precious time searching for groceries, so we're going prepared. 

We reviewed our charts and a calendar to plan a general timeframe for cruising Cuba. Then we made our long grocery list with the quantities we think we require.  There was a lot of guestimating going on as I've never kept track of exactly how long a jar of peanut butter lasts us.  If we're in Cuba for three months, and we eat chickpeas once per week, that's 12 cans!  And more if I'm making hummus!  Our grocery list looked crazy with 15 of this and 12 of that.  On and on it went with the items we don't want to go without. 

We rented a car for the grocery shopping event so that we could do it in multiple (less overwhelming) trips.  I'll admit I was momentarily paralysed in the aisle, not knowing where to start, staring at my list that seemed out of whack.  Dave got me back into gear, reminding me that the numbers we tallied make sense.  He had his moments as well, in the marine supply store especially, where he didn't need anything at all yet was in a frenzy over it being his "last chance"!  We had already purchased engine oil, filters, spare engine parts - everything we hope will keep the boat running smoothly.  "We're not going to another planet!" I said, but it almost feels like we are. 

After a few back-and-forth runs with Peli through the mooring field to onload our provisions, Kianda's belly is now full of good stuff.  This boat is amazing for storage space; you would never know we've added months worth of food and boat supplies.  And our waterline is still above water (but barely)!  While putting everything away, I mixed up some cocktails to free valuable fridge space taken by juice - a perfectly respectable reason to start drinking at 2pm - we had to!  There are currently 8 bags of Branbud cereal under Dave's side of the bed plus a slew of other non-perishables.  If a jar of peanut butter lasts us 2 weeks (and I think it's actually much longer), then we're all set for 3 months.  I just have to grab it from under the floorboards!

Comme Jannie dirait: "on est stocké!" 

We had the pleasure of receiving another package via general delivery to Kianda in Coconut Grove - and this one could be a game changer as far as our meals in Cuba go.  Our friends Jen and Maxwell sent us their fishing gear!  "We want you to catch fish!" they said.  Those two are too good to us.  They even sent a Bohemian Sling (which is a spear gun).  We promise to give it our best shot! 

After declaring ourselves ready to leave Coconut Grove, in perfect winds we sailed down the Florida Keys to reach our chosen jump off point for Cuba.  And when we got there, against the odds, the forecast immediately lined up for an opportunity to make the passage to Cuba (waiting for a weather window to cross can often take days or even weeks, so this forecast was great luck).  We left our anchorage near Marathon on December 13th at noon and expected an arrival in Varadero the following morning.

Just as we left USA waters, we received a last text from Maxwell wishing us a safe journey and saying that he checked the wind and it looked "nice and northerly" (sailing friends!).  He  also informed us of a meteor shower that night...  Witness-amazing-astrological-event-while-crossing-Gulf Stream: Check!  Been there, done that!  We can cross it off our list of sights to behold.  It was incredible!  We've never seen the sky so actively lit up like that.  There was at least one shooting star or meteor every thirty seconds all night long. 

At 9:30pm dolphins encircled the boat, flying fish were buzzing around, the water colour turned a brilliant purply blue (all this we could see when we shined the spotlight); we were unmistakably in the Gulf Stream.  At one point our container of fishing equipment rolled off the seat and Dave said "there's so much life out here, even the fishing gear is getting tingly!"

The moon rose over the horizon at 3:45am like a thin orange smile.  It actually startled me; a bright light suddenly appearing where none had been a moment before - for a second I thought it was another boat.  I cooked, we slept a bit, we listened to music, the boat rolled along and I didn't feel seasick!  It was our most lively and beautiful night passage ever.  'Land Ho' was called at 10am when we spotted the lighthouse on an island near Varadero and about an hour later we were awaiting for the Guarda Frontera and other Cuban officials to begin clearing us in.  Here we go...

Buenas Dias de Cuba!

Coconut Grove, down the Keys, and across to Varadero!

 

A night at sea...

Of course the picture doesn´t do the night sky justice, but
here´s a shot of the moon and some stars.

First sight of Cuba.  Cayo Piedras light house.

Up goes the Q flag!

And once cleared in, we fly the Cuban courtesy flag!