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.