Category Archives: Caribbean

Jamaican Surprise

Posted on by
Eileen of Avoca in Jamaica

Eileen of Avoca in Jamaica

From the sea, Jamaica is a wondrous sight. I might even go as far as to say that it is an island of “the lush mountainous variety, fringed with white sandy beaches, shady coconut palms and”, when I get a bit closer dare I hope “bikini clad beauties”? 🙂

A photo simply can not do it justice (so you are not getting one). Truly spectacular!

Port Antonio, Jamaica

Port Antonio, Jamaica

Port Antonio is also picturesque and what a fine little marina it is that carries the name of Errol Flynn!

And why Errol Flynn?

Because apparently he lived here with his wife. It was their little piece of paradise right up until last week when Errol’s wife passed away.

Who knew that the 60s swashbuckling movie star from Tasmania had ended up here with his wife?

I certainly didn’t, but I can see why he did.

The town has an easygoing atmosphere. The people are courteous, good humoured and pleased to accommodate visitors.

That’s not to say there isn’t a bit of the tourist hustle in evidence, but it is delivered in a clearly non-threatening, almost friendly manner.

I liked it here, even if I didn’t find the aforementioned bikini clad beauties.

Facebook photo shoot on Eileen

Facebook photo shoot on Eileen

The non-bikini clad type did find their way aboard Eileen for a facebook photo session, but surely that doesn’t count.

The bar at Errol Flynn Marina, Port Antonio

The bar at Errol Flynn Marina, Port Antonio

Curiously, the marina does boast a posh white sandy “bikini beach”, but alas, the girls were curiously absent. Perhaps my visit was out of season, so I hung around the marina bar instead.

Or out at the mall overlooking the marina.

View from the mall.

View from the mall.

And when I’d had enough of that I made my way to Café Central bar & lounge,

View from Central Cafe

View from Cafe Central bar & Lounge

where I listened to Chopin Nocturnes (in Jamaica?), whilst taking a beating at playing dominoes. I’m too embarrassed to tell you the age of my opponent.

So, what were the rules again?

So, what were the rules again?

All in all, I had a short but unexpectedly pleasant Jamaican sojourn.

Would you eat stinking toe?

Would you eat stinking toe?

And for the real Jamaicans out there… no… I didn’t dare eat “stinking toe”… It really does smell too awful. Maybe next time.

Next stop Jamaica!

Posted on by
If only the weather had stayed this way.

If only the weather had stayed like this.

If I do go back to Cuba, I will take a direct flight to Havana, stay in a hotel and see the country by hire-car. Oh, and buy my cigars at the airport when I leave.

These were my thoughts as I set off on my 350 nautical mile leg to Port Antonio, Jamaica.

On route I passed through the famous “Jardines del la Reina” or “gardens of the queen” consisting of numerous cays extending south-east from Cienfuegos for a distance of almost 80 NM. The name itself conjures up images of an idyllic paradise but the reality, (at least for this sailor), leaves much to be desired.

For some reason I’m not terribly fond of flat dry scrubby uninhabited islands strangled by muddy mangroves that swarm with mosquitoes…

I lean more towards islands of the lush mountainous variety, fringed with white sandy beaches, shady coconut palms and bikini clad beauties…

But if you are looking for isolated anchorages where weeks could pass before you see another boat, then Cuba will “suit you to a tee”.

Yacht Tata in Cuba

Yacht Tata in Cuba

I did see one yacht (off Cayo Bretón), as I sought shelter after a surprisingly turbulent start to my journey. And I am glad I did, because thanks to them I received a considerably more accurate weather forecast via HF radio than the one I had downloaded from the Internet.

Many thanks to the crew of Tata. I was so impressed that I’m considering how to squeeze in a HF transceiver on Eileen’s next refit.

The rest of my journey was happily uneventful.

“Gullibles Travels” in Cuba

Posted on by
Sunset in Cuba

Sunset in Cuba

I arrived in Cienfuegos on a Sunday. Taking a stylish 1950s taxi to town, my first stop was for money (how capitalist of me). To an ATM to be precise, so that I could withdraw CU (convertible dollars).

The typical Cuban car tourist photo

The typical Cuban car tourist photo

No luck… The machine kept the money and swallowed my credit card.

Let me digress a moment here to explain that tourist currency isn’t the same as local currency, and the CU purchasing power is a highly sought after commodity, even if it is not a necessity.

So much so that just about every scheme you can imagine (legal and otherwise), has evolved to obtain it. More on that later.

Feeling somewhat responsible for my evenings misadventure, my taxi driver promised to accompany me to the bank first thing in the morning.

Sorted!

Cienfuegos port, Cuba

Cienfuegos port, Cuba

Cashed up I spent the following day playing “tourist”, my taxi driver, “guide”. I offered to buy drinks, he offered to show me highlights of Cienfuegos, I bought lunch, he procured discount Cuban cigars (a must have souvenir).

All well an good.

I wandered all over town,

City centre, Cienfuegos

City centre, Cienfuegos

took some fabulous photos,

met the locals and

Cubana

A typical Cuban girl?

satisfied that I’d had a glimpse of the real Cuba, prepared to leave.

Che Guevara?

Che Guevara?

Four officials waited to board Eileen of Avoca the morning of my departure. Two made their way inside and rummaged around taking particular interest in sundry electronic devices such as mobile phones, memory sticks and cameras. I have a collection, many don’t work, but that did not deter them from suggesting they were gifts.

Fair enough, I had no real use for them.

I was amazed at how quickly and with what practised ease these items vanished into jacket pockets.

When asked if I had bought cigars, I retrieved the boxes my driver had procured and that’s when the excitement started…

Apparently they were counterfeit and must be confiscated!

Who would have thought that you can buy fake Cuban cigars in Cuba?

Is there some factory in China producing them on mass and somehow smuggling them into the country?

Well apparently they were imitation “brand name” cigars. I’d bought the Cuban equivalent of fake Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses or a made in China Prada handbag.

Maybe they need to update their welcome...

Maybe they need to update their welcome…

I was not overly concerned at this point, but unfortunately customs were not satisfied with their newly acquired electronic gifts and counterfeit cigars. For when I returned to Eileen I found that the last of my Cuban cash, a USB memory stick, and a fishing lure (of all things) had also mysteriously disappeared.

That the officials conducting the search were responsible, I have no doubt. They conveniently made me leave Eileen before they did. Presumably so I would not see what transpired. But after living aboard a 23ft boat for so many years I can’t help knowing where and what is in it…, intimately.

A poor show Mr Fidel!

In my travels, officials have occasionally hinted at gifts, but never before have they blatantly stolen items from my boat.

What time is it?

What time is it?

I would still go back to Cuba, but never again with my boat, for the following four reasons:

  1. There is little to offer a single handed yachtsman in the numerous southern cays. What fun is a deserted scrubby island (or hundreds for that matter), when you sail alone?

  2. It is illegal to invite a local aboard your yacht. There goes my social life!

  3. And horror of horrors, you are not allowed to catch the local lobster. This is by far the most difficult prohibition to live with given that their consumption could almost be used as an unofficial unit of time here. “How long will you be staying at this anchorage?”… “Oh, about three or four lobsters…”

  4. You already know the fourth reason.

The sanitised version of Cuba

Posted on by
Cayo Largo, Cuba

Cayo Largo, Cuba

I arrived in Cayo Largo (my first official stop) a week after my departure from Mexico. Threading my way trough the various islets (against wind and current), was not easy and on more than one occasion I came within centimetres of running aground.

Lessons learnt?

Don’t try any of the passes at night… Even if apparently well lit.

It was quite a relief to moor at a real marina for a few days because I was utterly exhausted (there is no sleeping when sailing within a mile of the coast) and my provisions, fuel and water were running low.

Marina Cayo Largo

Marina Cayo Largo

It must have shown, because by the time I had put the boat in some semblance of order (and gone through the check-in process), a local sailor and his wife came by to provide me with a hot meal, cold bear, basic provisions and a promise of fresh fish in the morning. Their generosity was overwhelming, and I have difficulty remembering an occasion when I enjoyed a meal as much as I did at that moment. Thank you again Liviana!

Cayo Largo is a pleasant stopover, but it is not the real Cuba, at least as far as I’m concerned. It is a resort island filled with tourists on all-inclusive holiday packages from Italy and Canada. There is nothing here other than resorts and their associated infrastructure. Not even the workers live here (most are from Isla de la Juventud). There is no doubt that the staff are good at their jobs… Everyone, everywhere, is so nice.

But my more cynical side suggests the catalyst for such efficacy is access to hard currency. But I’ll ignore that detail for the moment…

If you have a week or two to spare from your hectic work schedule and want a place to relax and recharge the proverbial batteries, then this is the place!

Service second to none. Well done!

If you want to see a more authentic and less sanitised version of Cuba, then you will probably want to sail on… which isn’t necessarily the best thing to do, but it is what I did.. regardless.

From Mexico to Cuba

Posted on by
My first stop in Cuba, Cayos de San Fielipe

My first stop in Cuba, Cayos de San Fielipe

It took 48 hours to cross the Yucatan Channel and arrive at the anchorage of Cayos de San Fielipe, and I only just made it before a dreaded northerly!

Paddling ashore I met with the three station guardians and asked whether it was OK to anchor here a while to shelter from the weather.

Not only was it fine, but I was immediately invited to share a meal, watch baseball on TV and converse. Quite a welcome and despite my rather elementary Spanish by late afternoon we were all fast friends.

The new group of island custodians arrive

The new group of island custodians arrive

The workers here are on ten day shifts and I happened to arrive on their last day. By morning the supply boat had arrived with the new crew and I went through the introductions a second time.

Only this time it seems my commodities and cash were the ones being openly welcomed to Cuba.

After the sincere generosity of the former station custodians, I was more than happy to hand over the few small items that the new crew requested: a lighter, some rope, cigarettes and coffee.

The next morning they visited Eileen by row-boat loaded with their catch of the day, offering what I thought would be a fair exchange for my previous handouts.

The good and the bad

The good and the bad

How naive… 10 US dollars later I was again on my way to Cayo Largo. My first contact with the locals having produced decidedly contrary feelings.

A Cuban Yin and Yang?

24 hours in Cozumel Mexico

Posted on by
Why is everyone heading the other way?

Why is everyone heading the other way?

At dawn, on the 10th of March, I found myself motoring through crystal clear waters off southern Cozumel, heading toward the small town of San Miguel.

Curiously, everyone else seemed to be going the other way!

As I watched, vessel after vessel, a seemingly endless procession, sped south.

What was going on?

Apparently nothing… or should I say “business as usual”…

Tourist activities galore!

Tourist activities galore!

On closer inspection all the boats were heavily laden with tourists preparing to partake in various activities including snorkelling, para-sailing, scuba diving or whatever else is the latest in seaside resort entertainment.

Even a submarine?

Even a submarine?

There were so many water craft, it felt like the start of some huge regatta.

Where did all these people come from?

Just two of the four cruise ships visiting Cozumel

Just two of the four cruise ships that were visiting Cozumel

There were literally shiploads of them. Mostly from the US… All I could compare it with was Aruba, but an Aruba on steroids!

The town was similarly awash with visitors, shopping for all those must have tourist accoutrements. One dollar maracas, bracelets with your name woven into the design, 6 T-shirts for 20 US…

OK, not my cup of tea perhaps… and no prejudicial jumping to conclusions. This could be fun… I’ll just sit down, relax, have an ice cold corona and check the weather forecast.

Boats at anchor off San Miguel

Boats at anchor off San Miguel

Strong northerlies descend upon the Yucatan Channel at this time of year and unfortunately the anchorage off San Miguel is very exposed. While a sailor could probably find shelter to the south of the cruise ship terminals many prefer to make a run for Isla Mujeres (approximately 40NM further north).

This was not an option for me, as my next destination was Cuba and I had every intention of getting there with a complimentary current.

If I intended to escape the uncomfortable northerly and take advantage of the closing weather window to Cuba, I had just 24 hours to visit Mexico.

Unlike Honduras where check in and out are a breeze, Cozumel’s procedures can politely be called challenging.

Despite what you may have read elsewhere, here’s the latest on what is required.

  • Visit the port captains office and fill in their arrival form;
  • Catch a cab to the airport (50 pesos) to see (in this order)
  • Immigration (306 pesos),
  • Customs (free),
  • The office of Agriculture (to confiscate your fruit).

Let me diverge at this point and explain that some cruisers try to give the last two a miss by only visiting the immigration office in town. But do you really want to risk being on the wrong side of Mexican law?

A temporary stop at the ferry terminal

A temporary stop at the ferry terminal

Besides, as happened in my case, both Customs and the Office of Agriculture might be rather keen to visit your boat. Kindly giving me a lift back to the port, I brought Eileen alongside the ferry terminal so they could carry out their inspection.

Everyone was rather chuffed about the whole affair.

  • Then it was off to the hospital for my obligatory health stamp (even if nobody checked my health),
  • and finally back to the port captains office to return the forms and finalise check-in.

There is slightly less running around for checking-out.

  • Be sure to provide a crew list, a copy of your registration papers, and the stub of your immigration entry form for the office in town,
  • go to the bank and pay another 471 pesos to the Secretaria de Communicaciones y Trasportes,
  • and collect your Zarpe at the port captains office.

Why it took an hour (upon producing the requested documentation at immigration), to just have a stamp placed in my passport is a mystery I prefer not to dwell upon.

At my age you start worrying about your blood pressure.

Only results matter. I had officially checked in and out, even if it took most of the time I was in Cozumel to do it. What more could I want?

Mickey Mouse arrangements for cruisers

Mickey Mouse arrangements for cruisers

I suspect it might be a bit easier for cruise ship passengers to stopover for 24 hours than it is for cruisers… or there wouldn’t be so many of them…

A slow routine sail to Honduras

Posted on by
Arriving at Guanaja, Honduras

Arriving at Guanaja, Honduras

After ten days in San Andres, it was time to make the next little hop on my clockwise tour of the Caribbean. If five days at sea and 400 nautical miles can be called a “little hop”. It’s all relative (so they say).

At this point in my wanderings, days at sea are just part of the general sailing routine. Not that I don’t enjoy routine, in fact I’m rather fond of it.

There is comfort in the predictability of routine.

Plus it’s easy to describe.

And this ladies and gents, is the route I took...

And this ladies and gents, is the route I took…

To the point that I need not even go into detail but merely state that the latest passage to Honduras was a “routine run”.

Most sailors I know will agree that any extended solo passage that might be loosely termed “routine”, will be made up of several obligatory elements including at least one;

  • Cetacean visitation,
  • Avian visitation,
  • Rare celestial observation,
  • Close encounter with a commercial craft, (of the cargo kind)
  • Fisherman’s tall tale of “the one that did (or didn’t) get away” to recount to landlubbers,
  • Tantrum,
  • Sundry gear failure with ad-hock work-around (later described as ingenious repair), due to general “wear and tear” on the boat. Also the cause of the aforementioned tantrum.

And that’s it!

For better or for worse, I’ve missed out on all the social drama of crewed passages.

The importance of being “Nobody”

Posted on by
On my way to San Andres, Colombia

On my way to San Andres, Colombia

Another five days of monotonous routine and solitary introspection at sea. No matter, the excitement can always wait until after I have set my anchor.

Though it does make me wonder how other crews manage similar voyages. If a couple, I don’t suppose it makes much difference. One is on watch while the other sleeps. I guess you need at least three to make passage making a sociable event, otherwise it’s inevitable there will be long hours of solitude.

I wonder whether too much of this is healthy.

Fortunately, in San Andres, there were plenty of opportunities to socialise.

Nene's Marina certainly has character.

Nene’s Marina certainly has character.

My first impressions were positive. How could they have been otherwise when the first words directed at me (in English), as I anchored off Nene’s Marina were; “I admire you”.

That from the captain of a motor launch slowing for a closer look at Eileen.

I must say, being seen on a Yarmouth23 certainly does have its advantages. Too bad I can’t take her with me everywhere and prolong the admiration. All too soon I’m relegated the to the lofty status of “Mr Nobody” from the moment I step ashore.

Or even before I step ashore, given that I have to paddle there on my humble kayak.

Which, come to think of it, is just the way I want it to be.

Being nobody I get to:

Life is a beach in San Andres

Life is a beach in San Andres

Unobtrusively take photos of fellow nobody’s at the beach;

Wandering about town...

Wandering about town…

or in town for that matter.

I onlly went there looking for Aguila girls!

I only went there looking for Aguila girls!

Be proverbially growled at for sitting too close to the supposedly reserved VIP section of the bar in this establishment (where only the “beautiful people” are supposed to party).

Don't even contemplate it buddy!

Don’t even contemplate it buddy!

Be literally growled at for wanting to sit too close to the section of the wall reserved for dexterous local fauna…

I'm busy.... Doing nothing...

I’m busy…. Doing nothing…

Do nothing… other than sit and patiently wait out the bad weather…. (growling).

My conclusion?

A pleasant stopover. Somewhat bureaucratic (especially for sailors), with a distinct social dichotomy between tourists and locals. But is that not the norm?

I’d have only seen the one side (guess which), had I not chanced upon a resident sailor who took it upon himself to show me the “real” San Andres.

And where is this real San Andres?

All over… It’s where you get to enjoy good company, good food, good wine, and great music, without having to call for “la cuenta por favor” before you leave.

With a little help I was able to see the real San Andres

With a little help I was able to see the real San Andres

It’s in the houses and homes… not the hotels.

A rare privilege indeed Damien.

Thanks!

 

Sailors, Prostitutes and Backpackers!

Posted on by
Cafe del Mar Cartagena and the historic centre.

Cafe del Mar Cartagena and the historic centre.

My visit to Cartagena was a disappointment. Not that it wasn’t interesting. Wandering about the historic sections of the city kept me busy for hours and it certainly can’t be said that the town isn’t photogenic.

My disappointment stems from the fact that Cartagena is a rather popular tourist destination, and all that that implies;

  • The fake landaus, (I say fake because there is nothing remotely traditional in their construction)
  • The price hikes, (my reference being Santa Marta)
  • The hawkers, (“Hello my friend, where are you from?”)
  • The prostitutes, (supposedly representing 50% of the local females in the old town after dark). Don’t believe me? Here’s the reference.
  • and the way everything is neatly geared to maximise the extraction of hard currency from short term visitors.

Dare I say that it’s just another tourist trap? Yes…

It isn't over until the fat lady.....

It isn’t over until the fat lady…..

In Cartagena’s defence though, it certainly can not be said that this is the only city where the above criticisms hold true.

It didn’t help that the marina (Club Nautico) is currently a construction site offering little more than a secure place to leave your dinghy at a premium price. I’m told it should all be completed by July so don’t let that small detail deter you.

Of the visitors there seemed to be two main types;

The older wealthier version making use of the up-market hotels, and the youthful backpacker occupying the small inexpensive hostels on the old towns perimeter.

I’ll leave out the yachting community for the moment.

And I’ll say nothing more of the secret service 😉

The other side of town...

The other side of town…

I was surprised to see so many backpackers! I’d thought them extinct. At least they appear to be a dying breed in Europe, (having been replaced by the wheely bag generation and the ever present trustafarians), but no…, backpackers are alive and well…, it’s just that they have changed continent.

Backpackers do what they have always done… Drink and hang around meeting other backpackers in what (to my eyes at least), is the grittier, but infinitely more interesting parts of town. But what’s a trustafarian I hear you ask?

Cartagena street art

Cartagena street art

That would be the neo-hippy white wantobe rastafarian with a trust fund. A growing phenomenon in the Caribbean and abroad. I could almost be one, except I don’t usually hitch-hike across borders these days, have the prerequisite passion for reggae music, the dreadlocks, the weed habit, the tubular cotton bracelet rack displaying my wares for sale, the musical instrument, the juggling apparatus, or the all important “trust fund” waiting for me back home.

For what it’s worth though, I do have hairy legs…! Harrumph… 😉

These tourists are the “bread and butter” for yachtsmen making Cartagena their home away from home. I was amazed by the number of yachts offering passage to budget travellers to or from Panama. At between $300 and $500 US per person for a one way trip, and yachts large enough to accommodate up to 25 passengers, you can see why many captains linger here.

You can also see why I wouldn’t…

Enough said…