Maria met us at the airport in Guatemala City and her chauffer drove us the six hours to the Rio Dulce River and our yacht on the hard out of the water. Arriving early December after six months, we find her in near perfect condition. The heat and dampness of the hurricane season was taken into consideration before we left by covering the yacht with tarpaulins and a dehumidifier was left running inside. The tarpaulin was in tatters from the sun but the inside was perfectly dry. Several other cruisers reported returning to yachts full of mould and one even had a bee’s nest. Small things seized in the heat including the impellers and others things had warped but with local help, we were soon up and living on board.

At first we stayed with Maria at their holiday house (up a creek in the jungle, servants all around) but when we were in the water we stayed onboard (no servants here). All is well with us and we’re getting more acclimatized to the heat 38-40 every day.

Here for a a few weeks but not too much of a problem as it’s a place of interesting contrasts, rich and poor but with Christmas lights all around and many cruisers to celebrate with, it is a very beautiful place. The shooteroo’s are out at night protecting the crime bosses; let ’s hope we can avoid them. One thing we can’t get used to is people carrying guns.

We were very shocked and sad to hear that a couple on a boat next to us where killed in a car crash while we were gone. The road to Guatemala City is very dangerous with thousands of heavy trucks on the go 24/7.

Still in Ram Marina for Christmas, we share Christmas day with the other cruisers and Mayan Indians. They love fireworks and all night long you could hear them; it’s a long time since we saw fireworks for sale in shops and they also out number the Christmas gifts for sale.

Maria joins us for a week to motor out and cross the bar at the mouth of the river. Timing is important as we need a very high tide but it’s still not enough and we had to be pulled over on our side by a local shrimp boat. New Years Eve is celebrated in Belize on stunning Hunting Cay, the most southern of the islands, and the locals put on another small fireworks show. The contrast of river water to clear turquoise sea is amazing; it’s nice to be back in the Caribbean…or is it?

I am unable to identify anyone or names of places but this next incident has literally taken the wind out of our sails and left us in complete shock. Quite often you meet cruisers with whom you get on well and you travel side by side for whatever length of time. We became friendly with a young couple and their child and they asked if they could sail along with us. For quite a few weeks we cross borders and island hopped and then one day in port the FBI from America were waiting to arrest them. At first we didn’t know what for and my imagination ran wild. We have since learnt that he is a fugitive, travelling on a false passport with a considerable amount of money hidden on the yacht. He is also wanted for firearms dealing in America. TRUST is a big word and we were completely oblivious to his past as they were such a nice couple and solved many electrical problems for us. Thankfully we haven’t been drawn into all of this and have now moved on.

The earthquakes in Haiti are not affecting us but the weather is having its moments and as America is covered in snow we are getting some of the effect down here. When the northerly winds blow we hide behind islands and wait for the warm easterly trade winds to return and move on.

For the past two weeks we have had Janne Sutcliffe and Chris Gillett from Sydney on board. Covering 300nm up the coast with us, we have had a wonderful time visiting amazing resorts, crystal clear atolls and eating plentiful lobster. Our favourite port in Belize would have to be San Pedro once the nerves settle after navigating the narrow entrance through the coral reef. A two metre sea is breaking and in our sights is a yellow buoy; once you reach the buoy it’s a hard right hand turn as another reef is in front of you. You hope like hell it’s not on a wave and in a short distance the depths have gone from hundreds of metres to just 0.25m under our keel. Once inside the colour is magnificent and this is home for a few days. Janne makes sure we have lobster and negotiates 60 tails at $1.60 a tail. Oh no, not lobster again!!!!!!!!

Banco Chinchorro is an atoll 20nm off the coast of Mexico and is as isolated as I ever want to be. The colour turquoise is blinding, the wind is blowing and we are visited by the Military with machine guns strapped to their backs. We can only assume this is a known anchorage in the drug trade. The wind is great for a fast night sail (with a 4 knot current we reach speeds of over 12 knots) to the Yucatan Peninsula. Puerto Aventuras is our destination but on arrival the breaking waves prevent us from entering and we have to sail out to the island of Cozumel and anchor in the lee of the old town San Miguel. To the south six large cruise ships are lined up at anchor.

By ferry we visit the mainland in an area now called the Mayan Riviera. There’s the boutique style Playa del Carmen, its fabulous coast of white white fine sand, turquoise seas and resort after resort. Of course we find the top resort in Mexico, lunch in style and pretend we are rich and famous for a day. Rosewood MayaKoba Resort (the number 1 resort in Mexico) is where you leave the outside world behind and become engulfed in tropical gardens, a spa retreat and private bungalow accommodations each with their own lagoon or beach access.

Tulum is the only Mayan ruins on the coast (A.D. 1200-1450) and a must see but swarming with tourists. Sacrifices of young women took place here to bring rain. The Mayans were great astrologers and all of their temples were aligned in various ways to the heavens. Tulum is famous for noting the changing seasons and to this day on the equinox and solstice the sun still lines up directly through the holes on the eastern side of the temple.

Our next anchorage is Isla Mujeres and with 3 knots of current we cover 50nm in less than 5 hours. From here north we get this amazing current (the start of the famous Gulf Stream that runs up the east coast of the USA and turns right to extend all the way across to the UK) that only flows north and is consistent so will be great to get 3 – 7 knots of stream all the way to Cuba.

Isla Mujeres is a cute small Mexican island village and we are enjoying the naturalness of a beautiful place. The harbour, with it’s bay and lagoon, is the only all weather shelter on the Caribbean Mexican Coast and full of cruisers waiting for the perfect weather window to head south or north. In the far distance we see Cancun, or is it Surfers Paradise only bigger. The resorts have over 30,000 rooms and see in excess of 4 million visitors a year. A quick visit by ferry and we quickly retreat to the idyllic Isla Mujeres for a stone massage on the sublime beach and beer battered lobster at the local fish and chip shop for lunch.

Janne and Chris go home with smiles on their faces and Kevin Horne will join us to sail to Cuba and then Key West, Florida.

One thing I won’t miss when we depart the Western Caribbean are the shallow reefs; we just have a yacht with too deep a keel. The western Caribbean is the ideal multi hull cruising ground.

A belated start to our letters as we have been finalising our second book ‘Letters from the Caribbean’. It is now with the printers and will be launched early June.

Livingston is our port of entry and six officials, wearing surgical masks in case we have swine flu, visit the yacht before we are allowed ashore. The heat is extreme and we can’t wait to enter the winding river that flows beneath the mountains. As we enter the serenity of the river, gone is the whistling of this wind through the rigging; cicadas and birds are all we hear now. As the mountains close behind us, also gone is the blue Caribbean Sea and now we are dwarfed by a cascading lush jungle wall. At every bend for six miles we see Mayans living at the edge and fisherman casting nets from cayuca’s (canoes carved from logs), until we reach our first marina for the night in a lagoon surrounded by flowering white water lilies and rushes.

The next day we ride in the dinghy up and down the small creeks that lead off the river, watch children paddle their cayuca’s to school, listen to monkey calls and become bird watchers. Motoring another 20nm up the river, we head for the section of the Rio Dulce where all the marinas are located. Hundreds of cruising yachts will spend the next six months here sheltering from hurricanes. A major bridge has recently been built across the river but this is the only road access to the river. Beautiful as it is we are mindful of our security. Thefts from yachts in isolated anchorages do occur and a cruiser was even murdered onboard one last year. It is wise not to anchor in the river and always in the company of other yachts. All marinas have security guards and a patrol boat cruises around at night but despite this, an outboard was stolen from a yacht anchored beside us just off Mario’s Marina.

What has surprised us is that the wealthy citizens of Guatemala City have beautiful thatched roof homes with open plan living and big powerboats on the river. From here they can access the Belize islands very quickly. After being invited into two separate homes for meals, one could almost be tempted to live here. It is a small world; on chatting to a local on a beach he asked if we knew a guy in the South Island of NZ. As it happens Ian went to school with him. Or is it the South Island that is small!

We are leaving ‘Cape Finisterre’ at RAM Marina for six months out of the water but it’s not quite out of the hurricane belt. As none have ever come up the river and since we’re 26nms inland and behind a mountain range, we feel comfortable with this even if our insurance company doesn’t. Although there was an earthquake last night while we were still at anchor which registered 7.1 on the Richter scale and was centred 250nm away. Ian was woken by what sounded like someone coming along side the boat; but once on deck on hearing all the bird noise and dogs barking realized it was the earth (and the river) moving. So much for coming inland but at least we are safe from the possible tsunami out at sea.

The heat is exhausting and debilitating. We get up at 5am work till 9am and then hibernate in the air-conditioning till 4pm. When the yacht is packed up, we decide to tour the Mayan ruins of Tikal for a few days. By bus we travel 300km north through green cattle country, our only mission is to visit the temples of Indian Maya civilization and try to understand the rise and fall of a great empire. 2000 years ago, 10 million people lived in the area compared to today’s 300,000. Howler and spider monkeys swing through a canopy of tall trees, a habitat shared with exotically coloured birds like the big beaked Toucan. Below, temples rise, having been lost to the jungle for centuries until recently cleared. What was their demise? General opinion is over population in a barren area with assistance from prolonged draught (global warming as politicians call it today) and of course, the supposed failures of the gods. Long thought to be peace loving it has now been realised they were very war like and cruel with their neighbours and this also hastened their downfall.

The Mayans were very advanced in astrology, numbers and dates of the year. All their temples are aligned to the sun for the seasons of the year; they calculated 365 days with adjustment for the leap year and also added 0 and the decimal point to the numbering system. All this before the Europeans understood any of it. But they never used iron and whilst they knew of the wheel, they never used them.

Guatemala is a beautiful country with a population of 12 million. 80% are Mayan Indians and the rest are mainly of Spanish origin and living in the capital, Guatemala City. At the time of the Spanish invasion in the 1500’s, Central America was divided into departments with Guatemala the capital. All the departments make up the various countries of the region. For years run by the military, it is now in a period of stability.

We have now cruised both the Mediterranean and Caribbean extensively and it is amazing to note some of the similarities in these two wonderful cruising grounds. Both seas are surrounded by land and are almost identical in area; the Med is 842,125 sq nautical miles and the Caribbean 844,123 sq nautical miles. They have also both played their part in history with the Europeans being heavily involved in the Caribbean development. Of course the Med gave rise to a great many civilisations and also gave birth to the three great religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam). But the only great civilisation in the Caribbean was the Mayan Indians of the Yucatan Peninsula, which includes Belize and Guatemala. By the time the Europeans arrived, they were already in decline. They actually knew more about numbers and astrology than the early explorers who came after them and the pyramid type temples they built are as precise as the Egyptian pyramids. It is also worth noting that both areas have very little tide.

Our seven-month season in a coconut shell: the vivid colours rate first, and then the fantastic sailing conditions followed by how fit and healthy we feel.

Thank you for being with us all the way and see you down under soon.

This is the perfect cay; a grove of coconut palms, a red footed booby bird colony, white sand and waters 27 degrees Celsius for snorkelling. Well…almost perfect; just as we are about to jump from the dinghy, a three metre shark passes under us in a depth of 1½ metres. Big, black and whilst only a nurse shark, it stops me from getting wet. I know they are harmless but I have lived in Australia for too long. Ian ignores it and is thrilled to find lobsters everywhere in only 2 metres of water. Unfortunately it is out of season, we have to be content to look at them now.

In the middle of this 24nm long reef is the famous Blue Hole; a perfectly round, very deep hole with all the features of a cave including stalactites at 120 metres. Made world famous by Jacques Cousteau in 1972, his discovery of the stalactites proves it was at one time above the water. It is too shallow to cross the lagoon to the hole in our yacht so we hitch an early morning ride with the park rangers. On arrival I couldn’t believe we had arrived but as you look closer you can see the deep blue perfect circle 150 metres across. We snorkel the rim which is covered in colourful ferns, coral and teaming with exotic fish. My exit is quick as a blue bottle wraps its trailing long tentacles around my legs…..ouch. Ian loves his new found hobby of underwater photography. We are content to just snorkel as a few divers, including one only three months ago, did not return to the surface.

Through sparkling seas, we meander from atoll to atoll, Lighthouse to Turneffe to Glover, until we enter the Barrier Reef which runs the length of the country for 190nms and is 15nms off the coast. It is the largest barrier reef in the western hemisphere and second in the world to our Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Unique to this area are the small islands on the edge of the reef. Saltwater Cay has a perfect resort where you can snorkel out to the edge and then observe the sheer drop deep into the Caribbean Sea.

We meet Ray, a local, who is out here with a group from the USA on a ‘reefology’ tour. On learning we are from Australia he tells us the story of Steve Irwin’s visit to their local crocodiles. Apparently he hopped into the enclosure, as was his habit, and when they chased him he hurdled the fence claiming “crikey they are more ferocious than ours”.

This is the season to visit the whale sharks which come every year to feed off the spawn of the snapper. Growing to over 14 metres in length, we just missed seeing them as they are moon dependent and we were a day too late. Next time!!

Belize is a very small enclave wedged in between Mexico and Guatemala. Not of interest to the Spanish during their quest for gold and silver in the early 1600’s, it became a haunt for English pirates and subsequently became a British possession known as British Honduras. In 1981 it converted to the independent nation of Belize. Unlike other Central American countries and due to their British heritage, they have had very stable government. The current English speaking population of only 300,000 people is a mix of Creole (European and African, mestizo (European and Amerindian) and of course full blooded Mayans.

The government has developed the country as an Eco friendly destination preserving her national treasures. Over 45% of the country is national park protecting the Mayan ruins, forest and especially jaguars which still roam wild and were idolised in Mayan culture. The reef has similarly been protected with many parks to preserve this beautiful area. Eco lodges are to be found everywhere. Believe it or not we are still in the Caribbean with this area known as either the North West Caribbean or Continental Caribbean.

Turning south there are so many cays to explore; some are covered in mangroves and some a circle of white sand with coconut palms. We can’t enter the Rio Dulce until May 25th because of a very shallow sandbar at its entrance and we can only enter on a high spring tide, so will stay in Belize until that time.

Placencia is our main landfall where Moorings have a large fleet of charter yachts and we suggest you consider cruising Belize sometime, especially in a catamaran. The feeling is like being back in the Eastern Caribbean with colourful Rastafarians, cottages with thatched roofs and reggae music filling the bars at night. Nearby is the upmarket resort Turtle Inn owned by Francis Ford Coppola (of The Godfather fame), which along with another one in the mountains are run as eco resorts.

The Sapodilla Cays are the most southerly islands on the barrier reef and it’s very nice to spend our last days here in such idyllic surroundings. After seven months sailing 3200nm through the Caribbean Islands, with wonderful following winds, we are now motoring our last days as it is steaming hot, there is no wind and the seas temperature is now at 28 degrees Celsius.

As we depart Belize a new experience awaits us up the Rio Dulce in Guatemala. We will be swapping turquoise seas for the huge fresh water river, sandy islands for a green jungle and fish for monkeys and maybe a jaguar. But as the hurricane season approaches ‘Cape Finisterre’ will be well protected here.

The day we arrive is the Batabano Carnival Parade with colourful costumes, loud reggae music and locals having a lot of fun. This is the one time of the year the very religious locals let their hair down and show a bit of skin. Cayman is full of expats from every corner of the world plus a mix of Caribbean colour from other islands.

The Caymans are made up of three islands with Grand Cayman, Georgetown, as its capital. Another discovery by Columbus but how he stumbled onto it is any ones guess and it never achieved anything until it became a tax haven in the 1960s. Now home to over 700 banks, it is also home to over 70% of the world’s hedge funds. At least you know they are comfortable while they loose all our money. There is no income or company tax but the tax on all goods is very high to compensate.

Expecting Seven Mile Beach (its actually only 4 miles) to be lined with high rise apartments, we are pleasantly surprised to find building restrictions limit developments to five stories only. The stylish resorts are few in number and in my opinion this is one of the nicest Caribbean Resort beaches we have been too. After the austerity of Cuba it is nice to spoil ourselves with lunch at the Ritz Carlton pool side bar. Considering Grand Cayman was devastated by Hurricane Ivan in 2004 they have made an amazing recovery. No one was prepared for it as they had not experienced one for over 80 years.

Continuing to make friends with fellow sailors, we meet Yaron on his small catamaran in Cayo Largo. A German expat doctor on Grand Cayman he often embarks on a quick sail across to Cayo Largo (135nms away) for a long weekend. After sailing back together he invites us to his beachside house with his wife and young family for a BBQ lunch. It was nice to feel home comforts again. They love it so much they will never return home.
Swimming with stingrays is a must and quite a tourist attraction. On a shallow sand bank in North Sound, huge stingrays over a metre wide interact with humans in their natural environment. Too shallow for us to take the yacht, we join the ‘Red Sail’ 60 foot catamaran out to the sand bar. My nerves are at a high as the first thing I do is step on a ray’s razor tail that slides its way out. These huge creatures swim in and out of our legs and one takes a fancy to me as I snorkel. Coming up under me, as if to take me for a ride, I miss my beat, gulp in sea water and can’t get away fast enough. An awesome experience; they are harmless and in fact they seemed to just want a cuddle.

Our last big sail of the season is a two day 350nm passage to the Bay Islands on the north coast of Honduras. The weather window is excellent with 15 knots predicted from the east. Weaving our way out between the cruise ships, the gennaker is set and stays up for the next 24 hours….nice. Then it starts to blow and under reefed sails we have a very fast run to the Bay Islands.

During the sail we have two stowaways onboard. Several trips this year we have had bird’s lost at sea land on us and come for the ride. Unfortunately they are usually very tired, dehydrated and don’t survive. This time they are two beautiful gold finches and no matter what I did for them they both died.

Our land fall is the island of Roatan and slowing down so that we arrive in daylight we once again have to enter a bay surrounded by a coral reef that falls off to very deep water quickly. The dog leg channel into French Cay Harbour as the full moon disappears and the sun rises is out of the ordinary. Poorly marked with sticks taped with faded red and green we weave our way into the very sheltered harbour behind a reef. We later learn that all the other cruisers request assistance to be guided in by the marina manager.

The Bay Islands of Honduras are a very special destination. Marketed as a diving haven it is renowned as one of the best in the world. All the resorts are basic and cater specifically for the diving fraternity, novices and experts alike. The largest fish in existence (up to 40ft), the whale shark, is often spotted here. It is also an idyllic cruising ground with many sheltered bays behind reefs. Although part of Spanish speaking Honduras, the majority of the locals speak English as the British used the pirate haven to relocate the troublesome slaves of St Vincent and Jamaica.

It is a very laid back area and when we try to check into the country we find that the port captain is away from the island for a week and the immigration office is closed. No one has a clue what to do so we just smile and agree.

West End, on the north western corner, is protected by a low reef and here we find the mecca for diving and snorkeling. Why is it so good apart from the green crystal waters? The topography is interesting with sheer drops, there’s no current and lots of healthy coral swarming with fish. We snorkel and even though it’s deep we can see very clearly.

Ashore on the sand road are many bars and restaurants; some out on stilts over the water. There is a Thai restaurant where we celebrate my birthday.

Next stop Belize.

This place is so very different to Santiago de Cuba we wonder if we are still in Cuba? But there are reminders; shops are depleted of goods and people queue for bread and quota of eggs. Finding the run down 50’s style ice cream parlour, we observe the locals queued down the street but tourists take priority and don’t have to wait. I guess we are paying more. Don’t expect 50 flavours…only three on offer with one scoop of each in a big bowl with a very old spoon made from light aluminium that’s been battered and bent.

Once again our trip to the market for fresh produce is frustrating but Pip and Geoff enjoy the banter. Pip spies an old women discreetly holding one egg and is called over to see hidden under the shelf a bag full. The ever-present flies are all over the meat and Pip reassures Geoff that they are only houseflies. The leg of pork is purchased, Ian is ripped off, but the smell of stuffed roast pork out on the next island makes it all worthwhile.

Cienfuegos was hit badly by Hurricane Dennis in 2005 but UNESCO came to the rescue with funds to help with the restoration and maintain the integrity of this world heritage site. Although a beautiful city we still found Santiago de Cuba to be more of a living city with all the music, history, and hustle and bustle.

From here we sail out to the next group of islands, Archipielago de los Canarreos and Pip and Geoff’s final destination, Cayo Largo. As we leave, we pass the never finished Soviet nuclear power station; thank goodness as they positioned it right on the waters edge. With the wind astern of us, the gennaker is set for the 45nm sail to Cayo Guano del Este. Between our destination and us, is a naval exclusion zone set by Castro after the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion by Cuban exiles and sponsored by the USA in 1960. We take our chances and cross safely through the zone.

Arriving at the deserted island for the night we anchor under an amazing rocket ship looking lighthouse. The night is memorable; with little protection the wind picks up and waves toss us about, testing our anchor. As long as I can see that lighthouse out of my starboard porthole I get some sleep but we all have a bad night. Geoff reports that at about 2am the lighthouse lost its solar power for a period. All a bit scary, we leave early to Cayo Largo the famous resort island of Cuba.

Remember the song ‘Kokomo’ by the Beach Boys. They refer to Cayo Largo up there with other beautiful spots in the Caribbean. As we enter inside the reef, the renowned beach of Playa Sirena looks fabulous. We anchor off and enjoy the rest of the day in this area of many shades of blues on an expanse of white sand.

Ashore we arrange a tour of the ‘famous’ resorts and although interesting they are run down but all packed with tourists, mainly French Canadians or from many Spanish countries. Our tour is short and we can’t wait to get back on board and head out into the fabulous waters of the bay to enjoy the best mojito’s and get sand under our feet.

Pip and Geoff fly home and we are own again. We had a special time cruising through all the Cuban islands drinking too much rum and saturating ourselves with fresh seafood.

Every port we have called at we have been checked, searched and asked for more paperwork. As this is our last port of call and although all the officials have been very courteous, it’s a bit of an intrusion especially when the smelly sniffer dog is brought onboard as we check out. We assume to see if any locals are hidden on board.

We have loved Cuba for all its nuisances and would highly recommend all cruisers and others to visit, especially before it opens up. Our hope for the future, which is also the desire of all the locals we spoke to, that the rush to capitalism is controlled and follows a European model rather than the excesses of the USA.

Cubans are looking for change in the near future. They believed in the revolution and equality for all, which didn’t exist before, they made the most of it and lived happily with what they had, but progress has passed them by. Living standards would have to be the worst for the majority but they are all are given free accommodation, food, education, health and a guaranteed low wage. But this is now not enough. Nothing is wasted and even our empty plastic bottles where treasure to the first person as we left the dock.

Cubans are very welcoming and we soon became part of the underground black market for fuel, produce and wine. We were never very comfortable with this especially when I had to hide in guard century boxes and toilets to obtain fresh food and Ian had to collect fuel in the dinghy covered in a tarpaulin. Hustlers in the main cities (normally well educated people trying to earn the CUC currency) wear you down. They are desperate for our money but we can’t help everyone. When finally Americans can travel and sail to these shores it will greatly change things.

It has been a very special experience for us and some day we will return.

Due to the swine flu in Mexico we have been advised not to sail there. Other countries will be difficult to enter if we visit the source of the flu. Not a problem, we just sail in a different direction. We are now sailing due south 145nms to the Cayman Islands, SW to the Bay Islands of Honduras and then up the Rio Dulce of Guatemala. If things settle down we may try to visit Belize which boarders Mexico.

Provisioning has been an interesting exercise. Eggs are allocated at 10 per person per month; we manage to acquire someone’s quota and also acquire more on the black market. We don’t feel guilty about this; they are all eager to get some tourist dollars (CUC). A taxi driver buys for us the bread but of course there is no choice with just one style of loaf available. Cakes we wouldn’t even consider buying; again just one style of sponge coated with mock cream. Fruit and vegetables are limited to what’s seasonal but no problem to buy and very cheap.

The two currencies are confusing and it’s creating a class difference not only for the tourist but also for the locals. Only those that have managed to acquire CUC’s may enter the Dollar shops ( the national peso is used by locals). A lot of educated people have now turned to the tourist industry, as it is their way of getting the more valuable currency.

We enjoyed our two week stay at the marina with very nice staff and more services than we expected. Cruisers come and go… some to Jamaica others to the Dominican Republic or heading west like us. Our only problem was acid rain leaving small yellow spots on the deck from a refinery near by.

We continued our sightseeing and particularly enjoyed visiting Moncada Barracks, the sight of Fidel Castro’s first failed attack against the ruling corrupt Batista government on the 26th July 1953. The bullet holes are still present on the outside of the building while inside the history of the up rising is shown in detail. Castro was finally successful on the 1st January 1959.

The local cemetery, Santa Ifigenia, is full of history especially to the martyrs of all the many uprisings over the centuries. Every half hour there is a changing of the goose stepping-guards for the tomb of Josef Marti (1853-95), the most revered of all. The Bacardi Rum family are also here plus the original Buena Vista Social Club band member Comay Segundo.

There’s not a lot of wind under the protection of the mountain range for our departure but it’s a perfect day for fishing, whales and dolphins. The mountain is 1200 metres high and the sea below is 7000 metres deep; a record height in the world for such a short distance. Many barracuda are thrown back but we keep the four tuna, hooking two at a time on separate lines.

Pilon is a night stop and next day onto Cabo Cruz, anchoring behind a breaking reef with lighthouse at the most southern part of Cuba. This is superb swimming bay with a beautiful sunset while fisherman row out to get lobster. We have never felt more secure.

Next morning, as we reach for our beach towels, we find them missing. Also gone are Ian’s old but treasured Sperry sandals. For the first time in our seven years of cruising we have that horrible feeling of someone being on board while we slept. We don’t report it as what is taken is only petty theft and there were more valuable things around like our fishing rod etc but it still leaves an uneasy feeling. In a country that we have felt safer in than anywhere else it is quite a surprise but definitely an isolated experience.

Even with no change to this glorious no sailing weather, the boys hoist the spinnaker but it’s mostly motoring. We don’t really mind, as it’s really very relaxing. The Royal Gardens are a chain of hundreds of small-uninhabited cays with white sand and covered in mangroves. The only people out here are the fisherman and us. For the next nine days we day hop to different cays, entering shallow bays surrounded by coral and see only three other yachts.

What we have really come for is the culinary delight of the sea and it doesn’t disappoint us. A fishing station is approached by Geoff and Ian in the dinghy inside a mangrove inlet. Old rusty ferro cement fishing boats (some floating and others washed ashore), lobster cages piled high and men working out here for days on end. At first they don’t have anything but its magic as Ian pulls out a bottle of rum. Suddenly seven big lobsters appear and Ian finds three cans of coke for ten smiling men.

BBQ lobster served with garlic butter for dinner and wondering if we will get any more. Our next anchorage, Cayo Anclitas, is the perfect horseshoe bay with one other yacht. It doesn’t get anymore natural than this ashore; live conch shell line the waters edge and strange trail marks leave the water and disappear into the bushes. Analysing that they look like bike tracks or maybe the roll of an anchor chain, we ignore and explore. Bugs send us back to the yacht after a stroll in the evening heat and picking up shells.

Not long after we get back to the yacht we have a visit by fishermen and we request ten lobster for two bottles of rum (at only USD4.12 a bottle). With smiling faces they set off to find them. In the meantime the other cruising boat comes over and asks if we saw the crocodiles on the beach….. instantly there are four very stunned, very still people with mouths open on the deck of Finisterre.

After half an hour the fisherman returned with 23 lobsters! Lobster omelette for breakfast, lobster salad with Thousand Island dressing for lunch and lobster green curry for dinner. In fact out of eight consecutive meals seven included lobster. We have now gone from healthy hearts to high cholesterol.

We sail onto where the prawn fishing fleet are based in Cayo Cuervo. Once again the big ships are approached and the heads are shaking no until the rum comes out. Ian is asked onboard and points to the prawns. Six kilos of prawns later, we have five meals of crustaceans and finally, a very welcome pork chop. Rum has been our best friend to date.

Every cay and anchorage we visited has been superb and all recommended by Jesus the local skipper of the charter catamaran we met in Santiago. On arriving at Cayos Machos de Fuera we find a cay that’s a natural habitat for endangered mammals. Ashore a caretaker takes us on an amazing circumnavigation of the island, in and out of mangroves, sighting birds, iguanas and jutia (tree rats the size of cats) all living with no fear of humans. Fortunately there are no crocodiles. A lot of animals became endangered, especially the tree rat, as they were eaten by Cubans when food was scarce during Castro’s special period of austerity after the full of the Soviet Union in 1991.

After nine days of near isolation at sea, we look forward to returning to civilisation. With a 55nm sail on to the classic city of Cienfuegos we awake to a 20 knot North easterly for a perfect sail along the mountainous coast. Entering another narrow entrance we sail across the big enclosed bay to the marina. Very interesting architecture awaits us.

Our sail to the eastern tip of Cuba from the Turks was fast and furious. Once in the lee of the island on the south side we sailed 100nms west to Santiago de Cuba. Half way along we are confronted by the might of the USA Military in the form of a patrol boat armed with machine guns and canon pointing directly at us. We are passing Guantanamo Bay, the United States Naval Base, and we wished to take a closer look but we are immediately informed by VHF radio that we are close to USA Territory (thoughts go to Rudd and Obama currently meeting; aren’t we on the same side?) and to identify ourselves. It actually took the operator six times to obtain all the information.

The ocean boundary is 3nms offshore and extends along the shore for over 8nms. The patrol boat was flanked between us and the shore for over an hour. It was a bit nerve racking watching the 20 year gunner with his finger on the tricker hoping he wouldn’t slip on a big wave by mistake. Undeterred we sail on to a very different port of entry… Santiago de Cuba. We are greeted by the historical Castillo de San Pedro Del Morro fort on the steep headland built by the Spanish in 1633 and a history lesson begins.

Our Cruising Guide has not been revised for ten years and we where expecting a filthy harbour, rickety wharf, officials wanting gifts and if you are lucky some other cruisers for company. This was not the case. From the moment we entered the fiord looking harbour, it opens up and with that wow factor! The water is clean, a stunning back drop of mountains, locals at the beach, palm trees everywhere and the marina is full with ten cruising yachts. What you do also notice is the lack of paint and maintenance everywhere like time has stood still for 50+ years although the beauty of the place and the delightful friendly people make up for it.

Once we passed the pleasant officials (lost count of the number) including a Doctor to make sure we have no diseases and a sniffer dog, we join a spontaneous 50th birthday party ashore for a pig on the spit and a whole new set of friends. Irish Nick on “Val” is single handing his way around the world and wants us to join him early the next morning to visit the farmers market in the centre of the city ten kilometres away. The main square, Parque Cespedes is just as we expected; Spanish architecture with some crumbling and some being restored, old colourful classic 1950’s American cars and an old woman smoking a cigar.

The first problem to cope with is the confusing double currency. Convertible pesos for tourists and for locals, national pesos but to buy at the local markets we need both. The farmers market is rustic and very very cheap. Farmers have only just recently been able to sell on the open market and although limited, it’s seasonal and very fresh. Meat is pork, pork and pork which is going to test my creative skills but at least we will end up with healthy hearts.

Coffee is at the Casa Grand Hotel overlooking the square in 20’s style with open veranda and art décor lights. Salsa music fills the air everywhere you go. Old men on benches strum guitars. Africans sing and dance to their own tune. Small café/bar theatres have day time free shows where locals do there own thing. One such place is Casa de la Trova where we spend many hours listening and having lunch in the Spanish open air style courtyard. This is the home of Cuban music and many famous bands have emerged from here including The Buenos Vista Social Club whose 70+ year old performers have toured the world. We had not realised it but Cuba is home to mojitos and we enjoy many. Their idea of rum and coke is a bottle of each for $5.

This is great, we need to freshen up back at the yacht and be back in town for the evening session. Our ride back is in a sky blue 1948 Buick; so much fun as the petrol engine roars into life. I can barely see out the window as I sink into old sky blue leather. Romantic salsa music fills the car… I’m in the movie ‘Grease’… the colourful, cute driver who loves his car will be back to pick us up.

Colourful ladies of the night, passionate salsa dancing, hustlers teaching the girls how it is done and long mojitos as the bands do their thing on stage; this night should never end. At 2pm there are not a lot of cars around, so we take our life in our own hands and get a 1970’s Russian Lada which is a beat up heap, coasting down hills to save fuel and on arrival looses its exhaust pipe.

Our next two days are spent at the marina just loving the weather and mucking about.
We have no choice but to be moored here as rules state we are not allowed to anchor out and we cannot use the dinghy to explore. But we do however have power, water and Havana Club rum at only US$4.00 a bottle.

Now it is time to see the back streets and what they don’t want the tourist to see!! Hiring a driver for the morning we check out the cigar factory. As luck would have it’s the MonteCristo Cigar factory, rated number two in the world behind another Cuban brand, Cohiba. The factory has 250 employees all producing 100% hand made cigars (totalmente a mano) and they turn out 20,000 a day. Unfortunately they would not let us take any photographs of these hard working locals that earn about US$15 a month.

The back streets show the other side. Dirt roads dug up trying to repair water pipes that have not been touched since before the revolution in 1959, bland Soviet Union built tenements which are free to all Cubans and people reverting to horse and cart due to lack of fuel. What does come as a surprise is that most people are well dressed. It’s just the in fore structure around that is in bad disrepair and what will happen if this continues much longer.

The only advertising you see are large billboards with images of the founding revolutionaries including Fidel and Che promoting the 50th anniversary of the success on 1 January 1959. Cuba has been a communist country ever since and the signs of this failed dream are everywhere. Fidel Castro overthrew a corrupt capitalist government that had been sponsored by the USA since 1899. Before these times it had been controlled by Spain, since Columbus arrived in 1492 until the Spanish land owners rebelled against control by Spain in 1868. Another rebellion was led by Marti in 1895 which resulted in the US involvement.

On a happier note the Santiago de Cuba musical festival has just started and this will make our stay very special.

From the north side of Provo we gently sailed out of Grace Bay through Sellars Cut in the reef. On route around the western end of Provo through Malcolm Roads, the luxurious resort Amanyara takes our attention, so we just anchor off and go ashore for a look. Balinese style, thatched roof villas and very beautiful, but as our two cocktails came to $US50 it was a quick visit. The bay is exposed to the north but as its flat calm we decide to stay the night; the water is transparent and it is an ideal times for Ian to clean off the bottom and propeller. This year we painted the prop with Prop speed but it seems to have had the opposite effect to its claims and is absolutely covered in barnacles, really slowing us down. The antifouling Micron 66 has also attracted a few patches of barnacles; unusual considering the sea water hasn’t been as warm as normal.

Now on the south side of Provo at Sapodilla Bay we spend our days changing oil and evenings being very social with all the cruising yachts passing through. Nothing like a mix of Americans, English and Aussies all discussing politics; arguing about which country has caused all the current financial problems.

Finding a fuel leak to the generator, we move to a half finished marina called the Annex in Cooper Jack Bight. It is great shelter in the strong winds and has the advantage of no fees. Southside Marina is the next bay to the east, and as we are too deep to go in there they are very helpful in getting this fixed.

Simon and Charlyn manage this very small, friendly and social marina. Nothing like a BBQ covered in local fresh lobster, in fact enough to feed over 20 of us. Simon also runs a cruisers net daily on VHF radio on channel 18 to keep all cruisers up to date with weather and happenings.

Wind; they like to tell us this is unusual, but we are only to happy not to be going north to the Bahamas. The north wind is persistent and can hold cruisers for up to two weeks in a bay.

Our last day here in the Turks and Caicos and what could be better than a day at Da Conch Shack and Bar. I have finally given in to eating conch, conch fritters and cracked conch straight from the sea….. delicious. The last of the original beach bars and run by Jamaicans, lots of fun people. We will now miss those big white smiles when the word “cricket” comes up.

Tomorrow we sail for Cuba, 245nms south to Santiago de Cuba on the south side. The weather looks perfect with 15 gto 20 knots from just aft of the port beam and following seas.

Geoff and Pip Lavis are joining us for three weeks and we are looking forward very much to sharing this totally difference experience with them. Communication with getting emails away may be difficult so we will do our best and keep you up to date or take you back to the 1960s.

Big Sand Cay, the southern most of the Turk group of islands, is uninhabited with white cliffs, a blown over lighthouse and stunning clear water to greet us when we wake. From sea depths of over 4000m to this small island in the middle of nowhere, it’s no wonder it has claimed so many mariners. Pulling in beside us is the Lagoon ‘Why Not’ which we passed during the night. Onboard is Terry Bufton who manages to fix the hydraulics…what a stroke of luck. Terry is an aero nautical engineer who helps deliver yachts in his retirement.

We have actually deviated off our planned route of sailing west to Cuba and the West Caribbean Countries of Mexico, Belize and Guatemala to visit the Turks and Caicos Islands. They are neither the Bahamas nor the Caribbean but very similar to all the Bahamian Islands (only 40nm away) with low lying sand cays and large areas of shallow reefs. Previously a British Crown Colony, it appears it is about to come back under British rule due to government corruption. Corruption has been on going for years but the final straw is the disappearance of the five million pounds received from the British for damage caused by the hurricanes Ike and Hanna September last year. On Grand Turk, corrugated iron lies everywhere and houses remain roofless. The custom office was still in darkness as not all electricity has been restored.

Grand Turk claims to be the landing spot for Columbus on his voyage of discovery in 1492 (but this is also claimed by two other Bahamian Islands just west of here). John Glenn also set foot back on earth here after his famous space flight in 1962. It is a British possession due to the number of British pirates who based themselves here whilst operating under Elizabeth 1’s cover to plunder more Spanish galleons. Although the main population is on Provo, the capital is on Grand Turk where only a few hundred live. The whole group now relies on tourism, as it’s so dry nothing is being produced.

Mick and Di join us and it’s great to have company to sail these islands with stunning seas. Always a highlight in crossings is reeling in a Dorado and they seem to be getting bigger and bigger the further we go. We seem to always hook them as we approach land as the shelf rises up from the depths. Apparently the currents push fish into this area making it an ideal feeding ground for the bigger fish. More often than not it is either just after sun rise or just before sunset.

Cockburn Harbour on South Caicos is the safest anchorage in the T&C but the main reason for stopping is the lobster factory. Over the next two days, we are to cross the Caicos Bank in very shallow water. Its mostly sand but there are some bommies (coral heads). At its widest point this area is 60nm but well charted with various routes to take depending on your draft. We take the Pearl Hwy that allows a draft to 7 feet but since we draw 6.6, it’s pretty scary and could never be negotiated at night.

The clarity and colour as far as the eye can see is amazing; aquamarine sea, blue skies, some white clouds tinged with the seas reflection. This is the perfect sail and the only thing we have to do is watch for bommies. You can see them in the distance as long as the sun is behind you. Then you just steer around them, even if they only turn out to be the shadow of a cloud. We decide to anchor midway and enjoy the simple fact that in the middle of the ocean with no sign of land, you can enjoy this not to be missed experience.

Eight lobster tails on the BBQ (sorry, staple diet here), Moet Champagne, a compulsory swim in the morning and we move on; there is nothing else here. The lobster is the best we have tasted in the Caribbean. It’s small, very sweet and tender. Providential (Provo), the glamour Resort Island is next but suddenly on route all our electrics go down. Under engine we get into a marina and as fate would have it no electrician can come for a week but Terry is here and once again comes to our rescue. A simple fuse is all it takes. We are learning fast!

The north coast of Provo is where all the glamour is and can only be entered in good weather, as you have to pass through a reef. The weather looks good so we sail around into Grace Bay and anchor off Turtle Cove Marina. These marinas are entered via cut out coral channels and can only be passed at high tide. Returning after a dinner ashore we are approached by a dolphin that puts his nose up on the dinghy as if to say “hello”. Instantly I recognize him as JoJo the famous wild dolphin I had been reading about. All he wants to do is swim with you but you can’t touch him as he is known to bite. It is a very large bay he lives in and he is getting old so it’s special if he comes to visit.

Lounging around a resort sounds like a nice change, so we are off to Nikki Beach Bar and Resort for brunch to farewell Mick and Di. The pool and beach are scattered with white squatted cushions and cabanas, turquoise towels to match the sea, a sunken bar, palm trees and a new marina to complete the setting with 200ft private yachts.

We will now prepare for our passage next week to the south side of Cuba.

The Samana Peninsular on the North eastern corner of the DR has mountain ranges covered in thousands of coconut palms. As we sail by we can see from the blue waters edge the white sand blending into beautiful coconuts palms and then to the lush green mountainsides.

As the sun sets we are gifted with the magnificent sight of humpback whales with their calves spouting around us. This is whale-breeding territory and they travel thousands of miles from the Artic to be here for the winter months to breed. I don’t mind spotting them during the day, but at night I prefer not to think about them and just hope they are not in our path. The first night out there was an awful salty smell to weather of us and after establishing Ian had not been indiscreet, came to the realisation that a whale had spouted near us. The seawater they spout has a vile stale salty smell. A bit close for comfort!

The only dilemma on our passage was the autopilot failing. This is our ‘third crew member’ and makes life very difficult if we have to steer manually ourselves, especially at night with only two onboard. The bolt attaching the pilot arm to the rudderstock had sheered and with some difficulty in the confused seas, Ian manages to repair it. Those spares do come in handy after all!

Bahia de Luperon is entered at daybreak, after 38 hours at sea, through a very narrow entrance and shallow bar that opens up to a mangrove surrounded lagoon; the perfect hurricane hole, in fact the best in the Caribbean if you want to live aboard your yacht during the hurricane season. Inside at any one time are 100 yachts; some are just passing through, some staying for a few days and others staying for two years. I think that a lot of the cruisers arrive here after coming south from the Bahamas and become so secure in this sheltered harbour they are too frightened to continue further east or south. ‘Chicken Harbour’ I call it.

It takes five uniformed men, customs, immigration, agriculture, tourism, and port control to complete the entry formalities, all with a hand out (US$105). We did have to restrain from laughing when the customs officer took a long time checking each page and stamp in our passport, only to look up and ask what our nationality was.

Thankful that all the paperwork is in order, we walk into the shanty village of Luperon. A little girl calls out “hello gringo”; these Spanish-speaking people are poor but very friendly and happy. Small wooden houses line the streets intermingled with shop fronts selling fruit and vegetables, hanging whole butchered cattle and a very small supermarket selling rum, beer and cigars. Small motorbikes are everywhere; every boy over 12 has one and they are the taxi service. It is not uncommon to see a whole family on a scooter (without helmets of course).

The inland country is beautifully green with cascading waterfalls and roads shared with the cattle and hens. It is amazing that there is such a variety where there is a mix of mostly poor and some wealthy homes. The border to Haiti is only 100kms to the west and with the immense poverty in Haiti there is a lot of illegal crossing of the border to the relatively better off DR causing great concern to the locals. The population of the DR is 9 million plus about 1 million illegal’s, while Haiti has 7 million. This island is huge in comparison to other islands we have visited.

A day is spent in the large city of Puerto Plata to stock up on provisions to take into Cuba. We also load up with non-perishables and luxury items to give away. The nearby Ocean World Marina seems very out of place with its luxury and services, but also very empty.

Ian has to visit the dentist (not a good idea untying knots with your teeth) and while being drilled the generator stops with a large bang… no more drilling. An Australian in the next chair is asked to help fix it; still wearing his cape with tools in hand he manages to get it operating again. Medical treatment is always a big worry for us in these remote island countries but thankfully we don’t have too many problems. The dentist is a German and Ian is happy with the result and it was very inexpensive.

The joy of having my bench top covered in fresh home grown tropical fruit again at a low cost is wonderful, especially the biggest pawpaw I have ever seen and full of flavour. Meeting a lot of cruisers has made this a very enjoyable place to stop and the locals are amongst the nicest islanders we have ever met; maybe it’s their Latino heritage coming through. Bahia de Luperon has a mixed reputation but apart from the enclosed water not being suitable for swimming or desalinating, it has much to offer.

Preparing to depart for the Turks and Caicos Islands 85nms to the north we encounter a first ever for us with the authorities. After all documents have been stamped we are denied our departure by the Commandant, as he believes the weather is not suitable for a safe passage. It is only blowing 20knots with 2 metre swell from the east. Returning the next day with several other yachts requesting departure we are finally granted permission for yachts over 40 feet and of course the mandatory $US20.

We are all always very careful with the weather and would never put ourselves in danger. Our main concern is to always ensure we arrive at the next port in daylight hours. The responsibility should always be with the skipper to decide whether to depart or not with his knowledge of conditions.

In the Turks and Caicos Mike and Di Quaife from Sydney are joining us.