Boqueron, Puerto Rico
18.01.299N
67.10.621W
Land Ho! Puerto Rico! As soon as the sun set yesterday, you could see the glow from Puerto Rico on the horizon.
As you may recall from yesterday's posting, we were making pretty good time on our transit from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico. In fact, we were doing so well that we needed to slow down. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to slow a boat down when you're traveling too fast? First, we turned off the engine. Then we reefed the jib. Then we reefed the main (we began to wonder whether it would or not with the pucker at the bottom). Then we reefed the jib again and pulled the main in completely. Then the wind died down and we had to let everything back out again. When the wind finally quit all together, we pulled everything in and turned on the engine running at 1000 RPM's and still doing about 3.5-4 kts. Then the tide started pushing us to shore. At that point, the sun was starting to rise so we kept on going. We set our anchor at 7:45 am, about as exact to 48 hours as you could get.
We were the first into the harbor and spotted a large catamaran in the anchorage. We circled around and then hailed Blue Star to wake up Pam & Charlie. We had first met them 3 years ago when they were in Jacksonville tied up to a slip just down from our friends, Fred & Geri. They've been in Trinidad/Tobago and other southern islands for the past 3 years and are on their way back to Jacksonville to replenish the cruising kitty.
Two of the boats traveling with us elected not to slow down but to continue on to Ponce further down the southern side of Puerto Rico. Four of us entered into Boqueron within 2 hours of each other; the fifth, a couple of hours after that; and finally Moon Goddess came in just before sundown and promptly ran aground. They backed off without difficulty and were able to anchor not far from us.
After a quick chat with Pam & Charlie, we hit the rack to make up for the missed sleep. We spent a quiet afternoon, washing the salt off the boat, putting our transiting gear away, and taking much needed showers ourselves. Except for Moon Goddess, who couldn't resist the throbbing beat of the local music establishments, the rest of us elected to stay on our respective boats and call it an early night.
Tomorrow we'll figure out how to check in. The cruising guides say its just a matter of calling in but others believe that since 9/11, it is necessary to physically go over to Mayaguez to check in. We'll sort it out in the morning.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
01/26/2006
East Coast of the Dominican Republic
It was a quiet night and thankfully nothing of interest happened; the main sail is still holding; hopefully until we can get to Fajardo where we know there is a good sail repair facility. Dale and I alternate 3 hours on, 3 hours off watches. We try to nap as much as we can in our off hours during the day so that we can stay alert during the night, so I was proud to be able to tell Roger when he radioed about the bright light that had started him when he turned around, was just a light coming from shore without a touch of my normal panic whenever there's even the most remote possibility of a freighter in our vicinity.
We finally made it to the hourglass shoals which seemed to take forever. The currents in this area kept shoving us north and for a period, we seemed to be making a circle around our waypoint without getting any closer to it. We are officially in the Mona Passage now. Thank God its quiet. For as far as we can see, the Mona is calm.
We have been doing better than we anticipated time wise and estimate that at the rate we're traveling, we'll arrive in Puerto Rico about 1 or 2 am. We prefer to enter a new harbor in the daylight, so we're going to turn off the engine and sail from here on.
Seven of the eight boats that took off from Luperon yesterday are now scattered along the route for about 20 miles. Moon Goddess is falling further and further behind; we're guessing that she's 50 miles behind us. We worry that she'll not make it across the Mona before the window closes.
East Coast of the Dominican Republic
It was a quiet night and thankfully nothing of interest happened; the main sail is still holding; hopefully until we can get to Fajardo where we know there is a good sail repair facility. Dale and I alternate 3 hours on, 3 hours off watches. We try to nap as much as we can in our off hours during the day so that we can stay alert during the night, so I was proud to be able to tell Roger when he radioed about the bright light that had started him when he turned around, was just a light coming from shore without a touch of my normal panic whenever there's even the most remote possibility of a freighter in our vicinity.
We finally made it to the hourglass shoals which seemed to take forever. The currents in this area kept shoving us north and for a period, we seemed to be making a circle around our waypoint without getting any closer to it. We are officially in the Mona Passage now. Thank God its quiet. For as far as we can see, the Mona is calm.
We have been doing better than we anticipated time wise and estimate that at the rate we're traveling, we'll arrive in Puerto Rico about 1 or 2 am. We prefer to enter a new harbor in the daylight, so we're going to turn off the engine and sail from here on.
Seven of the eight boats that took off from Luperon yesterday are now scattered along the route for about 20 miles. Moon Goddess is falling further and further behind; we're guessing that she's 50 miles behind us. We worry that she'll not make it across the Mona before the window closes.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
North Coast of Dominican Republic
19.39.673 N
69.52.735W
We kept saying we weren't leaving, right up until we hoisted anchor at 7am and left. What can I tell you? When we went to bed, the wind finally died down and the wind generator did not come back on for the remainder of the night. This morning we got up at 5:30 and pulled up the weather information; no change; a window of favorable conditions for about 48 hours.
We saw signs of everyone else getting up and making preparations but no movements. Edgar over on Nine-Twenty-Four radioed to let us know that his brother called from Puerto Rico to say that they were predicting 12' waves in the Mona Passage by Saturday; they weren't going. We knew about this and reminded him that the plan was to be in by morning on Friday. Gate over on Nicolino asked that we call them when we went out and let them know what the sea state was. Still no one made a move. It was going on 7am, the Commandante had not appeared. Everyone kept asking us what we were going to do. Finally, we said let's get this over with! We'll go out, if it's bad, we'll come back in.
Obviously, it wasn't that bad. The sea was calmer than the first time we tried a week ago and we knew that as soon as we cleared the point, it would calm down even further. Which it did. We've motorsailed all day and have made good time. We've learned that the Van Sant cruising guide was right about the cape effects but we haven't hugged the shore as closely as he suggested and have been doing quite well. We just head towards shore until the seas and wind subside a bit and then tack back and forth until we get around the point. So far, this has paid off for us since we point higher than our catamaran buddies and use the extra wind to our advantage.
We've also noticed that our main sail is starting to show a pucker at the bottom of the sail which would indicate that the sail needs to be hoisted up. This probably means that my attachment repair is failing and it is starting to fall. Since we need our sails for as long as possible, we have elected to tack as quickly as we can until it either completely fails and collapses, or the winds subside to the point where we can try to roll it back in.
Hispanola is a massive island. Sailing along its northern shores showed us more of its natural beauty. The subtropical greens of its mountains reached down to the cliffs that bordered the Atlantic Ocean along this shore. We saw several mansions along this coastline that we imagined must belong to the Dominican baseball players that come to the US to play professionally. Several areas looked like they might be golf courses overlooking the cliffs but then they could have been meadows simply seen from a distance. It only proved to us that there is much more to see on this beautiful island.
This will be one of the longest passages we've ever made and, of course, through the Mona Passage which takes a full 24 hours to transit by itself.
For background information, the Mona is very much like the Gulf Stream, only wider. It has its own current/currents and with two good sized islands (Puerto Rico on the east; Hispanola on the west) with huge mountains channeling their winds and thunderstorms down and around through the passage. If you don't wait for a favorable weather forecast, you'll get your clock cleaned pretty quick. We've waited for one that predicts less than 15 kts of wind and seas of 4-6'. If anything, wind and seas have been less than what we were expecting. I guess all of those weeks waiting is finally paying off.
19.39.673 N
69.52.735W
We kept saying we weren't leaving, right up until we hoisted anchor at 7am and left. What can I tell you? When we went to bed, the wind finally died down and the wind generator did not come back on for the remainder of the night. This morning we got up at 5:30 and pulled up the weather information; no change; a window of favorable conditions for about 48 hours.
We saw signs of everyone else getting up and making preparations but no movements. Edgar over on Nine-Twenty-Four radioed to let us know that his brother called from Puerto Rico to say that they were predicting 12' waves in the Mona Passage by Saturday; they weren't going. We knew about this and reminded him that the plan was to be in by morning on Friday. Gate over on Nicolino asked that we call them when we went out and let them know what the sea state was. Still no one made a move. It was going on 7am, the Commandante had not appeared. Everyone kept asking us what we were going to do. Finally, we said let's get this over with! We'll go out, if it's bad, we'll come back in.
Obviously, it wasn't that bad. The sea was calmer than the first time we tried a week ago and we knew that as soon as we cleared the point, it would calm down even further. Which it did. We've motorsailed all day and have made good time. We've learned that the Van Sant cruising guide was right about the cape effects but we haven't hugged the shore as closely as he suggested and have been doing quite well. We just head towards shore until the seas and wind subside a bit and then tack back and forth until we get around the point. So far, this has paid off for us since we point higher than our catamaran buddies and use the extra wind to our advantage.
We've also noticed that our main sail is starting to show a pucker at the bottom of the sail which would indicate that the sail needs to be hoisted up. This probably means that my attachment repair is failing and it is starting to fall. Since we need our sails for as long as possible, we have elected to tack as quickly as we can until it either completely fails and collapses, or the winds subside to the point where we can try to roll it back in.
Hispanola is a massive island. Sailing along its northern shores showed us more of its natural beauty. The subtropical greens of its mountains reached down to the cliffs that bordered the Atlantic Ocean along this shore. We saw several mansions along this coastline that we imagined must belong to the Dominican baseball players that come to the US to play professionally. Several areas looked like they might be golf courses overlooking the cliffs but then they could have been meadows simply seen from a distance. It only proved to us that there is much more to see on this beautiful island.
This will be one of the longest passages we've ever made and, of course, through the Mona Passage which takes a full 24 hours to transit by itself.
For background information, the Mona is very much like the Gulf Stream, only wider. It has its own current/currents and with two good sized islands (Puerto Rico on the east; Hispanola on the west) with huge mountains channeling their winds and thunderstorms down and around through the passage. If you don't wait for a favorable weather forecast, you'll get your clock cleaned pretty quick. We've waited for one that predicts less than 15 kts of wind and seas of 4-6'. If anything, wind and seas have been less than what we were expecting. I guess all of those weeks waiting is finally paying off.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Luperon, DR
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
We started the day listening to the weather reports and checking the various sites for sea states. We determined that we might have another small window of 48 hours to try to make Puerto Rico. After having done this once before, I didn't feel the anticipation that I normally get before a crossing. Still, we went through the motions. We paid our tab at the marina, picked up the laundry, uploaded our posts to this site and visited the Commandante. Apparently, there is a new rule (according to him per US instructions) that all vessels leaving for US ports, ie Puerto Rico, must have an inspection to document that there are no illegal aliens on board 1 hour prior to leaving. OK fine. Since we plan on leaving at 6 am that means they have to be here by 5 am. No problemo he tells us. He gives us a new dispatchio and says he'll visit us in the morning.
We make arrangements to meet later with several other boats besides our little group that are hoping for the same window. However, by the time we meet in the evening, we all notice that the winds have not died down as predicted and still gust to 20kts or better in the harbor. Elaine made the observation that there is no dominant voice in the group to say 'This is what we are all going to do' to make it easier for everyone to blame someone other than themselves for making the decision.
Although we are anxious to leave, Dale & I and Roger & Elaine are leaning more towards not going at this point. We learned from the last time that the winds and waves are a lot more than we bargained for when the winds are still blowing in the harbor. Moon Goddess is hell bent on leaving in the morning. MTNest is cautious but anxious to leave; we'll see what happens.
After all of the back and forth, we returned to the Palace where Dale asks me what I want to do. I tell him that once we go to bed, we should leave the wind generator on. If it starts turning (usually at 10 kts) prior to our departure time, we stay. It's about time for us to go to bed now and it hasn't turned off yet. I don't think we're going anywhere tomorrow.
The next window looks to be in another week. We're going to get pretty good at playing dominos. We're also going to have to start a college fund for the Commandante's new baby and make our dispatchio deposits there.
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
We started the day listening to the weather reports and checking the various sites for sea states. We determined that we might have another small window of 48 hours to try to make Puerto Rico. After having done this once before, I didn't feel the anticipation that I normally get before a crossing. Still, we went through the motions. We paid our tab at the marina, picked up the laundry, uploaded our posts to this site and visited the Commandante. Apparently, there is a new rule (according to him per US instructions) that all vessels leaving for US ports, ie Puerto Rico, must have an inspection to document that there are no illegal aliens on board 1 hour prior to leaving. OK fine. Since we plan on leaving at 6 am that means they have to be here by 5 am. No problemo he tells us. He gives us a new dispatchio and says he'll visit us in the morning.
We make arrangements to meet later with several other boats besides our little group that are hoping for the same window. However, by the time we meet in the evening, we all notice that the winds have not died down as predicted and still gust to 20kts or better in the harbor. Elaine made the observation that there is no dominant voice in the group to say 'This is what we are all going to do' to make it easier for everyone to blame someone other than themselves for making the decision.
Although we are anxious to leave, Dale & I and Roger & Elaine are leaning more towards not going at this point. We learned from the last time that the winds and waves are a lot more than we bargained for when the winds are still blowing in the harbor. Moon Goddess is hell bent on leaving in the morning. MTNest is cautious but anxious to leave; we'll see what happens.
After all of the back and forth, we returned to the Palace where Dale asks me what I want to do. I tell him that once we go to bed, we should leave the wind generator on. If it starts turning (usually at 10 kts) prior to our departure time, we stay. It's about time for us to go to bed now and it hasn't turned off yet. I don't think we're going anywhere tomorrow.
The next window looks to be in another week. We're going to get pretty good at playing dominos. We're also going to have to start a college fund for the Commandante's new baby and make our dispatchio deposits there.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Luperon, DR
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
Again with the wind and rain. At least today it was more wind than rain but still the wind continued to blow 20 kts. with gusts up to 30kts. I noticed another boat had dragged during the night and another that decided to use their riding sail. I'm surprised they haven't used it before now since they were one of the ones dancing like crazy and dragged the first day. My little homemade sail it still hanging in there and doing a fine job.
I started the day making English muffins from scratch. Not bad. Next time I'll make them bigger and let them rise longer. Dale and I had wanted to check e-mail and upload the last 7 posts today but Steve's was closed.
It was our turn to host cocktail hour among our little group, so we swept, mopped, dusted, scrubbed toilets, sinks and finally tucked those items away that have no real place on the boat. We hung my swing from the back arch, rolled up some of the side curtains, added a few throw cushions to the cockpit, took the wheel off and welcomed our friends. The first few minutes were show and tell to those who haven't been on it before and then the rest of the time we talked about everything and nothing. Again, the big topic of conversation was the go, no go decision to be made on Wednesday.
We'll have to go soon or I'll have nothing more to write about.
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
Again with the wind and rain. At least today it was more wind than rain but still the wind continued to blow 20 kts. with gusts up to 30kts. I noticed another boat had dragged during the night and another that decided to use their riding sail. I'm surprised they haven't used it before now since they were one of the ones dancing like crazy and dragged the first day. My little homemade sail it still hanging in there and doing a fine job.
I started the day making English muffins from scratch. Not bad. Next time I'll make them bigger and let them rise longer. Dale and I had wanted to check e-mail and upload the last 7 posts today but Steve's was closed.
It was our turn to host cocktail hour among our little group, so we swept, mopped, dusted, scrubbed toilets, sinks and finally tucked those items away that have no real place on the boat. We hung my swing from the back arch, rolled up some of the side curtains, added a few throw cushions to the cockpit, took the wheel off and welcomed our friends. The first few minutes were show and tell to those who haven't been on it before and then the rest of the time we talked about everything and nothing. Again, the big topic of conversation was the go, no go decision to be made on Wednesday.
We'll have to go soon or I'll have nothing more to write about.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Luperon, DR
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
Another rainy and windy day. Since we had dinner reservations at Casa de Sol, we decided to forego our trip to the Sunday swap meet/barbeque and save our appetites for dinner.
We spent most of the day reading and tidying up inside. When the wind picked up to 30 kts, we watched as a couple of boats that have been here for months/years? started dragging and offered to assist when other boaters went out to forage in the anchor lockers for secondary anchors to throw out. The only problem is who's going to go out when the wind changes directions to untangle the anchors when they foul and the boats start to drag again? Thankfully, MTNest stayed put as did the rest of our little group.
The rain seemed to abate when the sun went down and we all ventured out in our dinghies (except Joe who's still under the weather) to meet for dinner. The meal was good but the desserts were excellent. Stan, who owns the restaurant, picks up the patrons at the marina and drives them to the restaurant, cooks and entertains was quite the guy. He prepared bananas flambé and pineapple flambé for our desserts with the flourish of a born actor. Then he prepared a coffee liquor that was also flambé d. We tried to tell him that he needs to advertise either on the radio net or by brochure to let the boaters know what his restaurant has to offer. He seemed genuinely interested in our suggestions and we wished him well.
When we got back to the marina, it started to rain again. Of course, by the time we descended the hill and into our dinghies, it was a downpour and we were soaked to the skin when we finally made it back to the Palace.
The main topic on each of our minds has been the tiny window we thought we were going to see this week. Unfortunately, it seems to be disappearing before it ever developed. We'll keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best. Right now, it seems we are in for a few more days of this weather.
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
Another rainy and windy day. Since we had dinner reservations at Casa de Sol, we decided to forego our trip to the Sunday swap meet/barbeque and save our appetites for dinner.
We spent most of the day reading and tidying up inside. When the wind picked up to 30 kts, we watched as a couple of boats that have been here for months/years? started dragging and offered to assist when other boaters went out to forage in the anchor lockers for secondary anchors to throw out. The only problem is who's going to go out when the wind changes directions to untangle the anchors when they foul and the boats start to drag again? Thankfully, MTNest stayed put as did the rest of our little group.
The rain seemed to abate when the sun went down and we all ventured out in our dinghies (except Joe who's still under the weather) to meet for dinner. The meal was good but the desserts were excellent. Stan, who owns the restaurant, picks up the patrons at the marina and drives them to the restaurant, cooks and entertains was quite the guy. He prepared bananas flambé and pineapple flambé for our desserts with the flourish of a born actor. Then he prepared a coffee liquor that was also flambé d. We tried to tell him that he needs to advertise either on the radio net or by brochure to let the boaters know what his restaurant has to offer. He seemed genuinely interested in our suggestions and we wished him well.
When we got back to the marina, it started to rain again. Of course, by the time we descended the hill and into our dinghies, it was a downpour and we were soaked to the skin when we finally made it back to the Palace.
The main topic on each of our minds has been the tiny window we thought we were going to see this week. Unfortunately, it seems to be disappearing before it ever developed. We'll keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best. Right now, it seems we are in for a few more days of this weather.
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Luperon, DR
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
It was rainy and windy today so Dale and I stayed on the boat most of the time. I had made a riding sail prior to leaving Florida and we attached it to the back of our boom today. It does seem to keep us from swinging so drastically in the winds that gust to 30kts (thankfully we haven't seen any 40 kts ones today,) but I worry that since I made it of canvas, it won't hold up in these winds.
Elaine and I took her laundry in during one of the dry spells and we walked up Gringo Hill for something to do. We stopped and explored a house that had been built but then left unfinished. It was in a hacienda style with the house built around a small open courtyard. We teased that if we can't get out of Luperon that we'd sell the boats and buy the house.
Later in the evening, we all made the wet dinghy ride in and trekked up the hill to hear Mike play his keyboard and saxophone. Terri seemed to be in better spirits since they didn't drag today when other boats did.
From the top of the hill we saw Darby (from Nicolino) trying to paddle with one oar against 20 kt winds. (She had made it to the dock but was blown back out again when she didn't get the boat tied up quickly enough.) Dale was on his way down to go get her when we saw Doug swing by and tow her in. She still mourns the loss of a custom dinghy (that "drove like a car") which was lost prior to arriving in Luperon. Gate purchased a new one but it is smaller and has an outboard motor that she hasn't mastered yet. Needless to say, by the time Gate arrived, Darby was wet, mad, frustrated (they've been here for 2 months) and on her second beer.
One sad note today. Norma is a tiny lady about 70 years old. She and her husband arrived here about 3 years ago with their cocker spaniel. Four months ago, her husband died of a heart attack. She decided that she loved Luperon, her boat, her dog, and her life here (social security goes a lot further here than it does in the US). Today, her dog died. Those that knew her well held a little funeral and were comforting her as best they could. I realize that it's her choice to live here, but I find myself wondering what will happen to her when people move on.
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
It was rainy and windy today so Dale and I stayed on the boat most of the time. I had made a riding sail prior to leaving Florida and we attached it to the back of our boom today. It does seem to keep us from swinging so drastically in the winds that gust to 30kts (thankfully we haven't seen any 40 kts ones today,) but I worry that since I made it of canvas, it won't hold up in these winds.
Elaine and I took her laundry in during one of the dry spells and we walked up Gringo Hill for something to do. We stopped and explored a house that had been built but then left unfinished. It was in a hacienda style with the house built around a small open courtyard. We teased that if we can't get out of Luperon that we'd sell the boats and buy the house.
Later in the evening, we all made the wet dinghy ride in and trekked up the hill to hear Mike play his keyboard and saxophone. Terri seemed to be in better spirits since they didn't drag today when other boats did.
From the top of the hill we saw Darby (from Nicolino) trying to paddle with one oar against 20 kt winds. (She had made it to the dock but was blown back out again when she didn't get the boat tied up quickly enough.) Dale was on his way down to go get her when we saw Doug swing by and tow her in. She still mourns the loss of a custom dinghy (that "drove like a car") which was lost prior to arriving in Luperon. Gate purchased a new one but it is smaller and has an outboard motor that she hasn't mastered yet. Needless to say, by the time Gate arrived, Darby was wet, mad, frustrated (they've been here for 2 months) and on her second beer.
One sad note today. Norma is a tiny lady about 70 years old. She and her husband arrived here about 3 years ago with their cocker spaniel. Four months ago, her husband died of a heart attack. She decided that she loved Luperon, her boat, her dog, and her life here (social security goes a lot further here than it does in the US). Today, her dog died. Those that knew her well held a little funeral and were comforting her as best they could. I realize that it's her choice to live here, but I find myself wondering what will happen to her when people move on.
Friday, January 20, 2006
Luperon, DR
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
Today was a farm yard day. Mike & Terry (MTNest), Roger & Elaine (Doc-No-More) and Dale & I met early to go horseback riding. Diane & Joe (Moon Goddess) declined as she was just getting over a bug and Joe was just coming down with it.
Mario picked us up at the government dock and took us to his home. While the rest were talking with his daughter, I watched as his stable boy brought in the horses and then as they selected the ones we would be using. I spotted a pretty red stallion that didn't look very old and stepped rather nicely when he was roped.
Mario selected a grey and asked who had experience riding. Mike indicated that he did and Mario proceeded to pair us up with horses that would match our abilities. Although I have experience, its more than 20 years old. I was hoping that it would be like riding a bicycle. He generally put the men on the livelier mounts but when he said that he was going to put me on a slow one, I declared my experience and was delighted when he indicated the red pony I had spotted. I was pleased to hear that the red preferred to be in the lead yet I had to prove to Mario that I could mount, ride, stop, and turn before he agreed to let me have it. Thank God it was like riding a bicycle.
Once I got my rhythm back, I became the instigator to a quicker ride and Dale and I rode in the front often allowing our horses to break into a trot and occasionally a gallop before Mario would put his hand over his heart and beg us to slow down. I have to admit, some of our fellow riders looked like they were clinging to the saddle horns for dear life. Poor Roger mounted reasonably well but for the life of him couldn't figure out how to get off when we stopped for a soda. Elaine sweet-talked her grey mare into keeping up but then learned that the mare was a follower; if we walked, she walked, if we trotted, she trotted. Throughout our 4 hour ride, Elaine stayed in the middle and was quite content to do so. Terri brought up the rear but flatly refused to use her heels or a switch to cajole her mare into keeping up. I don't think she was happy about it but she was one of the people who looked white knuckled too.
We rode along dirt roads throughout the countryside. Little farms nestled all the way up to the foot of the mountains; I thought it was beautiful. We still saw barefoot children playing in mud puddles but here it just reminded me of what country kids do on rainy afternoons.
We visited a local farm that made the cheese Elaine and I had purchased when we first got to Luperon. We stopped for a soda at a little shack alongside of the road and we stopped by a retaining pond that the farmers had constructed to help irrigate their farms. Mario told us of how back in the 50's the dictator had taken half of everyone's property for the state creating a mess of red tape to this day (since the government couldn't reimburse them for it, the people still retained title to the property so the government can't sell the property and the people can't use it.) He explained that the farmers became discouraged and stopped farming but that things are starting to change now and the government is encouraging people to farm again (he didn't say that the government was giving them back the property either.)
We returned in time for a late lunch in town and decided that we would catch the Friday afternoon cock fights at 3:00pm. The preparation was more interesting than the actual fights in my opinion. We watched as the roosters were shaved (except for their heads, wings and tails), taped and then the spurs were added to their legs. The one thing that we noticed, that we hadn't taken into consideration, was that there were "more people packin' than at the Policeman's Ball" (Dale's description). Most of those who were carrying handguns were asked to empty the chambers at the door to the club wielding and pistol packin' security guards. They were allowed to keep their weapons and keep their bullets so I'm not sure what type of deterrent this was supposed to create. We watched two fights, with its tickets and money going this way and that like the feathers that eventually flew, then left. Mike had started hooping and hollering when everyone else did and we got more of a kick out of him than we did the fights. But now we can say that we've been to a cockfight.
About half way in our walk back to the dinghy dock, Jose (our previous tour guide) caught up to us on his motorcycle and told us that one of our boats was dragging in the harbor. He didn't know which one it was. As we got closer, some other boaters recognized us and identified the the vessel as MTNest. We picked up our pace and I heard Terri tell Mike that she just wanted to leave (they've had a horrible time trying to stay anchored here.)
We got back in time to see several dinghies finish securing MTNest to Moon Goddess again. There were 3 anchors out at various angles and Diane told us that they had endured 44kt winds in the anchorage while we were gone. MTNest was one of many that had dragged. As they had 140' of chain out and they didn't want to put out a second anchor with the 360* turns we make in this harbor, we suggested that they add their second anchor to their primary about 40' back from their first anchor. They decided that this was a good idea and we helped them collect the anchors that held them in place and then re-anchor setting the two anchors. Dale had them square up on the single line and back down hard. They didn't appear to move, so we're hoping that they stay put for the rest of their time here.
Since we're now in the midst of the front that is moving through, we realize that we're going to be here for a while longer. It will take days for the seas to calm down after all of this wind.
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
Today was a farm yard day. Mike & Terry (MTNest), Roger & Elaine (Doc-No-More) and Dale & I met early to go horseback riding. Diane & Joe (Moon Goddess) declined as she was just getting over a bug and Joe was just coming down with it.
Mario picked us up at the government dock and took us to his home. While the rest were talking with his daughter, I watched as his stable boy brought in the horses and then as they selected the ones we would be using. I spotted a pretty red stallion that didn't look very old and stepped rather nicely when he was roped.
Mario selected a grey and asked who had experience riding. Mike indicated that he did and Mario proceeded to pair us up with horses that would match our abilities. Although I have experience, its more than 20 years old. I was hoping that it would be like riding a bicycle. He generally put the men on the livelier mounts but when he said that he was going to put me on a slow one, I declared my experience and was delighted when he indicated the red pony I had spotted. I was pleased to hear that the red preferred to be in the lead yet I had to prove to Mario that I could mount, ride, stop, and turn before he agreed to let me have it. Thank God it was like riding a bicycle.
Once I got my rhythm back, I became the instigator to a quicker ride and Dale and I rode in the front often allowing our horses to break into a trot and occasionally a gallop before Mario would put his hand over his heart and beg us to slow down. I have to admit, some of our fellow riders looked like they were clinging to the saddle horns for dear life. Poor Roger mounted reasonably well but for the life of him couldn't figure out how to get off when we stopped for a soda. Elaine sweet-talked her grey mare into keeping up but then learned that the mare was a follower; if we walked, she walked, if we trotted, she trotted. Throughout our 4 hour ride, Elaine stayed in the middle and was quite content to do so. Terri brought up the rear but flatly refused to use her heels or a switch to cajole her mare into keeping up. I don't think she was happy about it but she was one of the people who looked white knuckled too.
We rode along dirt roads throughout the countryside. Little farms nestled all the way up to the foot of the mountains; I thought it was beautiful. We still saw barefoot children playing in mud puddles but here it just reminded me of what country kids do on rainy afternoons.
We visited a local farm that made the cheese Elaine and I had purchased when we first got to Luperon. We stopped for a soda at a little shack alongside of the road and we stopped by a retaining pond that the farmers had constructed to help irrigate their farms. Mario told us of how back in the 50's the dictator had taken half of everyone's property for the state creating a mess of red tape to this day (since the government couldn't reimburse them for it, the people still retained title to the property so the government can't sell the property and the people can't use it.) He explained that the farmers became discouraged and stopped farming but that things are starting to change now and the government is encouraging people to farm again (he didn't say that the government was giving them back the property either.)
We returned in time for a late lunch in town and decided that we would catch the Friday afternoon cock fights at 3:00pm. The preparation was more interesting than the actual fights in my opinion. We watched as the roosters were shaved (except for their heads, wings and tails), taped and then the spurs were added to their legs. The one thing that we noticed, that we hadn't taken into consideration, was that there were "more people packin' than at the Policeman's Ball" (Dale's description). Most of those who were carrying handguns were asked to empty the chambers at the door to the club wielding and pistol packin' security guards. They were allowed to keep their weapons and keep their bullets so I'm not sure what type of deterrent this was supposed to create. We watched two fights, with its tickets and money going this way and that like the feathers that eventually flew, then left. Mike had started hooping and hollering when everyone else did and we got more of a kick out of him than we did the fights. But now we can say that we've been to a cockfight.
About half way in our walk back to the dinghy dock, Jose (our previous tour guide) caught up to us on his motorcycle and told us that one of our boats was dragging in the harbor. He didn't know which one it was. As we got closer, some other boaters recognized us and identified the the vessel as MTNest. We picked up our pace and I heard Terri tell Mike that she just wanted to leave (they've had a horrible time trying to stay anchored here.)
We got back in time to see several dinghies finish securing MTNest to Moon Goddess again. There were 3 anchors out at various angles and Diane told us that they had endured 44kt winds in the anchorage while we were gone. MTNest was one of many that had dragged. As they had 140' of chain out and they didn't want to put out a second anchor with the 360* turns we make in this harbor, we suggested that they add their second anchor to their primary about 40' back from their first anchor. They decided that this was a good idea and we helped them collect the anchors that held them in place and then re-anchor setting the two anchors. Dale had them square up on the single line and back down hard. They didn't appear to move, so we're hoping that they stay put for the rest of their time here.
Since we're now in the midst of the front that is moving through, we realize that we're going to be here for a while longer. It will take days for the seas to calm down after all of this wind.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Luperon, DR
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
Happy Birthday Kyle! We love you.
Elaine and I got our hair cut today. A lady on another boat offered to do it for us. I guess you get what you pay for. Both of us ended up with quite short styles. At least mine grows quickly. It seems the longer we're out here, the shorter mine gets and the longer Dale's gets.
By the time I returned from my scalping, Gate and Darby from Nicolino (a sister ship to ours) were just getting off their dink for a visit to see the modifications we've made to the Palace for cruising. I'd heard that they keep their boat immaculate, so I was hoping that Dale had made the bed after we stripped it for taking to the laundry. I wasn't that lucky. They graciously oo'd and aah'd and then invited us over to theirs later in the day.
It rained off and on most of the day but we were able to join Roger & Elaine for a hike up the hill on the other side of the harbor to a proposed marina site. The developers have extensive plans but apparently faltered when it was discovered that they didn't hold a clear title. If its ever completed, it will be quite grand. Unfortunately, until the water is cleaned up, I don't see where they will attract the clientele it would take to make the waterfront condos, single family home sites and a golf course a successful business.
Between rain drops, we took our laundry in and then stopped by Nicolino to compare notes. It was true, their boat was immaculate. We found out that Gate is an interior designer for large hotel complexes. It showed. The boat was beautiful and inviting but it wasn't set up for long term cruising either. However, it did give me some ideas about making the cockpit more comfortable when we return stateside.
The nasty weather we've been watching should probably pass through here this weekend but we're hoping that we can go horseback riding tomorrow.
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
Happy Birthday Kyle! We love you.
Elaine and I got our hair cut today. A lady on another boat offered to do it for us. I guess you get what you pay for. Both of us ended up with quite short styles. At least mine grows quickly. It seems the longer we're out here, the shorter mine gets and the longer Dale's gets.
By the time I returned from my scalping, Gate and Darby from Nicolino (a sister ship to ours) were just getting off their dink for a visit to see the modifications we've made to the Palace for cruising. I'd heard that they keep their boat immaculate, so I was hoping that Dale had made the bed after we stripped it for taking to the laundry. I wasn't that lucky. They graciously oo'd and aah'd and then invited us over to theirs later in the day.
It rained off and on most of the day but we were able to join Roger & Elaine for a hike up the hill on the other side of the harbor to a proposed marina site. The developers have extensive plans but apparently faltered when it was discovered that they didn't hold a clear title. If its ever completed, it will be quite grand. Unfortunately, until the water is cleaned up, I don't see where they will attract the clientele it would take to make the waterfront condos, single family home sites and a golf course a successful business.
Between rain drops, we took our laundry in and then stopped by Nicolino to compare notes. It was true, their boat was immaculate. We found out that Gate is an interior designer for large hotel complexes. It showed. The boat was beautiful and inviting but it wasn't set up for long term cruising either. However, it did give me some ideas about making the cockpit more comfortable when we return stateside.
The nasty weather we've been watching should probably pass through here this weekend but we're hoping that we can go horseback riding tomorrow.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Luperon, DR
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
You know, you really don't exercise on a boat the way you do on land. I figured that running up and down our stairs on the companionway half a dozen times a day would put me in pretty good shape. However, today I feel each and every one of the 365 steps I climbed yesterday.
Dale and I went for a walk over the hill to the beach today to help loosen my legs up. Elaine and Roger joined us. We walked by 'Gringo Hill' where the ex-pats live and through the resort over by the beach. Then we followed a dirt road up the hill to the plateau that marks the way to the entrance channel to Luperon. From up there the view was magnificent. We could see the ocean to the north, the channel to the east and the harbor to the south with the mountains in the distance. Intermingled with all of this was farm land. Roger, Elaine and Dale deferred to my farm girl judgment in passing a herd of cattle that lounged in the middle of the road. So I picked up a stick and took the lead. I'm happy to report that nothing happened. Even the two Brahma bulls laying in the middle of the road ignored us as we passed by. (I have to admit, after wacking them on nose if they had challenged us, I'd run like hell. I try not to mess with bulls.)
If you only saw this little corner of the island, you'd live here in a heart beat. At the top of the hill looking down, there was a small house tucked below the plateau yet still quite a bit higher than sea level. It had a beautifully tended lawn and a rock fence surrounding the property. There's something about that house that's stayed in my mind. A lot smaller than the gringo houses but so peaceful and serene.
Later, Dale & I walked into town and stopped into Steve's Place where he checked our e-mail and I rocked Stephanie, Steve's 4 month old daughter, in a wicker rocking chair on an open air veranda. We met MTNest and Moon Goddess for lunch, then we dropped by the local bakery on our way back to the boat for a couple of loaves of freshly baked bread for slicing up and dipping in olive oil sauces for appetizers on MTNest later this evening. We were joined by our regular group plus Edgar on Nine-Twenty-Four (Jenny wasn't feeling well) and Marc and Louis, a couple of French Canadians on their way to St. Martin to pick up their wives. It was a wonderful day for enjoying the simple things in life.
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
You know, you really don't exercise on a boat the way you do on land. I figured that running up and down our stairs on the companionway half a dozen times a day would put me in pretty good shape. However, today I feel each and every one of the 365 steps I climbed yesterday.
Dale and I went for a walk over the hill to the beach today to help loosen my legs up. Elaine and Roger joined us. We walked by 'Gringo Hill' where the ex-pats live and through the resort over by the beach. Then we followed a dirt road up the hill to the plateau that marks the way to the entrance channel to Luperon. From up there the view was magnificent. We could see the ocean to the north, the channel to the east and the harbor to the south with the mountains in the distance. Intermingled with all of this was farm land. Roger, Elaine and Dale deferred to my farm girl judgment in passing a herd of cattle that lounged in the middle of the road. So I picked up a stick and took the lead. I'm happy to report that nothing happened. Even the two Brahma bulls laying in the middle of the road ignored us as we passed by. (I have to admit, after wacking them on nose if they had challenged us, I'd run like hell. I try not to mess with bulls.)
If you only saw this little corner of the island, you'd live here in a heart beat. At the top of the hill looking down, there was a small house tucked below the plateau yet still quite a bit higher than sea level. It had a beautifully tended lawn and a rock fence surrounding the property. There's something about that house that's stayed in my mind. A lot smaller than the gringo houses but so peaceful and serene.
Later, Dale & I walked into town and stopped into Steve's Place where he checked our e-mail and I rocked Stephanie, Steve's 4 month old daughter, in a wicker rocking chair on an open air veranda. We met MTNest and Moon Goddess for lunch, then we dropped by the local bakery on our way back to the boat for a couple of loaves of freshly baked bread for slicing up and dipping in olive oil sauces for appetizers on MTNest later this evening. We were joined by our regular group plus Edgar on Nine-Twenty-Four (Jenny wasn't feeling well) and Marc and Louis, a couple of French Canadians on their way to St. Martin to pick up their wives. It was a wonderful day for enjoying the simple things in life.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Luperon, DR
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
I believe I've mentioned before how just doing the simple things can take an entire day. Today was one of those days. We hired a minibus to take the four boat crews (Doc-No-More, MTNest, Moon Goddess and us) to Santiago to do our grocery shopping. Janet at the marina loaned us her Price Club Card so we were excited to go shopping American style. However, we knew that we had to be back to the marina by 5:00 pm because Mike (MTNest) was going to be performing at happy hour. He's a very talented keyboard and saxophonist. (Remember back when we were in Georgetown and I thought the guy who played during the Christmas sing along might be a preacher? Well, he's a retired music teacher and has a rather ribald sense of humor.)
We stopped at the monument to various revolutions in Santiago and climbed the 365 steps to the top. After we descended, we apparently offended the local who opened the door for us because we didn't tip him to his expectations. We've been told that there is a fine line between tipping for a service and being "stupid". The only thing this guy did was open the door; we certainly weren't going to tip him the $5 he wanted from each of us and he wasn't very happy with what we offered, so we left.
We then went to a Radio Shack at the local mall to pick up a couple of motion detectors we had been told about. (We heard a first hand account of an incident in Venezuela where a boater was boarded by would be thieves.) While we were at the mall, we had lunch at their food court. All of the Dominicans were eating at the Kentucky Fried Chicken, Dominios and Chinese food take out, and all of the 'gringos' were eating at the DR fast food place. Dale & I decided to eat at the Puerto Rican sandwich shop.
From there we did our grocery shopping. First at the Price Club and then at another local grocery store. Unfortunately, when we returned from our second store, our driver was missing in action. It took us a hour to track him down. I don't think we ever did completely understand where he disappeared to. Of course, this put us dangerously close to running out of time as we were over an hour away from Luperon.
Unlike our way to Santiago when we got caught behind a horse drawn buggy (like what you might see the Amish drive,) on our way back we were behind a convoy of trucks hauling dirt/mud up the mountain side and then down the other. We didn't pull in to the marina until 5:30 pm and then we had to dinghy our food back to our boats before returning to watch Mike perform.
However, it was a great ending to the day. A couple of the other boaters got up to sing while Mike played the keyboard and Nancy played guitar. It's amazing when people have such clear, beautiful voices sitting next to you but put a mike in their hands and suddenly every squeak comes out.
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
I believe I've mentioned before how just doing the simple things can take an entire day. Today was one of those days. We hired a minibus to take the four boat crews (Doc-No-More, MTNest, Moon Goddess and us) to Santiago to do our grocery shopping. Janet at the marina loaned us her Price Club Card so we were excited to go shopping American style. However, we knew that we had to be back to the marina by 5:00 pm because Mike (MTNest) was going to be performing at happy hour. He's a very talented keyboard and saxophonist. (Remember back when we were in Georgetown and I thought the guy who played during the Christmas sing along might be a preacher? Well, he's a retired music teacher and has a rather ribald sense of humor.)
We stopped at the monument to various revolutions in Santiago and climbed the 365 steps to the top. After we descended, we apparently offended the local who opened the door for us because we didn't tip him to his expectations. We've been told that there is a fine line between tipping for a service and being "stupid". The only thing this guy did was open the door; we certainly weren't going to tip him the $5 he wanted from each of us and he wasn't very happy with what we offered, so we left.
We then went to a Radio Shack at the local mall to pick up a couple of motion detectors we had been told about. (We heard a first hand account of an incident in Venezuela where a boater was boarded by would be thieves.) While we were at the mall, we had lunch at their food court. All of the Dominicans were eating at the Kentucky Fried Chicken, Dominios and Chinese food take out, and all of the 'gringos' were eating at the DR fast food place. Dale & I decided to eat at the Puerto Rican sandwich shop.
From there we did our grocery shopping. First at the Price Club and then at another local grocery store. Unfortunately, when we returned from our second store, our driver was missing in action. It took us a hour to track him down. I don't think we ever did completely understand where he disappeared to. Of course, this put us dangerously close to running out of time as we were over an hour away from Luperon.
Unlike our way to Santiago when we got caught behind a horse drawn buggy (like what you might see the Amish drive,) on our way back we were behind a convoy of trucks hauling dirt/mud up the mountain side and then down the other. We didn't pull in to the marina until 5:30 pm and then we had to dinghy our food back to our boats before returning to watch Mike perform.
However, it was a great ending to the day. A couple of the other boaters got up to sing while Mike played the keyboard and Nancy played guitar. It's amazing when people have such clear, beautiful voices sitting next to you but put a mike in their hands and suddenly every squeak comes out.
Monday, January 16, 2006
Luperon, DR
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
About 2:30 am there was a kiss in the night. Thank God it wasn't us; it was MTNest and Moon Goddess. Poor Terri and Mike had been exhausted when they arrived and it took them half a dozen tries at two different locations with two different anchors to get one to set. So when they bumped Moon Goddess in the night, Terri was in no mood to reset the anchor. They started off trying to untangle their anchors but ended up just rafting together for the remainder of the night. Dale and Roger went over first thing this morning to help them untangle and reset the anchor. So far its held. After discussing the situation ad nauseam we decided that they probably didn't drag but instead bumped because they were closer to the mangroves where the current passes by quicker than in the middle area. Moon Goddess was further in and probably didn't turn as quickly as they did when the tides changed. Anyway, they're untangled now and hopefully it won't happen again.
Mike had fun the with interaction by saying that after they rafted up he heard a lot of moaning and groaning but when he went topside, he found that with all of the bumping and grinding during the night, the two boats had produced a little one between them (the dingy had wedged itself between the two boats). Mike is quite the jokester and I look forward to having them in our little group heading south.
I finished making my rain catcher and we've decided to put it on the back suspended between the two arches. This way the cockpit protects it some from the wind while the arches support it. I hope it works this time. We've missed a couple of opportunities to replenish our water supply. Also, with this one totally devoted to catching water, I can make sure it stays clean and not have to waste water by waiting for the rain to wash it off first.
The rest of the day was spent reading and baking an hors d'oeuvre for our cocktail hour on Doc-No-More. Elaine had also invited MTNest, Moon Goddess and Meridian Chaser. We figure that there will be about 9 boats trying to catch the next weather window. Moon Goddess and Meridian Chaser are monohulls, so we won't be left in the dust by Doc-No-More and MTNest which are catamarans.
Tomorrow we are all going shopping in Santiago. If you can't do anything else, go shopping.
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
About 2:30 am there was a kiss in the night. Thank God it wasn't us; it was MTNest and Moon Goddess. Poor Terri and Mike had been exhausted when they arrived and it took them half a dozen tries at two different locations with two different anchors to get one to set. So when they bumped Moon Goddess in the night, Terri was in no mood to reset the anchor. They started off trying to untangle their anchors but ended up just rafting together for the remainder of the night. Dale and Roger went over first thing this morning to help them untangle and reset the anchor. So far its held. After discussing the situation ad nauseam we decided that they probably didn't drag but instead bumped because they were closer to the mangroves where the current passes by quicker than in the middle area. Moon Goddess was further in and probably didn't turn as quickly as they did when the tides changed. Anyway, they're untangled now and hopefully it won't happen again.
Mike had fun the with interaction by saying that after they rafted up he heard a lot of moaning and groaning but when he went topside, he found that with all of the bumping and grinding during the night, the two boats had produced a little one between them (the dingy had wedged itself between the two boats). Mike is quite the jokester and I look forward to having them in our little group heading south.
I finished making my rain catcher and we've decided to put it on the back suspended between the two arches. This way the cockpit protects it some from the wind while the arches support it. I hope it works this time. We've missed a couple of opportunities to replenish our water supply. Also, with this one totally devoted to catching water, I can make sure it stays clean and not have to waste water by waiting for the rain to wash it off first.
The rest of the day was spent reading and baking an hors d'oeuvre for our cocktail hour on Doc-No-More. Elaine had also invited MTNest, Moon Goddess and Meridian Chaser. We figure that there will be about 9 boats trying to catch the next weather window. Moon Goddess and Meridian Chaser are monohulls, so we won't be left in the dust by Doc-No-More and MTNest which are catamarans.
Tomorrow we are all going shopping in Santiago. If you can't do anything else, go shopping.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Luperon, DR
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
This morning started off rainy but ended up as another beautiful day in paradise, DR style. We joined Doc-No-More, MTNest and Moon Goddess at the fleamarket/barbeque, then returned to our boat for the remainder of the day. I had decided that we needed a different type of rain catchment system. The one I had originally sewn was an awning for the front of our boat that when dropped down would catch water in a drain that we could connect a water hose to. However, in using it, we discovered that it was too large when there was any wind involved. So, I made a simple square one, with the same drain system. It took me the better part of the day to put it together but I should have it finished by tomorrow. In the meantime, Dale started reading "Into Thin Air." Unfortunately, this makes for a very boring entry into the blog.
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
This morning started off rainy but ended up as another beautiful day in paradise, DR style. We joined Doc-No-More, MTNest and Moon Goddess at the fleamarket/barbeque, then returned to our boat for the remainder of the day. I had decided that we needed a different type of rain catchment system. The one I had originally sewn was an awning for the front of our boat that when dropped down would catch water in a drain that we could connect a water hose to. However, in using it, we discovered that it was too large when there was any wind involved. So, I made a simple square one, with the same drain system. It took me the better part of the day to put it together but I should have it finished by tomorrow. In the meantime, Dale started reading "Into Thin Air." Unfortunately, this makes for a very boring entry into the blog.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Luperon, DR
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
This morning about 7:00 am Calaloo and another boat pulled out prior to the trade winds picking up. We checked the buoy reports that reflected worse conditions than we had anticipated for today but as they didn't return, we wished them the very best in their travels.
MTNest (whom we had met in Georgetown) and Moon Goddess (who had anchored next to us in Ft. Pierce) came straight to Luperon from Provo to keep from getting caught in the closing window. They said that they had endured a miserable night; conditions had improved during the day but were once again deteriorating as they got closer to Hispanola. Again, we thought of Calaloo.
Except for going out to the entrance to guide MTNest and Moon Goddess in, we stayed on the boat reading most of the day. At happy hour though, we made our way up the hill to hear the local talent for open mike night and were once again harassed. The singer teased us by calling us the "come and go" group when we entered which in turn garnered the attention of the Commandante.
Elaine and I were seated at the table when he approached and asked us in broken English why we had not left. Elaine tried to explain in her less than fluent Spanish that we had tried to leave but that the seas and wind were against us so we had to stay. We asked him to join us and by the time the guys sat down and bought him a beer, we had started a Spanglish conversation that would last the better part of the night. Before he had departed our table, his second in command had joined us and by the end of the evening, we had met the mayor of Luperon who had been the second in command's geography/history teacher in high school.
Although I don't speak Spanish, I have picked up enough to understand more than I speak, if the conversation is slow. Since the Commandante was trying to use more of his English and everyone else was trying to use their Spanish, it was a very slow conversation. I thought I did pretty good when I understood what the Commandante was trying to say about the rainy season and they didn't. All in all, it was quite the evening and we didn't get fined or asked to leave. We'll make sure our harbor fees are paid on time and probably speak with the Commandante again before we leave just to be on the safe side.
It looks like we're going to be here for a while.
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
This morning about 7:00 am Calaloo and another boat pulled out prior to the trade winds picking up. We checked the buoy reports that reflected worse conditions than we had anticipated for today but as they didn't return, we wished them the very best in their travels.
MTNest (whom we had met in Georgetown) and Moon Goddess (who had anchored next to us in Ft. Pierce) came straight to Luperon from Provo to keep from getting caught in the closing window. They said that they had endured a miserable night; conditions had improved during the day but were once again deteriorating as they got closer to Hispanola. Again, we thought of Calaloo.
Except for going out to the entrance to guide MTNest and Moon Goddess in, we stayed on the boat reading most of the day. At happy hour though, we made our way up the hill to hear the local talent for open mike night and were once again harassed. The singer teased us by calling us the "come and go" group when we entered which in turn garnered the attention of the Commandante.
Elaine and I were seated at the table when he approached and asked us in broken English why we had not left. Elaine tried to explain in her less than fluent Spanish that we had tried to leave but that the seas and wind were against us so we had to stay. We asked him to join us and by the time the guys sat down and bought him a beer, we had started a Spanglish conversation that would last the better part of the night. Before he had departed our table, his second in command had joined us and by the end of the evening, we had met the mayor of Luperon who had been the second in command's geography/history teacher in high school.
Although I don't speak Spanish, I have picked up enough to understand more than I speak, if the conversation is slow. Since the Commandante was trying to use more of his English and everyone else was trying to use their Spanish, it was a very slow conversation. I thought I did pretty good when I understood what the Commandante was trying to say about the rainy season and they didn't. All in all, it was quite the evening and we didn't get fined or asked to leave. We'll make sure our harbor fees are paid on time and probably speak with the Commandante again before we leave just to be on the safe side.
It looks like we're going to be here for a while.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Luperon, DR
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
To go, or not to go. That is the question. Whether tis nobler to leave and possibly get your butt kicked or err on the side of caution and become another semi-permanent citizen of Luperon.
Last night when we went to bed, it seemed the decision had been made that the window we were hoping for was too short to go from here to Puerto Rico with any kind of safety margin. By that I mean that you look for a weather prognostication of a day for the seas to flatten out, 2 days to cross and another day of good weather just in case the area of calm is going through faster than you anticipated.
This morning, the forecast we had was for one day of good wind and sea, followed by a rougher day followed by two and a half good days. Another forecast was just plain ugly, the third and fourth were somewhere in between. After a little conference, we changed our minds and decided that although it wasn't perfect, it would probably be another 10 days before we saw another opportunity to go.
Dale and Roger made a visit to the Commandante's office to pay the fee(?) and checked us out of the harbor with the other various and as sundry offices. We ran by the other boats who had shown interest in leaving with us and let them know we were preparing to move. One said it was a Friday (superstition says that you don't start a trip on a Friday) and to top that, it was a Friday the 13th; nope he'd stay. Another said they were leaving but on Saturday (same reason?) and the last was non-committal. We called a local guy to come scrape off the barnacles and we talked with some people on a boat that had come through Samana who said that although they had to pay the entry fee again, the officials were polite and they didn't feel threatened in any way. Also, just to be on the safe side, Dale and I took a dingy ride out of the harbor to the ocean itself and looked. The seas appeared to be flat and the winds seemed to be calmer outside of the harbor than in. OK, a go it is!
We scurried around, paid our tab at the marina bar, said our good-bys and readied the boat for an open ocean transit. This involves putting the hammock, books and dishes away, and bringing out the jack lines, tethers and harnesses. Also, since we anticipated crossing the Mona Passage (much like crossing the Gulf Stream,) we put the dink up on the bow of the boat. Once everything was secure, we hoisted our anchor, washed off as much mud as we could and departed Luperon about 4:15 pm.
By 5:30 pm we were back and re-anchoring in roughly our same spots. We had threaded our way out of the harbor but once past the cape to the east of us, the seas and wind picked up considerably. We were only making 2.9 kts with both the wind and swell directly on our noses. We weren't going anywhere fast. After a couple of 10' waves a lot closer than the 10 seconds predicted, Doc-No-More declared that this wasn't any fun. Our boat was doing fine as long was I was hand steering but if we used the auto-pilot, we would be bashing through those same waves after dark. So, we chalked this one up to a character building exercise.
What we didn't realize though, was that we were providing the evening's entertainment for the barflies. Some had actually crossed over the hill to watch to see if we cleared the cape. Then we really entertained them when it took Dale and I three attempts to get our anchor to hold in this muddy goo. We ascended the hill to a round of applause and glad handing welcoming us back from our voyage. We took our licks and started a new bar tab.
Now that we sit here in dead air doing circles over our anchor, I wonder if we gave up too soon. We know that sailing is better done at night in this area to use the lee of the island to shelter you from the wind and waves. I also know that this is a tricky harbor to enter and although I just saw a boat do it, I certainly wouldn't want to try to come in here after dark. So, we'll sit here and ponder what we may have learned from the experience and wait for the next window to come through. Hopefully, it will be before we become Luperon semi-permanent citizens.
19.54.031N
70.56.897W
To go, or not to go. That is the question. Whether tis nobler to leave and possibly get your butt kicked or err on the side of caution and become another semi-permanent citizen of Luperon.
Last night when we went to bed, it seemed the decision had been made that the window we were hoping for was too short to go from here to Puerto Rico with any kind of safety margin. By that I mean that you look for a weather prognostication of a day for the seas to flatten out, 2 days to cross and another day of good weather just in case the area of calm is going through faster than you anticipated.
This morning, the forecast we had was for one day of good wind and sea, followed by a rougher day followed by two and a half good days. Another forecast was just plain ugly, the third and fourth were somewhere in between. After a little conference, we changed our minds and decided that although it wasn't perfect, it would probably be another 10 days before we saw another opportunity to go.
Dale and Roger made a visit to the Commandante's office to pay the fee(?) and checked us out of the harbor with the other various and as sundry offices. We ran by the other boats who had shown interest in leaving with us and let them know we were preparing to move. One said it was a Friday (superstition says that you don't start a trip on a Friday) and to top that, it was a Friday the 13th; nope he'd stay. Another said they were leaving but on Saturday (same reason?) and the last was non-committal. We called a local guy to come scrape off the barnacles and we talked with some people on a boat that had come through Samana who said that although they had to pay the entry fee again, the officials were polite and they didn't feel threatened in any way. Also, just to be on the safe side, Dale and I took a dingy ride out of the harbor to the ocean itself and looked. The seas appeared to be flat and the winds seemed to be calmer outside of the harbor than in. OK, a go it is!
We scurried around, paid our tab at the marina bar, said our good-bys and readied the boat for an open ocean transit. This involves putting the hammock, books and dishes away, and bringing out the jack lines, tethers and harnesses. Also, since we anticipated crossing the Mona Passage (much like crossing the Gulf Stream,) we put the dink up on the bow of the boat. Once everything was secure, we hoisted our anchor, washed off as much mud as we could and departed Luperon about 4:15 pm.
By 5:30 pm we were back and re-anchoring in roughly our same spots. We had threaded our way out of the harbor but once past the cape to the east of us, the seas and wind picked up considerably. We were only making 2.9 kts with both the wind and swell directly on our noses. We weren't going anywhere fast. After a couple of 10' waves a lot closer than the 10 seconds predicted, Doc-No-More declared that this wasn't any fun. Our boat was doing fine as long was I was hand steering but if we used the auto-pilot, we would be bashing through those same waves after dark. So, we chalked this one up to a character building exercise.
What we didn't realize though, was that we were providing the evening's entertainment for the barflies. Some had actually crossed over the hill to watch to see if we cleared the cape. Then we really entertained them when it took Dale and I three attempts to get our anchor to hold in this muddy goo. We ascended the hill to a round of applause and glad handing welcoming us back from our voyage. We took our licks and started a new bar tab.
Now that we sit here in dead air doing circles over our anchor, I wonder if we gave up too soon. We know that sailing is better done at night in this area to use the lee of the island to shelter you from the wind and waves. I also know that this is a tricky harbor to enter and although I just saw a boat do it, I certainly wouldn't want to try to come in here after dark. So, we'll sit here and ponder what we may have learned from the experience and wait for the next window to come through. Hopefully, it will be before we become Luperon semi-permanent citizens.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Santo Domingo, DR
Bright and early Wednesday morning, we secured the boats and Nancy & Doug from Presque Isle, picked us up and dropped us off at the dinghy dock in Luperon. We hired a taxi to take us to Imbert where we bought tickets for the bus to Santo Domingo. I was relieved that they used a numbering system to assign us seats that we didn't have to share with goats, pigs or chickens. In fact the young man monitoring the boarding, kept an eye on us to make sure we got on the right bus and that we were put on the bus together. We were amazed that when we finally made it to Santo Domingo, we were the last passengers aboard the bus. So the driver took us directly to the old town area where we were staying. He told us that he was turning the bus into a taxi; we paid him accordingly.
Santo Domingo itself is a bustling city with the same dichotomies of old and new side by side. I wished I had been quicker with my camera to capture the scene of the man selling bananas from a wooden two-wheeled wagon pulled by a mule which had paused in front of a modern bank building.
We checked into the Hostel Nader which had been built in 1502 as a home but eventually became a monastery, then a retreat for poets, prior to becoming a hotel. It was located on a corner with sidewalks barely wide enough for two people. You entered through a huge wooden door into a small reception room which opened up to an enclosed courtyard you stepped down into. The remainder of the hotel was very much in the Spanish style of two stories, surrounding the courtyard. Our rooms were very spacious with extremely high ceilings. The windows were quite high with wooden shutters that you closed from the inside. Each room had its own bathroom, air conditioning and TV.
We asked for directions to a restaurant and were directed to go down the street about 2 blocks and turn right. Unfortunately, a film crew for a new Matt Damon movie ("The Good Sheppard"- supposedly set in Cuba) had several streets blocked off and we were directed to go another way. By the time we circled around the blocked streets, we couldn't find the restaurant we had been directed to, so we looked for another. Lots of people offer you directions but almost all want a tip. Elaine wanted to eat authentic DR food and that's exactly what we had. I just don't think she wanted it quite that authentic. We'd had better in Luperon.
We toured the Cathedral Metropolitana where Christopher Columbus (and relatives) had been buried prior to the Columbus Lighthouse in which he was later entombed. We walked to the Fort but decided that once you've seen a couple of these forts, you've seen them all. We walked throughout the old town area trying to locate the museum of shipwrecks but were not able to locate it. We returned to our hotel for a short siesta and then located a nice restaurant nearby for a truly wonderful dinner (it more than made up for the not so wonderful lunch).
We returned to Luperon today via a Caribe Bus (like a regular American bus) which took about 3 hours. Although I enjoyed the visit to Santo Domingo, I really enjoyed the bus rides to and from the city crossing over the mountains where the clouds rose from the canyons and mingled with the tree tops before being blown out to sea. Along this road we saw bulls harnessed to hand plows breaking the ground on mountain sides. A little further we saw a tractor up to its hubs in rice paddies that appeared to be a commercial enterprise. We saw tobacco leaves drying in thatched covered lean-tos being passed by bicyclists in their colorful shirts on state of the art touring bikes. We saw cell phones being sold by the dozens on street corners; stop at a traffic light and buy a cell phone or lottery ticket.
For some reason or other I found the various cleaning crews interesting. From a distance, you only see the beauty of the mountains and valleys with their green plants and trees, but up close the streets are teeming with litter. There were organized crews designated to pick up garbage and tend to the medians along the roadways. Yet the crews were using hand tools to do their job. Groups consisting of two people each were hand cleaning the streets. Road crews of several men were using machetes to cut the grass down to the roots and trim the trees in the medians. Clearly they are trying to make their country more appealing, yet those who are actually in the gutters, have nothing more than rudimentary tools to complete their tasks. It seemed so futile. Yet I supposed you have to start somewhere. In the city, there are trash receptacles every 10'; that's always a beginning.
I imagine that Christopher Columbus must have seen this island as a tropical paradise. Hopefully, they are on they're way to making it one again.
Bright and early Wednesday morning, we secured the boats and Nancy & Doug from Presque Isle, picked us up and dropped us off at the dinghy dock in Luperon. We hired a taxi to take us to Imbert where we bought tickets for the bus to Santo Domingo. I was relieved that they used a numbering system to assign us seats that we didn't have to share with goats, pigs or chickens. In fact the young man monitoring the boarding, kept an eye on us to make sure we got on the right bus and that we were put on the bus together. We were amazed that when we finally made it to Santo Domingo, we were the last passengers aboard the bus. So the driver took us directly to the old town area where we were staying. He told us that he was turning the bus into a taxi; we paid him accordingly.
Santo Domingo itself is a bustling city with the same dichotomies of old and new side by side. I wished I had been quicker with my camera to capture the scene of the man selling bananas from a wooden two-wheeled wagon pulled by a mule which had paused in front of a modern bank building.
We checked into the Hostel Nader which had been built in 1502 as a home but eventually became a monastery, then a retreat for poets, prior to becoming a hotel. It was located on a corner with sidewalks barely wide enough for two people. You entered through a huge wooden door into a small reception room which opened up to an enclosed courtyard you stepped down into. The remainder of the hotel was very much in the Spanish style of two stories, surrounding the courtyard. Our rooms were very spacious with extremely high ceilings. The windows were quite high with wooden shutters that you closed from the inside. Each room had its own bathroom, air conditioning and TV.
We asked for directions to a restaurant and were directed to go down the street about 2 blocks and turn right. Unfortunately, a film crew for a new Matt Damon movie ("The Good Sheppard"- supposedly set in Cuba) had several streets blocked off and we were directed to go another way. By the time we circled around the blocked streets, we couldn't find the restaurant we had been directed to, so we looked for another. Lots of people offer you directions but almost all want a tip. Elaine wanted to eat authentic DR food and that's exactly what we had. I just don't think she wanted it quite that authentic. We'd had better in Luperon.
We toured the Cathedral Metropolitana where Christopher Columbus (and relatives) had been buried prior to the Columbus Lighthouse in which he was later entombed. We walked to the Fort but decided that once you've seen a couple of these forts, you've seen them all. We walked throughout the old town area trying to locate the museum of shipwrecks but were not able to locate it. We returned to our hotel for a short siesta and then located a nice restaurant nearby for a truly wonderful dinner (it more than made up for the not so wonderful lunch).
We returned to Luperon today via a Caribe Bus (like a regular American bus) which took about 3 hours. Although I enjoyed the visit to Santo Domingo, I really enjoyed the bus rides to and from the city crossing over the mountains where the clouds rose from the canyons and mingled with the tree tops before being blown out to sea. Along this road we saw bulls harnessed to hand plows breaking the ground on mountain sides. A little further we saw a tractor up to its hubs in rice paddies that appeared to be a commercial enterprise. We saw tobacco leaves drying in thatched covered lean-tos being passed by bicyclists in their colorful shirts on state of the art touring bikes. We saw cell phones being sold by the dozens on street corners; stop at a traffic light and buy a cell phone or lottery ticket.
For some reason or other I found the various cleaning crews interesting. From a distance, you only see the beauty of the mountains and valleys with their green plants and trees, but up close the streets are teeming with litter. There were organized crews designated to pick up garbage and tend to the medians along the roadways. Yet the crews were using hand tools to do their job. Groups consisting of two people each were hand cleaning the streets. Road crews of several men were using machetes to cut the grass down to the roots and trim the trees in the medians. Clearly they are trying to make their country more appealing, yet those who are actually in the gutters, have nothing more than rudimentary tools to complete their tasks. It seemed so futile. Yet I supposed you have to start somewhere. In the city, there are trash receptacles every 10'; that's always a beginning.
I imagine that Christopher Columbus must have seen this island as a tropical paradise. Hopefully, they are on they're way to making it one again.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Luperon, DR
19.54.02N
70.65.913W
Another night of wind and rain. Even with 130' of chain and a 35# kellet, we may have dragged a few feet. It's hard to tell. Particularly when you've been staring at everything for so long, you're certain that you're getting closer it. Still, we certainly didn't have to move again.
Today even though the rain showers were scattered, we would occasionally get gusts of wind up to 24 kts. inside a well protected harbor. I can't imagine what its like outside of here. Needless to say, we spent most of the day on the boat reading and making sure we didn't move.
This evening as things quieted down, we went over to Doc-No-More and discussed strategies. Word has gotten around that we are planning on leaving as soon as there is a weather window. So various boats have approached both Roger & Elaine and Dale & I asking to join us in our journey south. Apparently, other boats who have left Luperon bound for Samana have been targeted by officials forcing them clear customs again when they anchor (regardless of whether they get off the boat or not) and demanding much higher amounts to do so; they even know the boat names so they are getting their information from someone here. Some boats have even skipped the clearing out phase and just went to Puerto Rico without stopping anywhere along the way. We've decided to go ahead and check out but instead of hopping around the island as we had originally planned, go straight to Puerto Rico too. We've even kicked around the idea of using different boat names to hail each other on the radio to keep things confused.
We also decided to take the local buses to Santo Domingo tomorrow. I'm really not crazy about the idea but everyone else thinks that it will be a grand adventure.
We finally ended the day playing dominos again. This time with the guys. Dale ended up winning, Roger grumbled through the whole thing but I think we all enjoyed ourselves.
19.54.02N
70.65.913W
Another night of wind and rain. Even with 130' of chain and a 35# kellet, we may have dragged a few feet. It's hard to tell. Particularly when you've been staring at everything for so long, you're certain that you're getting closer it. Still, we certainly didn't have to move again.
Today even though the rain showers were scattered, we would occasionally get gusts of wind up to 24 kts. inside a well protected harbor. I can't imagine what its like outside of here. Needless to say, we spent most of the day on the boat reading and making sure we didn't move.
This evening as things quieted down, we went over to Doc-No-More and discussed strategies. Word has gotten around that we are planning on leaving as soon as there is a weather window. So various boats have approached both Roger & Elaine and Dale & I asking to join us in our journey south. Apparently, other boats who have left Luperon bound for Samana have been targeted by officials forcing them clear customs again when they anchor (regardless of whether they get off the boat or not) and demanding much higher amounts to do so; they even know the boat names so they are getting their information from someone here. Some boats have even skipped the clearing out phase and just went to Puerto Rico without stopping anywhere along the way. We've decided to go ahead and check out but instead of hopping around the island as we had originally planned, go straight to Puerto Rico too. We've even kicked around the idea of using different boat names to hail each other on the radio to keep things confused.
We also decided to take the local buses to Santo Domingo tomorrow. I'm really not crazy about the idea but everyone else thinks that it will be a grand adventure.
We finally ended the day playing dominos again. This time with the guys. Dale ended up winning, Roger grumbled through the whole thing but I think we all enjoyed ourselves.
Monday, January 09, 2006
Luperon, DR
19.54.02N
70.65.913W
Today was a rain day. Most of it was spent trying to fill our tanks with rainwater (since there's no way we're using our watermakers in this water,) reading (Into Thin Air) and finally in the afternoon, Elaine and I went into the marina to play dominos with some of the other boaters. Actually, it was pretty fun.
We're still kicking around the idea of going into Santo Domingo but Elaine wants to take the local bus system and spend the night and I want to hire a driver and mini bus to take us in very early in the morning and return late the same evening. Since the weather isn't going to be letting up anytime soon. Everything is on hold.
Our plans for moving on include hoping for a weather window to open up this weekend to start making our way around the island and over to Puerto Rico.
19.54.02N
70.65.913W
Today was a rain day. Most of it was spent trying to fill our tanks with rainwater (since there's no way we're using our watermakers in this water,) reading (Into Thin Air) and finally in the afternoon, Elaine and I went into the marina to play dominos with some of the other boaters. Actually, it was pretty fun.
We're still kicking around the idea of going into Santo Domingo but Elaine wants to take the local bus system and spend the night and I want to hire a driver and mini bus to take us in very early in the morning and return late the same evening. Since the weather isn't going to be letting up anytime soon. Everything is on hold.
Our plans for moving on include hoping for a weather window to open up this weekend to start making our way around the island and over to Puerto Rico.
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Luperon, DR
19.54.02N
70.65.913W
Dragging in the night? It was sprinkling last night when we went to bed, so we buttoned the Palace up so that we wouldn't have to get up during the night. We both remember hearing it rain once or twice and the winds picked up but nothing out of the ordinary.
This morning about 7:30am I awoke to hear a woman's voice outside my window telling Dale that if we hadn't anchored so close, we wouldn't be dragging into them. In fact, we hadn't dragged at all. Instead, the winds had shifted to the west and the scope we had let out for the more common northerlies and easterlies, now caused us to swing closer to her (we weren't crazy about how close we were swinging into them either.) Courtesies dictate that since they were here first (they've been here for 3 years,) we would be the ones to up and move; but only a few more feet away; just enough so that we didn't have to hear her casting dispersions in our direction when we swung in their direction.
Doc-No-More didn't fair as well. Two other catamarans took turns swinging into them from midnight on. One (with no one aboard) had actually hit a sandbar and was no longer swinging in conjunction with the rest of the boats, so everyone near it, either hit it or had to maintain a watch to increase or decrease their anchor chains to allow for him not moving until he floated free with the rising tide. The second catamaran (with 3 small children aboard) had dragged and was continuing to drag well into the morning. They ended up re-anchoring directly behind us after we moved. As soon as they could, Roger & Elaine also moved over by us. Of course, the anchor nazi reprimanded both catamarans with regard to their anchor sites and forced them to move further away from her. She may not get hit during the next couple of days, but she certainly isn't making any friends either.
As well as having winds coming from an unusual direction (those who we spoke to today said that the wind inside the harbor was worse than during hurricane season), we apparently had 5.5" of rain (you could have fooled me.) The run-off from the surrounding mountains have made the harbor look like a sewer (now we see what other boaters were complaining about.) Trees, branches, leaves, garbage that wasn't contained, and some that was, bag and all, has all washed into the harbor. The water is as muddy as the ICW ever appeared to be. Pretty gross. We had to be very careful dinghying in to the barbeque today for fear of fouling our prop. Hopefully, this will eventually wash out with the tide or settle. Right now, it's just going back and forth.
We're hoping to take another tour inland to Santo Domingo this coming week but I'm not willing to leave the boat during unsettled weather. I am also not willing to take chances crossing the island without reliable transportation or lodging if we want to spend the night. We might have to wait to see the capital on our return trip.
19.54.02N
70.65.913W
Dragging in the night? It was sprinkling last night when we went to bed, so we buttoned the Palace up so that we wouldn't have to get up during the night. We both remember hearing it rain once or twice and the winds picked up but nothing out of the ordinary.
This morning about 7:30am I awoke to hear a woman's voice outside my window telling Dale that if we hadn't anchored so close, we wouldn't be dragging into them. In fact, we hadn't dragged at all. Instead, the winds had shifted to the west and the scope we had let out for the more common northerlies and easterlies, now caused us to swing closer to her (we weren't crazy about how close we were swinging into them either.) Courtesies dictate that since they were here first (they've been here for 3 years,) we would be the ones to up and move; but only a few more feet away; just enough so that we didn't have to hear her casting dispersions in our direction when we swung in their direction.
Doc-No-More didn't fair as well. Two other catamarans took turns swinging into them from midnight on. One (with no one aboard) had actually hit a sandbar and was no longer swinging in conjunction with the rest of the boats, so everyone near it, either hit it or had to maintain a watch to increase or decrease their anchor chains to allow for him not moving until he floated free with the rising tide. The second catamaran (with 3 small children aboard) had dragged and was continuing to drag well into the morning. They ended up re-anchoring directly behind us after we moved. As soon as they could, Roger & Elaine also moved over by us. Of course, the anchor nazi reprimanded both catamarans with regard to their anchor sites and forced them to move further away from her. She may not get hit during the next couple of days, but she certainly isn't making any friends either.
As well as having winds coming from an unusual direction (those who we spoke to today said that the wind inside the harbor was worse than during hurricane season), we apparently had 5.5" of rain (you could have fooled me.) The run-off from the surrounding mountains have made the harbor look like a sewer (now we see what other boaters were complaining about.) Trees, branches, leaves, garbage that wasn't contained, and some that was, bag and all, has all washed into the harbor. The water is as muddy as the ICW ever appeared to be. Pretty gross. We had to be very careful dinghying in to the barbeque today for fear of fouling our prop. Hopefully, this will eventually wash out with the tide or settle. Right now, it's just going back and forth.
We're hoping to take another tour inland to Santo Domingo this coming week but I'm not willing to leave the boat during unsettled weather. I am also not willing to take chances crossing the island without reliable transportation or lodging if we want to spend the night. We might have to wait to see the capital on our return trip.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Luperon, DR
19.54.025N
70.56.934W
Last evening during our nightly hike up the hillside to the marina happy hour, much was being discussed about the impending cold front due to come through in the next couple of days. So with nasty weather on the way, Dale and I decided to use this last quiet day to do some sail repair I've been threatening to do since we left Florida.
We brought the main sail down so that I could restitch the sacrificial (that's a piece of canvas that covers the portion of sail that is left exposed to the elements) and check my previous repair. That sounds simple enough, but it took us half of the day to complete. Folding, rolling, and just plain smooshing the sail through my machine took most of the time. The repair we had made when the sail came tumbling down in the Bahamas was holding up well but we noticed that the foot (bottom) attachment point was also wearing, so we added another piece of webbing to that point since we had it down.
I'm not sure if it was because we've been sitting outside all day or if the weather has changed but it was downright hot today. A little cool weather might be a nice change. We've noticed that the winds have already started to pick up but since this anchorage is completely surrounded by mountains, we feel very safe inside.
Tonight is talent night at the marina so we'll slog up the hill again to hear our boat neighbors sing and strum the guitar.
Tomorrow is the flea market at the marina with a barbeque afterwards. You can see how people get sucked into staying here for years at a time without meaning to.
19.54.025N
70.56.934W
Last evening during our nightly hike up the hillside to the marina happy hour, much was being discussed about the impending cold front due to come through in the next couple of days. So with nasty weather on the way, Dale and I decided to use this last quiet day to do some sail repair I've been threatening to do since we left Florida.
We brought the main sail down so that I could restitch the sacrificial (that's a piece of canvas that covers the portion of sail that is left exposed to the elements) and check my previous repair. That sounds simple enough, but it took us half of the day to complete. Folding, rolling, and just plain smooshing the sail through my machine took most of the time. The repair we had made when the sail came tumbling down in the Bahamas was holding up well but we noticed that the foot (bottom) attachment point was also wearing, so we added another piece of webbing to that point since we had it down.
I'm not sure if it was because we've been sitting outside all day or if the weather has changed but it was downright hot today. A little cool weather might be a nice change. We've noticed that the winds have already started to pick up but since this anchorage is completely surrounded by mountains, we feel very safe inside.
Tonight is talent night at the marina so we'll slog up the hill again to hear our boat neighbors sing and strum the guitar.
Tomorrow is the flea market at the marina with a barbeque afterwards. You can see how people get sucked into staying here for years at a time without meaning to.
Friday, January 06, 2006
Luperon, DR
19.54.025N
70.56.934W
Yesterday was spent doing various little projects that for some reason or other took the better part if the day. We ended the day searching for Dominican cigars for the guys (who don't smoke) and with dinner in Luperon at the Chicken Shack. I have to admit Luisa made a mean fried chicken. I was even willing to say that it was better than mine but Dale said no, as good, but not better. (I come from a long line of women than flat out know how to fry a chicken.)
Today, however, we hired a mini bus and ventured further a field to visit the city of Puerto Plata. On the trip into town I was struck by the incongruities of old and new side by side. Burros laden with wooden troughs (hollowed out tree trunks) of fruit sharing the road with cars and buses. Here and there we'd see a pony or donkey with wooden saddles and saddle blankets composed of bundles of straw.
There are a lot of small farms on this side of the island. Pigs, goats, chickens and cattle can be seen along with huge swaths of sugar cane fields. Looking up into the mountains you can see where small portions of land have been cleared along the sides for avocado and various citrus trees.
Puerto Plata was a larger city by far than Luperon, which is probably considered a small town. Here cars, small pick-up trucks, mini-buses, regular sized buses, and a bazillion motor bikes (all about the 150 size) vie for the same space in the road.
Our first stop was at the amber museum. The history of the museum building itself was more interesting to me. It was a 3 story home of a family who had made their fortunes in sugar during the 1800's and who often hosted elegant balls and parties. Unfortunately, they lost their fortune during the depression. The home was then used as a school before being abandoned and falling into disrepair. The Italian embassy next door purchased the building and created the amber museum.
If you've ever seen the movie Jurassic Park, you've seen the history of amber. It's the sap of a tree that captured and then encapsulated small insects, reptiles and nearby flora, thus preserving the imprisoned DNA of its victim. Millions and millions of years later, we're wearing it as jewelry, complete with lizards, spiders and termites. Some interesting things I did learn about amber is that, the real McCoy floats in salt water and turns blue under black light, whereas forgeries (including plastic) sink (this only works if the stone hasn't been set in metal already) and maintain their color.
We visited a small fort on the banks of the Puerto Plata harbor before heading off to the Brugal Rum Factory. Essentially, only the bottling factory is located in Puerto Plata. The distillery and barrel portions of the process are located elsewhere. However, each factory has samples of their rum available and, of course, you can purchase their product there. Which we did. One little item of interest that I noted. They are the 3rd largest rum producers in the world but 90% of their production is sold in the Dominican Republic to their own citizens and those who visit here.
We finished up the day by having lunch at a local restaurant and grocery shopping at a good sized grocery store. On the way home, Miguel, our driver, asked if Dale and Roger would see his daughter who was quite ill. It turned out that she had contracted Dengue Fever from a mosquito bite. Dale had treated this before in Puerto Rico and said that she had a milder form and that rest was about all she could do to recover as she had already passed the worst of it. Roger said that he was going to be more diligent about wearing his insect repellant. I haven't even worn any yet, so I figure by now, its already too late.
Thank heavens, tomorrow is a down day. As I've said before, fresh air and exercise will kill you.
19.54.025N
70.56.934W
Yesterday was spent doing various little projects that for some reason or other took the better part if the day. We ended the day searching for Dominican cigars for the guys (who don't smoke) and with dinner in Luperon at the Chicken Shack. I have to admit Luisa made a mean fried chicken. I was even willing to say that it was better than mine but Dale said no, as good, but not better. (I come from a long line of women than flat out know how to fry a chicken.)
Today, however, we hired a mini bus and ventured further a field to visit the city of Puerto Plata. On the trip into town I was struck by the incongruities of old and new side by side. Burros laden with wooden troughs (hollowed out tree trunks) of fruit sharing the road with cars and buses. Here and there we'd see a pony or donkey with wooden saddles and saddle blankets composed of bundles of straw.
There are a lot of small farms on this side of the island. Pigs, goats, chickens and cattle can be seen along with huge swaths of sugar cane fields. Looking up into the mountains you can see where small portions of land have been cleared along the sides for avocado and various citrus trees.
Puerto Plata was a larger city by far than Luperon, which is probably considered a small town. Here cars, small pick-up trucks, mini-buses, regular sized buses, and a bazillion motor bikes (all about the 150 size) vie for the same space in the road.
Our first stop was at the amber museum. The history of the museum building itself was more interesting to me. It was a 3 story home of a family who had made their fortunes in sugar during the 1800's and who often hosted elegant balls and parties. Unfortunately, they lost their fortune during the depression. The home was then used as a school before being abandoned and falling into disrepair. The Italian embassy next door purchased the building and created the amber museum.
If you've ever seen the movie Jurassic Park, you've seen the history of amber. It's the sap of a tree that captured and then encapsulated small insects, reptiles and nearby flora, thus preserving the imprisoned DNA of its victim. Millions and millions of years later, we're wearing it as jewelry, complete with lizards, spiders and termites. Some interesting things I did learn about amber is that, the real McCoy floats in salt water and turns blue under black light, whereas forgeries (including plastic) sink (this only works if the stone hasn't been set in metal already) and maintain their color.
We visited a small fort on the banks of the Puerto Plata harbor before heading off to the Brugal Rum Factory. Essentially, only the bottling factory is located in Puerto Plata. The distillery and barrel portions of the process are located elsewhere. However, each factory has samples of their rum available and, of course, you can purchase their product there. Which we did. One little item of interest that I noted. They are the 3rd largest rum producers in the world but 90% of their production is sold in the Dominican Republic to their own citizens and those who visit here.
We finished up the day by having lunch at a local restaurant and grocery shopping at a good sized grocery store. On the way home, Miguel, our driver, asked if Dale and Roger would see his daughter who was quite ill. It turned out that she had contracted Dengue Fever from a mosquito bite. Dale had treated this before in Puerto Rico and said that she had a milder form and that rest was about all she could do to recover as she had already passed the worst of it. Roger said that he was going to be more diligent about wearing his insect repellant. I haven't even worn any yet, so I figure by now, its already too late.
Thank heavens, tomorrow is a down day. As I've said before, fresh air and exercise will kill you.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Luperon, DR
19.54.025N
70.56.934W
Today was not for the faint of heart! Roger & Elaine and Dale & I met Jose our tour guide at 8 am to began our tour to the waterfalls. We had been told to bring an extra change of clothes, towels, and shoes you didn't mind getting wet. These instructions were my first inkling that this "tour" was going to be a little different.
Jose told us of some of the history and pointed out areas of interest along the way. He described one tragic event back in the 1950's, involving the miscommunication of a dictator and his troops. Trujillo, the dictator, instructed his troops to clean up the ruins of the city of La Isabella (the first city in the Americas founded by Columbus in 1493-which, at the time, was "remarkably intact") for a visit of Spanish archeologists. His troops misunderstood and bulldozed the ruins.
As we wound our way through the narrow streets with tiny houses built only a few feet back (very much like the rural areas of Puerto Rico) Jose explained that although schooling is not mandatory, 12 years of public schools are offered and encouraged. Larry, our ex-pat driver, also added that the Dominicans are consumed with obtaining wealth and have recognized that for the younger generation, that means education.
We finally made it to the base of a mountain that contains 27 levels of waterfalls and stopped to pick up a guide; Robert, a muscular young man in his early 20's joined us. Jose told us that we would appreciate having Robert during our visit to the waterfalls. We then turned off the main road (a 2 lane blacktop) onto a dirt road through sugarcane fields which ended at a wide spot in front of a low lying river.
We climbed out of our mini bus and peeled down to our bathing suits. We were instructed to leave our jewelry and money in the mini bus where Larry would stay. We were to continue on with our towels, cameras and the life jackets and helmets they rented to us for $1 US. (Another clue?)
While we donned our life jackets and helmets, I watched as a young barefoot boy (about 8-10 yrs.) with a long stick, herd a dozen or so thin cows with their calves along the river bank on our side, across the river and up the hill on the other side. A few minutes later, Jose and Robert (without the stick) shepherded us along the same path.
We crossed the river through chilly, knee deep water and up a dirt road through an ever thickening canopy of subtropical growth. Various trees and plants had their names hand painted on signs in front of them. Fences composed of sheared cactus or small posts made from tree limbs with barbed wire separated us from the cattle and goats grazing in the adjacent meadows.
The road came to a "Y"; the cows went one way, we went another. Our path narrowed and we waded across a few more streams until we came to a pool with a small waterfall beyond. The vegetation parted just enough to let filtered light warm the little lean-to where we were instructed to leave the remainder of our belongings to begin our assent up the waterfalls. It was evident this was going to be a different kind of tour.
Water that was chilly when we waded through it, was downright frigid when we swam across it to the 5' falls beyond. Robert led the way and scampered up the rocks to the next level. He would then turn and direct us to place one foot here, another there, lift our left hand to him and don't use your knees to crawl up the rocks, etc. One level had a ladder made of tree limbs that we could avoid the rushing waters of the falls; the rest didn't and we had to force our way through them. Each level had a pool that we had to swim across (not easily done in a life jacket and shoes that float); sometimes the sun would filter down to the water and create shimmers of light along the rocks. Some levels had trickles of water descending completely around us into the pool. That which came over the rocks was actually warm and we would stand beneath them for a quick warm shower. We climbed 7 levels of falls in this manner until we reached a point where Robert said that we could go no further. Then we turned around and headed back.
Each level back, you had to either slide down the rocks you had previously climbed or work your way to another place closer to the pool and jump or dive down. The first couple of levels we all sat, crossed our arms in front of us, placed our legs out straight and leaned forward. Wahoo! The ride through the rocks was exhilarating; I was appreciative of the helmet (just in case.) Dale started jumping with the guides (I'm not sure of whether it was due to his long legs or the rough ride on his butt - he says that it was because he's a manly man), but then we all had to jump on the last level. (Big Time Wahoo!!) Both Roger & Elaine said that they had never jumped from any height, let along one of that height.
We treked back to the mini bus the way we had come and headed off for lunch. At the little restaurant where we stopped, we dined on a back patio overlooking a beautiful area of lush green vegetation with aviaries of parakeets along the railings. They prepared a buffet of roast chicken, stewed pork, stewed beef, fried mashed plantains, white rice, rice and peas, cabbage, tomatoes, a vegetable I didn't recognize, bananas, papaya, and anything you wanted to drink, which included beer or rum. A perfect lunch in any culture.
Once we filled our stomachs, Jose took us to see the Brugal ranch. Although this family owns the 3rd largest rum distillery in the world, their pride and joy is a 3000 lb white Brahma bull which is led out, tied to a post and tourists are encouraged to hop on and sit a spell. Elaine took off around the back end of him and was up the stairs and on his back in a flash. Not to be outdone but certainly not willing to walk behind him to do it, I was next. Dale took a picture to prove it.
Our next stop was at a botanical garden begun by a family and handed down for at least a couple of generations. I'm not sure how it evolved, but now the gardens belong to the state. Jose explained that the mahogany trees that grow on the island are protected and that those who dare to harvest them can be fined and imprisoned (even if they grow on the land that you own). He followed up by saying that people do poach the timber from time to time. Its pretty overgrown now, but I took several pictures because you can see that at one time, it was a beautiful garden. I saw one lone gardener where there should be a dozen tending the plants. There were topiaries, herb gardens, rose gardens, passion fruit trees, cocoa fruit trees, tropical flowers of all kinds, and many exotic wood trees. There were terraces down the side of a steep embankment and palms trees formed into arches along the pathways. Words will never do it justice.
Elaine made an interesting observation. Most tourist attractions are usually surrounded by souvenir shops full of tacky little items made in China. Here we saw only one vender near the bottom of the falls selling hand made jewelry made from the local stones polished into gleaming beauty. A refreshing change and one I'm sure won't last for very long.
After our tour was completed and we returned to our home on the water, we collapsed for an hour nap before getting up and heading over to the Yacht Club for happy hour and popcorn. Thank heavens we're taking tomorrow off for a few miscellaneous maintenance projects. All this fresh air and exercise will kill me.
19.54.025N
70.56.934W
Today was not for the faint of heart! Roger & Elaine and Dale & I met Jose our tour guide at 8 am to began our tour to the waterfalls. We had been told to bring an extra change of clothes, towels, and shoes you didn't mind getting wet. These instructions were my first inkling that this "tour" was going to be a little different.
Jose told us of some of the history and pointed out areas of interest along the way. He described one tragic event back in the 1950's, involving the miscommunication of a dictator and his troops. Trujillo, the dictator, instructed his troops to clean up the ruins of the city of La Isabella (the first city in the Americas founded by Columbus in 1493-which, at the time, was "remarkably intact") for a visit of Spanish archeologists. His troops misunderstood and bulldozed the ruins.
As we wound our way through the narrow streets with tiny houses built only a few feet back (very much like the rural areas of Puerto Rico) Jose explained that although schooling is not mandatory, 12 years of public schools are offered and encouraged. Larry, our ex-pat driver, also added that the Dominicans are consumed with obtaining wealth and have recognized that for the younger generation, that means education.
We finally made it to the base of a mountain that contains 27 levels of waterfalls and stopped to pick up a guide; Robert, a muscular young man in his early 20's joined us. Jose told us that we would appreciate having Robert during our visit to the waterfalls. We then turned off the main road (a 2 lane blacktop) onto a dirt road through sugarcane fields which ended at a wide spot in front of a low lying river.
We climbed out of our mini bus and peeled down to our bathing suits. We were instructed to leave our jewelry and money in the mini bus where Larry would stay. We were to continue on with our towels, cameras and the life jackets and helmets they rented to us for $1 US. (Another clue?)
While we donned our life jackets and helmets, I watched as a young barefoot boy (about 8-10 yrs.) with a long stick, herd a dozen or so thin cows with their calves along the river bank on our side, across the river and up the hill on the other side. A few minutes later, Jose and Robert (without the stick) shepherded us along the same path.
We crossed the river through chilly, knee deep water and up a dirt road through an ever thickening canopy of subtropical growth. Various trees and plants had their names hand painted on signs in front of them. Fences composed of sheared cactus or small posts made from tree limbs with barbed wire separated us from the cattle and goats grazing in the adjacent meadows.
The road came to a "Y"; the cows went one way, we went another. Our path narrowed and we waded across a few more streams until we came to a pool with a small waterfall beyond. The vegetation parted just enough to let filtered light warm the little lean-to where we were instructed to leave the remainder of our belongings to begin our assent up the waterfalls. It was evident this was going to be a different kind of tour.
Water that was chilly when we waded through it, was downright frigid when we swam across it to the 5' falls beyond. Robert led the way and scampered up the rocks to the next level. He would then turn and direct us to place one foot here, another there, lift our left hand to him and don't use your knees to crawl up the rocks, etc. One level had a ladder made of tree limbs that we could avoid the rushing waters of the falls; the rest didn't and we had to force our way through them. Each level had a pool that we had to swim across (not easily done in a life jacket and shoes that float); sometimes the sun would filter down to the water and create shimmers of light along the rocks. Some levels had trickles of water descending completely around us into the pool. That which came over the rocks was actually warm and we would stand beneath them for a quick warm shower. We climbed 7 levels of falls in this manner until we reached a point where Robert said that we could go no further. Then we turned around and headed back.
Each level back, you had to either slide down the rocks you had previously climbed or work your way to another place closer to the pool and jump or dive down. The first couple of levels we all sat, crossed our arms in front of us, placed our legs out straight and leaned forward. Wahoo! The ride through the rocks was exhilarating; I was appreciative of the helmet (just in case.) Dale started jumping with the guides (I'm not sure of whether it was due to his long legs or the rough ride on his butt - he says that it was because he's a manly man), but then we all had to jump on the last level. (Big Time Wahoo!!) Both Roger & Elaine said that they had never jumped from any height, let along one of that height.
We treked back to the mini bus the way we had come and headed off for lunch. At the little restaurant where we stopped, we dined on a back patio overlooking a beautiful area of lush green vegetation with aviaries of parakeets along the railings. They prepared a buffet of roast chicken, stewed pork, stewed beef, fried mashed plantains, white rice, rice and peas, cabbage, tomatoes, a vegetable I didn't recognize, bananas, papaya, and anything you wanted to drink, which included beer or rum. A perfect lunch in any culture.
Once we filled our stomachs, Jose took us to see the Brugal ranch. Although this family owns the 3rd largest rum distillery in the world, their pride and joy is a 3000 lb white Brahma bull which is led out, tied to a post and tourists are encouraged to hop on and sit a spell. Elaine took off around the back end of him and was up the stairs and on his back in a flash. Not to be outdone but certainly not willing to walk behind him to do it, I was next. Dale took a picture to prove it.
Our next stop was at a botanical garden begun by a family and handed down for at least a couple of generations. I'm not sure how it evolved, but now the gardens belong to the state. Jose explained that the mahogany trees that grow on the island are protected and that those who dare to harvest them can be fined and imprisoned (even if they grow on the land that you own). He followed up by saying that people do poach the timber from time to time. Its pretty overgrown now, but I took several pictures because you can see that at one time, it was a beautiful garden. I saw one lone gardener where there should be a dozen tending the plants. There were topiaries, herb gardens, rose gardens, passion fruit trees, cocoa fruit trees, tropical flowers of all kinds, and many exotic wood trees. There were terraces down the side of a steep embankment and palms trees formed into arches along the pathways. Words will never do it justice.
Elaine made an interesting observation. Most tourist attractions are usually surrounded by souvenir shops full of tacky little items made in China. Here we saw only one vender near the bottom of the falls selling hand made jewelry made from the local stones polished into gleaming beauty. A refreshing change and one I'm sure won't last for very long.
After our tour was completed and we returned to our home on the water, we collapsed for an hour nap before getting up and heading over to the Yacht Club for happy hour and popcorn. Thank heavens we're taking tomorrow off for a few miscellaneous maintenance projects. All this fresh air and exercise will kill me.
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Luperon, DR
19.54.025N
70.56.934W
People who don't cruise often ask those who do what they do all day. Well, I can tell you now that a lot of your time is spent waiting. Yesterday we had arranged to have fuel delivered to our boat this morning at 8 am. Being thoroughly versed in island time (from our days being stationed in Puerto Rico), we knew not to expect it until 9 am or possibly later. Although Roger & Elaine have been living aboard their boat for the last 3 years, they are still very much the type A personalities (they still wear their watches).
At 9:15 Dale asked me if we should call the delivery people to make sure they knew where we were located within the anchorage. I suggested we wait to see how long Doc-No-More could hold out. A few minutes later, we heard them radio to see what the problem was. 'Handy Andy', the delivery people, said they would call back in 10 minutes. A half hour later, Doc-No-More called again. They were assured that the fuel was on its way. A little after 10 am, an inflatable dinghy towing a hard bottom dinghy with a rubber bladder full of diesel finally arrived. A very muscular young man explained that their outboard motor had been stolen during the night and he had to borrow another dinghy to deliver the fuel. It seemed ironic that cruisers generally lock up their outboards so that the local hoodlums don't steal them. It would appear the local businesses need to do the same. We surmised that one of 'Handy Andy's' competitors had tried to even the playing field.
Since they had to take our jerry cans in to be filled with gasoline as opposed to the diesel they delivered, Dale took me into Steve's establishment so that I could drop off the laundry and connect to the internet. It was dial up and very slow but since I could connect, it didn't matter. In fact, Dale had gone back to the boat, received the fuel, and returned to pick me up before I finished reading the e-mails, paying the bills and uploading our latest posts to the blogspot. This put us just in time for lunch in which Roger & Elaine joined us.
Did I mention that we meet the most interesting people while cruising? While waiting for our lunch to be served, Elaine introduced us to "Bruce", another cruiser who had sought them out for a medical opinion. Roger offered his opinion as a retired urologist and suggested that he get a second opinion from Dale, whom he refers to as a 'real' doctor. I'm sure that if Dale were to write this up in a medical record it would read as:
A 55+ year old, 275#, w/m presented with an un-bandaged 1.5" round, open puncture wound, approximately 1.5" deep, 4" above his posterior left ankle. Said wound was dry with an obvious brown power applied throughout. Patient advised that approximately 8 weeks ago while riding a motorcycle at night, he ran into a bull which gored him in in the leg. He sought local assistance and was advised to apply a brown powder made from grinding the inside bark of a palm tree.
What can you say to something like that? Dale looked at it, told him it didn't look infected but that it would probably take 6-8 months to heal. The guy said that he probably needed to go grind up some more bark.
Then we had lunch.
The rest of the afternoon was spent searching for fruits, vegetables and bread (the nuts had already sought us out). There are several vendors along the various streets but you'd find bananas in one place, pineapple at another, potatoes, tomatoes and eggplant from the back of a truck; you just had to keep looking to find everything you needed. Thank heavens Dale & I only needed bread. At first we asked for directions to the bakery in our extremely bad Spanish but that only got us so far. Then we reverted to just following our noses to find the aroma of freshly baked bread.
Tomorrow we're off to see the waterfalls. Everyone tells us that we've got to take that tour because it one of the best ones around. They also told us to take an extra change of clothes because the water is cold.
19.54.025N
70.56.934W
People who don't cruise often ask those who do what they do all day. Well, I can tell you now that a lot of your time is spent waiting. Yesterday we had arranged to have fuel delivered to our boat this morning at 8 am. Being thoroughly versed in island time (from our days being stationed in Puerto Rico), we knew not to expect it until 9 am or possibly later. Although Roger & Elaine have been living aboard their boat for the last 3 years, they are still very much the type A personalities (they still wear their watches).
At 9:15 Dale asked me if we should call the delivery people to make sure they knew where we were located within the anchorage. I suggested we wait to see how long Doc-No-More could hold out. A few minutes later, we heard them radio to see what the problem was. 'Handy Andy', the delivery people, said they would call back in 10 minutes. A half hour later, Doc-No-More called again. They were assured that the fuel was on its way. A little after 10 am, an inflatable dinghy towing a hard bottom dinghy with a rubber bladder full of diesel finally arrived. A very muscular young man explained that their outboard motor had been stolen during the night and he had to borrow another dinghy to deliver the fuel. It seemed ironic that cruisers generally lock up their outboards so that the local hoodlums don't steal them. It would appear the local businesses need to do the same. We surmised that one of 'Handy Andy's' competitors had tried to even the playing field.
Since they had to take our jerry cans in to be filled with gasoline as opposed to the diesel they delivered, Dale took me into Steve's establishment so that I could drop off the laundry and connect to the internet. It was dial up and very slow but since I could connect, it didn't matter. In fact, Dale had gone back to the boat, received the fuel, and returned to pick me up before I finished reading the e-mails, paying the bills and uploading our latest posts to the blogspot. This put us just in time for lunch in which Roger & Elaine joined us.
Did I mention that we meet the most interesting people while cruising? While waiting for our lunch to be served, Elaine introduced us to "Bruce", another cruiser who had sought them out for a medical opinion. Roger offered his opinion as a retired urologist and suggested that he get a second opinion from Dale, whom he refers to as a 'real' doctor. I'm sure that if Dale were to write this up in a medical record it would read as:
A 55+ year old, 275#, w/m presented with an un-bandaged 1.5" round, open puncture wound, approximately 1.5" deep, 4" above his posterior left ankle. Said wound was dry with an obvious brown power applied throughout. Patient advised that approximately 8 weeks ago while riding a motorcycle at night, he ran into a bull which gored him in in the leg. He sought local assistance and was advised to apply a brown powder made from grinding the inside bark of a palm tree.
What can you say to something like that? Dale looked at it, told him it didn't look infected but that it would probably take 6-8 months to heal. The guy said that he probably needed to go grind up some more bark.
Then we had lunch.
The rest of the afternoon was spent searching for fruits, vegetables and bread (the nuts had already sought us out). There are several vendors along the various streets but you'd find bananas in one place, pineapple at another, potatoes, tomatoes and eggplant from the back of a truck; you just had to keep looking to find everything you needed. Thank heavens Dale & I only needed bread. At first we asked for directions to the bakery in our extremely bad Spanish but that only got us so far. Then we reverted to just following our noses to find the aroma of freshly baked bread.
Tomorrow we're off to see the waterfalls. Everyone tells us that we've got to take that tour because it one of the best ones around. They also told us to take an extra change of clothes because the water is cold.
Luperon, DR
19.54.025N
70.56.934W
People who don't cruise often ask those who do what they do all day. Well, I can tell you now that a lot of your time is spent waiting. Yesterday we had arranged to have fuel delivered to our boat this morning at 8 am. Being thoroughly versed in island time (from our days being stationed in Puerto Rico), we knew not to expect it until 9 am or possibly later. Although Roger & Elaine have been living aboard their boat for the last 3 years, they are still very much the type A personalities (they still wear their watches).
At 9:15 Dale asked me if we should call the delivery people to make sure they knew where we were located within the anchorage. I suggested we wait to see how long Doc-No-More could hold out. A few minutes later, we heard them radio to see what the problem was. 'Handy Andy', the delivery people, said they would call back in 10 minutes. A half hour later, Doc-No-More called again. They were assured that the fuel was on its way. A little after 10 am, an inflatable dinghy towing a hard bottom dinghy with a rubber bladder full of diesel finally arrived. A very muscular young man explained that their outboard motor had been stolen during the night and he had to borrow another dinghy to deliver the fuel. It seemed ironic that cruisers generally lock up their outboards so that the local hoodlums don't steal them. It would appear the local businesses need to do the same. We surmised that one of 'Handy Andy's' competitors had tried to even the playing field.
Since they had to take our jerry cans in to be filled with gasoline as opposed to the diesel they delivered, Dale took me into Steve's establishment so that I could drop off the laundry and connect to the internet. It was dial up and very slow but since I could connect, it didn't matter. In fact, Dale had gone back to the boat, received the fuel, and returned to pick me up before I finished reading the e-mails, paying the bills and uploading our latest posts to the blogspot. This put us just in time for lunch in which Roger & Elaine joined us.
Did I mention that we meet the most interesting people while cruising? While waiting for our lunch to be served, Elaine introduced us to "Bruce", another cruiser who had sought them out for a medical opinion. Roger offered his opinion as a retired urologist and suggested that he get a second opinion from Dale, whom he refers to as a 'real' doctor. I'm sure that if Dale were to write this up in a medical record it would read as:
A 55+ year old, 275#, w/m presented with an un-bandaged 1.5" round, open puncture wound, approximately 1.5" deep, 4" above his posterior left ankle. Said wound was dry with an obvious brown power applied throughout. Patient advised that approximately 8 weeks ago while riding a motorcycle at night, he ran into a bull which gored him in in the leg. He sought local assistance and was advised to apply a brown powder made from grinding the inside bark of a palm tree.
What can you say to something like that? Dale looked at it, told him it didn't look infected but that it would probably take 6-8 months to heal. The guy said that he probably needed to go grind up some more bark.
Then we had lunch.
The rest of the afternoon was spent searching for fruits, vegetables and bread (the nuts had already sought us out). There are several vendors along the various streets but you'd find bananas in one place, pineapple at another, potatoes, tomatoes and eggplant from the back of a truck; you just had to keep looking to find everything you needed. Thank heavens Dale & I only needed bread. At first we asked for directions to the bakery in our extremely bad Spanish but that only got us so far. Then we reverted to just following our noses to find the aroma of freshly baked bread.
Tomorrow we're off to see the waterfalls. Everyone tells us that we've got to take that tour because it one of the best ones around. They also told us to take an extra change of clothes because the water is cold.
19.54.025N
70.56.934W
People who don't cruise often ask those who do what they do all day. Well, I can tell you now that a lot of your time is spent waiting. Yesterday we had arranged to have fuel delivered to our boat this morning at 8 am. Being thoroughly versed in island time (from our days being stationed in Puerto Rico), we knew not to expect it until 9 am or possibly later. Although Roger & Elaine have been living aboard their boat for the last 3 years, they are still very much the type A personalities (they still wear their watches).
At 9:15 Dale asked me if we should call the delivery people to make sure they knew where we were located within the anchorage. I suggested we wait to see how long Doc-No-More could hold out. A few minutes later, we heard them radio to see what the problem was. 'Handy Andy', the delivery people, said they would call back in 10 minutes. A half hour later, Doc-No-More called again. They were assured that the fuel was on its way. A little after 10 am, an inflatable dinghy towing a hard bottom dinghy with a rubber bladder full of diesel finally arrived. A very muscular young man explained that their outboard motor had been stolen during the night and he had to borrow another dinghy to deliver the fuel. It seemed ironic that cruisers generally lock up their outboards so that the local hoodlums don't steal them. It would appear the local businesses need to do the same. We surmised that one of 'Handy Andy's' competitors had tried to even the playing field.
Since they had to take our jerry cans in to be filled with gasoline as opposed to the diesel they delivered, Dale took me into Steve's establishment so that I could drop off the laundry and connect to the internet. It was dial up and very slow but since I could connect, it didn't matter. In fact, Dale had gone back to the boat, received the fuel, and returned to pick me up before I finished reading the e-mails, paying the bills and uploading our latest posts to the blogspot. This put us just in time for lunch in which Roger & Elaine joined us.
Did I mention that we meet the most interesting people while cruising? While waiting for our lunch to be served, Elaine introduced us to "Bruce", another cruiser who had sought them out for a medical opinion. Roger offered his opinion as a retired urologist and suggested that he get a second opinion from Dale, whom he refers to as a 'real' doctor. I'm sure that if Dale were to write this up in a medical record it would read as:
A 55+ year old, 275#, w/m presented with an un-bandaged 1.5" round, open puncture wound, approximately 1.5" deep, 4" above his posterior left ankle. Said wound was dry with an obvious brown power applied throughout. Patient advised that approximately 8 weeks ago while riding a motorcycle at night, he ran into a bull which gored him in in the leg. He sought local assistance and was advised to apply a brown powder made from grinding the inside bark of a palm tree.
What can you say to something like that? Dale looked at it, told him it didn't look infected but that it would probably take 6-8 months to heal. The guy said that he probably needed to go grind up some more bark.
Then we had lunch.
The rest of the afternoon was spent searching for fruits, vegetables and bread (the nuts had already sought us out). There are several vendors along the various streets but you'd find bananas in one place, pineapple at another, potatoes, tomatoes and eggplant from the back of a truck; you just had to keep looking to find everything you needed. Thank heavens Dale & I only needed bread. At first we asked for directions to the bakery in our extremely bad Spanish but that only got us so far. Then we reverted to just following our noses to find the aroma of freshly baked bread.
Tomorrow we're off to see the waterfalls. Everyone tells us that we've got to take that tour because it one of the best ones around. They also told us to take an extra change of clothes because the water is cold.
Monday, January 02, 2006
Luperon, DR
19.54.025N
70.56.934W
You think the U.S. has bureaucracy? You've never been to Luperon! We waited for the Commandantes to come to our boat until 10 am. We were in the process of giving up and taking off for their office when a boat came up with 3 men in it. One of the people in the boat was wearing a green fatigue uniform (the Commandant's representative), another was wearing blue denim utility uniform (the Navy's representative), the last was wearing street clothes (the interpreter.) This was the first of 5 meetings and the first of 2 inspections.
The paperwork was conducted in the cockpit by the Commandant's representative, ably assisted by the interpreter. Once completed, the Navy's representative came down the stairs, walked forward into the guest stateroom/storage area, proclaimed that we were "good", walked back to stairs, ascended and returned to the others. He didn't walk back to the rear of the boat to the master stateroom where we keep our nuclear weapons and underwear but since we were pronounced "good", we weren't going to argue. We were then instructed to pick up our papers at the Commandant's office prior to leaving. (Supposedly only the interpreter spoke English, but when Dale cracked a joke about the interpreter's boat, I noticed that all 3 laughed.)
Next, we proceeded to the Immigration office, which was actually, 3 offices in one trailer. We were instructed to obtain our visitor cards at the first table. Then we were ushered into a private office of the Immigration official where we filled out more papers, had our passports stamped and the visitor cards stapled into our passports. Then we had to go back to the first room and complete our paperwork for the port fees at the harbor master's desk and then finally we were instructed that the agriculture officials would inspect our boat by 3:00 pm. Naturally, each had their own fees. All in all, we spent about $60.00 US.
We walked through the town, exchanged our dollars for pesos, then returned to Steve's Place, an ex-pat, who has developed a one-stop shopping establishment (restaurant, laundry, internet, fresh veggies, rental motorcycles, you name it, he has it or can get it for you.) The town pretty much closes down from 12 - 2:00, so we returned to the boat and waited for the agriculture inspectors to arrive. We waited until 4:30, hailed Doc-No-More (who was also waiting) and agreed that if they didn't show up by 5:00, we'd take off for the happy hour we'd heard about and check in with them again tomorrow. Needless to say, they showed up as we were literally getting into our dink to leave. They came aboard, we showed them our veggies, they inspected our refrigerator (for what, we don't know), they filled out their paperwork and we paid our fees and all was good to go. Now all we have to do is remember to run by the Commandant's office prior to leaving to pick up our entry papers. A little backwards but as long as it works for them, who cares.
At the marina happy hour, we met up with Dan & Jan, who are fairly well traveled cruisers and Roger & Elaine. We talked travel, politics, religion, weather, engines, and where we were headed next. Dan & Jan are about a week ahead of where we are but since we keep running into them, you'll probably hear about them from time to time.
I was sorry that Anders and Elizabeth (a couple we met at the dinghy dock) hadn't shown up. Anders is Finnish and Elizabeth is Canadian. Elizabeth speaks in a high, almost childlike voice but the stories she tells are incredible. Apparently, Anders missed sailing but Elizabeth had never sailed. They joined a yacht club and when someone asked if anyone was interested in bringing back a boat from Turkey, she volunteered. I not sure if they're terribly courageous (Elizabeth says that Anders is fearless) or incredibly stupid (Anders version when Elizabeth isn't chattering). They've come all of this way without charts. Their GPS died a one point, in fact they lost all of their electronics at one point, they've run aground, they've entered the wrong port, just about everything has broken on the boat at one time or another, Anders patches it back together and yet, they should make their Florida landfall within the next month. You meet the most incredible people in this little sailing community, I would have loved to listen to her longer.
Tomorrow we're back to Steve's for laundry and internet.
19.54.025N
70.56.934W
You think the U.S. has bureaucracy? You've never been to Luperon! We waited for the Commandantes to come to our boat until 10 am. We were in the process of giving up and taking off for their office when a boat came up with 3 men in it. One of the people in the boat was wearing a green fatigue uniform (the Commandant's representative), another was wearing blue denim utility uniform (the Navy's representative), the last was wearing street clothes (the interpreter.) This was the first of 5 meetings and the first of 2 inspections.
The paperwork was conducted in the cockpit by the Commandant's representative, ably assisted by the interpreter. Once completed, the Navy's representative came down the stairs, walked forward into the guest stateroom/storage area, proclaimed that we were "good", walked back to stairs, ascended and returned to the others. He didn't walk back to the rear of the boat to the master stateroom where we keep our nuclear weapons and underwear but since we were pronounced "good", we weren't going to argue. We were then instructed to pick up our papers at the Commandant's office prior to leaving. (Supposedly only the interpreter spoke English, but when Dale cracked a joke about the interpreter's boat, I noticed that all 3 laughed.)
Next, we proceeded to the Immigration office, which was actually, 3 offices in one trailer. We were instructed to obtain our visitor cards at the first table. Then we were ushered into a private office of the Immigration official where we filled out more papers, had our passports stamped and the visitor cards stapled into our passports. Then we had to go back to the first room and complete our paperwork for the port fees at the harbor master's desk and then finally we were instructed that the agriculture officials would inspect our boat by 3:00 pm. Naturally, each had their own fees. All in all, we spent about $60.00 US.
We walked through the town, exchanged our dollars for pesos, then returned to Steve's Place, an ex-pat, who has developed a one-stop shopping establishment (restaurant, laundry, internet, fresh veggies, rental motorcycles, you name it, he has it or can get it for you.) The town pretty much closes down from 12 - 2:00, so we returned to the boat and waited for the agriculture inspectors to arrive. We waited until 4:30, hailed Doc-No-More (who was also waiting) and agreed that if they didn't show up by 5:00, we'd take off for the happy hour we'd heard about and check in with them again tomorrow. Needless to say, they showed up as we were literally getting into our dink to leave. They came aboard, we showed them our veggies, they inspected our refrigerator (for what, we don't know), they filled out their paperwork and we paid our fees and all was good to go. Now all we have to do is remember to run by the Commandant's office prior to leaving to pick up our entry papers. A little backwards but as long as it works for them, who cares.
At the marina happy hour, we met up with Dan & Jan, who are fairly well traveled cruisers and Roger & Elaine. We talked travel, politics, religion, weather, engines, and where we were headed next. Dan & Jan are about a week ahead of where we are but since we keep running into them, you'll probably hear about them from time to time.
I was sorry that Anders and Elizabeth (a couple we met at the dinghy dock) hadn't shown up. Anders is Finnish and Elizabeth is Canadian. Elizabeth speaks in a high, almost childlike voice but the stories she tells are incredible. Apparently, Anders missed sailing but Elizabeth had never sailed. They joined a yacht club and when someone asked if anyone was interested in bringing back a boat from Turkey, she volunteered. I not sure if they're terribly courageous (Elizabeth says that Anders is fearless) or incredibly stupid (Anders version when Elizabeth isn't chattering). They've come all of this way without charts. Their GPS died a one point, in fact they lost all of their electronics at one point, they've run aground, they've entered the wrong port, just about everything has broken on the boat at one time or another, Anders patches it back together and yet, they should make their Florida landfall within the next month. You meet the most incredible people in this little sailing community, I would have loved to listen to her longer.
Tomorrow we're back to Steve's for laundry and internet.
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Luperon, Dominican Republic
19.54.025N
70.56.934W
We're in Luperon! What a difference in scenery. Where the Bahamas and the Turks & Caicos Islands were arid, Hispaniola is lush and green.
Last night was quite the experience. Not the tranquil little sail we had anticipated. The period of quiet weather dissolved while we were mid stream (a full 24 hours ahead of time) and the wind and waves picked up quite a bit. We put a couple of reefs in each of the sails to combat the wind but the swell and current played havoc with our autopilot. We ended up taking it off the tracking feature and just using a course heading. Then we'd adjust our course as to how we were progressing via the chartplotter. About 2/3's of the way here, I started seeing lightening on the horizon. Thank heavens we only got more wind and some rain. Dale and I both stayed up in the cockpit all night, taking turns napping while the other stood watch. There was no traffic but it took both of us to adjust the sails when needed.
For those who have read Van Sant's "Passages South," it was exactly as he described. The wind and waves calmed 20 miles out. You could smell the earth long before you could see it. Then when dawn came, you saw beautiful mountains of green and could smell wood fires burning. It was a very impressive sight. (Someone told us that Jurassic Park was filmed here, to envision it.)
We knew from our reading that the harbor itself is concealed from view until you are just about on top of it, the coordinates given in the books were perfect. We were lucky that a boater inside was taking his dog out for a morning romp and stopped to direct us through the channel itself. Apparently there are some hidden mud banks that you can get stuck in. Nothing dangerous, just embarrassing. Clearly, it's a very popular anchorage. We found a spot to anchor in 20' of water at the end and Doc-No-More anchored nearby near one of the mud flats. We had heard complaints that the water was extremely muddy. Clearly those that complained have never been in the St. Johns River. This evening showed that there is a fair amount of phosphorescence in the water which, in my experience, looks muddy in the day. Otherwise, it's more of a green look to it but I have to admit, you can't see your toes in it either.
For Dale and I, once we latched onto mother earth, we both zoned out for a couple of hours because we were exhausted. Although Roger described the catamaran's action as like being in a washing machine, they apparently were more well rested than we were. By mid-afternoon, Elaine had scoped out the anchorage, met with a couple of ambassadors of good will and had us signed up to go on an inland tour to see some waterfalls on Wednesday. She even had the skinny on a tour of a rum factory (she knew she had our vote on that one) and possibly renting a van to do some errands.
I had been a little apprehensive about coming to Luperon but so far, all of my concerns have been unfounded. Tomorrow we'll check into customs and immigration and pick up some local currency. We figure we'll be here about a week before moving on to Puerto Rico.
19.54.025N
70.56.934W
We're in Luperon! What a difference in scenery. Where the Bahamas and the Turks & Caicos Islands were arid, Hispaniola is lush and green.
Last night was quite the experience. Not the tranquil little sail we had anticipated. The period of quiet weather dissolved while we were mid stream (a full 24 hours ahead of time) and the wind and waves picked up quite a bit. We put a couple of reefs in each of the sails to combat the wind but the swell and current played havoc with our autopilot. We ended up taking it off the tracking feature and just using a course heading. Then we'd adjust our course as to how we were progressing via the chartplotter. About 2/3's of the way here, I started seeing lightening on the horizon. Thank heavens we only got more wind and some rain. Dale and I both stayed up in the cockpit all night, taking turns napping while the other stood watch. There was no traffic but it took both of us to adjust the sails when needed.
For those who have read Van Sant's "Passages South," it was exactly as he described. The wind and waves calmed 20 miles out. You could smell the earth long before you could see it. Then when dawn came, you saw beautiful mountains of green and could smell wood fires burning. It was a very impressive sight. (Someone told us that Jurassic Park was filmed here, to envision it.)
We knew from our reading that the harbor itself is concealed from view until you are just about on top of it, the coordinates given in the books were perfect. We were lucky that a boater inside was taking his dog out for a morning romp and stopped to direct us through the channel itself. Apparently there are some hidden mud banks that you can get stuck in. Nothing dangerous, just embarrassing. Clearly, it's a very popular anchorage. We found a spot to anchor in 20' of water at the end and Doc-No-More anchored nearby near one of the mud flats. We had heard complaints that the water was extremely muddy. Clearly those that complained have never been in the St. Johns River. This evening showed that there is a fair amount of phosphorescence in the water which, in my experience, looks muddy in the day. Otherwise, it's more of a green look to it but I have to admit, you can't see your toes in it either.
For Dale and I, once we latched onto mother earth, we both zoned out for a couple of hours because we were exhausted. Although Roger described the catamaran's action as like being in a washing machine, they apparently were more well rested than we were. By mid-afternoon, Elaine had scoped out the anchorage, met with a couple of ambassadors of good will and had us signed up to go on an inland tour to see some waterfalls on Wednesday. She even had the skinny on a tour of a rum factory (she knew she had our vote on that one) and possibly renting a van to do some errands.
I had been a little apprehensive about coming to Luperon but so far, all of my concerns have been unfounded. Tomorrow we'll check into customs and immigration and pick up some local currency. We figure we'll be here about a week before moving on to Puerto Rico.
Saturday, December 31, 2005
Atlantic Ocean
20.29.529N
71.05.257W
After listening to the weather report this morning, we knew that we could either go the Great Sand Cay and anchor for an hour or two before departing for Luperon, or we could anchor overnight and sail the next afternoon. What we decided to do, as you can see from our location, is just to leave Ambergrist later in the morning and motor sail up to Great Sand Cay but instead of pulling in, we'll just keep on going to Luperon making it a full overnight passage. We anticipate 10-15 kts of wind from the ENE which should be perfect sailing weather.
The champagne we were chilling for New Years Eve was pulled out of the refrigerator and wrapped back up in the bubble wrap for safe keeping. We'll drink it after we reach Luperon. Next year will dawn with us in a new harbor, in a new country and definitely a major step south.
20.29.529N
71.05.257W
After listening to the weather report this morning, we knew that we could either go the Great Sand Cay and anchor for an hour or two before departing for Luperon, or we could anchor overnight and sail the next afternoon. What we decided to do, as you can see from our location, is just to leave Ambergrist later in the morning and motor sail up to Great Sand Cay but instead of pulling in, we'll just keep on going to Luperon making it a full overnight passage. We anticipate 10-15 kts of wind from the ENE which should be perfect sailing weather.
The champagne we were chilling for New Years Eve was pulled out of the refrigerator and wrapped back up in the bubble wrap for safe keeping. We'll drink it after we reach Luperon. Next year will dawn with us in a new harbor, in a new country and definitely a major step south.
Friday, December 30, 2005
Ambergris Cay, TCI
21.19.283N
71.38.944W
The transit across the TCI Bank was awesome. There was absolutely no wind today so the Bank was like a pool. The water was crystal clear whether at 10 feet or at 20. I was completely hypnotized by the play of light and water on the sand. Dale seemed to zip from one little project to another. (There's always something to fix or maintain but I began to wonder what would happen if there wasn't.)
We had departed Provo at 6:45 am and dropped anchor at Ambergrist Cay by 3:00 pm. In between times, we motored amongst millions of sea biscuits, more than a few coral heads, hundreds of star fish and flamingos flying in formation. The average water depth through the majority of our trip was 13'. Dale and I were forced to come to an agreement between what would be considered prudent and what was being overly cautious. We finally agreed that anything less than 10 feet we would slow down and observe, otherwise, it was to be expected and throttling back was unnecessary. Since we were motoring at 6 kts, there were times when I was sitting poised to throttle back in an instant.
Once we reached Ambergrist, the clarity of the water was so inviting that Elaine and I both wanted to jump in as soon as the anchors were down, except for the fact that we had all seen several sharks on the way into our anchorage. All of us agreed that they were nurse sharks (supposedly non-threatening) but we were also not willing to 'swim with the sharks'. We ended up snorkeling a few small reefs and saw lots of fish but in all honesty, it seemed to be more clear from the decks of our boats than it was underwater, probably because it was getting later in the day. Dale says that I've been spoiled. Unless I have unlimited visibility, I'm not happy. He's probably right. I think that when you see the true colors and beauty surrounding you, it makes the dive/snorkel more interesting.
Since we had to dodge and weave the coral heads coming into this anchorage, we'll leave tomorrow for Great Sand Cay after 10 am to keep the sun high where we can dodge and weave our way back out again. From there we'll be heading on to Luperon.
21.19.283N
71.38.944W
The transit across the TCI Bank was awesome. There was absolutely no wind today so the Bank was like a pool. The water was crystal clear whether at 10 feet or at 20. I was completely hypnotized by the play of light and water on the sand. Dale seemed to zip from one little project to another. (There's always something to fix or maintain but I began to wonder what would happen if there wasn't.)
We had departed Provo at 6:45 am and dropped anchor at Ambergrist Cay by 3:00 pm. In between times, we motored amongst millions of sea biscuits, more than a few coral heads, hundreds of star fish and flamingos flying in formation. The average water depth through the majority of our trip was 13'. Dale and I were forced to come to an agreement between what would be considered prudent and what was being overly cautious. We finally agreed that anything less than 10 feet we would slow down and observe, otherwise, it was to be expected and throttling back was unnecessary. Since we were motoring at 6 kts, there were times when I was sitting poised to throttle back in an instant.
Once we reached Ambergrist, the clarity of the water was so inviting that Elaine and I both wanted to jump in as soon as the anchors were down, except for the fact that we had all seen several sharks on the way into our anchorage. All of us agreed that they were nurse sharks (supposedly non-threatening) but we were also not willing to 'swim with the sharks'. We ended up snorkeling a few small reefs and saw lots of fish but in all honesty, it seemed to be more clear from the decks of our boats than it was underwater, probably because it was getting later in the day. Dale says that I've been spoiled. Unless I have unlimited visibility, I'm not happy. He's probably right. I think that when you see the true colors and beauty surrounding you, it makes the dive/snorkel more interesting.
Since we had to dodge and weave the coral heads coming into this anchorage, we'll leave tomorrow for Great Sand Cay after 10 am to keep the sun high where we can dodge and weave our way back out again. From there we'll be heading on to Luperon.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Provo,
Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI)
21.44.585N
72.17.411S
Oh my aching feet! or looking for WiFi, Part II. We wanted an early start into town so we hailed Mr. Small on our VHF for a lift. We called, Doc-No-More called, he never did answer. So we were forced to do as we did yesterday, we dinghed in to the beach, walked a short distance to the road and threw out those thumbs. It didn't take long before we had a ride, which was good because today Dale was carrying our computer in a backpack (its really heavy). The young man who picked us up was Haitian and really didn't speak very much English. I don't think he had any idea what we were asking but he dropped us off at the grocery store we had found yesterday. This was OK because today we were armed with a map (found in one of the magazines we'd acquired from the car rental place) and off we launched looking for Suzi's Turn, the area of town where the WiFi was supposed to be.
Did I mention that island time includes taking off inordinate amounts of time for holidays? We soon discovered that a majority of small businesses close between Christmas and New Years. Including the little shop that had WiFi clearly advertised all over its windows. Poor Elaine wasn't sure who to feel sorry for, Dale for carrying the computer all that way or me, who she thought might go into withdrawal symptoms if we didn't connect today. We did run into a lady outside of the little shop who suggested that we walk further down the road to a supermarket that she thought had just started advertising wireless. So we did. Walk that is. Just before we got to the supermarket (about a mile and a half away), a nice couple from Denver who have a vacation home here, pulled over and offered all of us a ride. As it turned out, the supermarket was advertising for wireless telephones, not wireless internet connection.
Roger & Elaine wanted to continue on to Grace Bay, an exclusive resort area (which also was supposed to carry WiFi). What the heck, we thought, we'd go on with them and see the island. The couple from Denver lived in the area and said that they would take us the rest of the way.
Now we find ourselves at the complete opposite end of the island. We were dropped off at a cluster of small stores where they thought an internet cafe' was located. We found it. Unfortunately, the young lady behind the counter could only input the code into the machine, if it didn't work, she didn't know how to fix it. Of course, it didn't work. I noticed that it didn't work for any of the people who brought in their own laptops. (I miss Cherie and the IT crew, who I am convinced could fix anything computer related.)
By this time, Roger & Elaine had taken off to do their own sightseeing (I can't imagine why they didn't want to continue on with the search for internet connection) and we headed down to the resort clubhouse to see if they might have a hotspot. We were half way there when we spotted the clubhouse. Clearly very exclusive and not inclined to let boat trash (Dale's description, not mine) onto the premises. (We were even wearing our polo shirts. I couldn't believe he'd call us that.) So, we did an about face, headed back to the main highway and out came those thumbs again.
The gentleman (a TCI native) who picked us up asked the normal questions, where were we from, where were we going, how did we like the island so far, then he asked why we had traveled so far from our boat. We told him our plight. He picked up his phone and called his wife who owned a store, explained the situation and asked if she were using her computer. I guess she suggested that we try one more place (that we hadn't tried) on the way to hers and if they weren't open, to come on ahead. As it turned out, the place she suggested was closed but the people inside doing inventory let us in and we were granted access to the internet for as far as we could go without a code. As you can see, I was able to upload our blogs while Dale was able to access our e-mail; we'll have to wait to pay bills later.
After a successful day at the internet, we were once again out on the main highway trying to get back to our side of the island. So . . . those thumbs were stuck in the air again. This time we were picked up by a man from Sarasota who lives on the island part time. (He had accidentally discovered how nice this island was when his private plane needed to be refueled on its way to somewhere else.) He asked the same questions as everyone else except that he kept saying that he couldn't believe that we had traveled across the island in search of WiFi. Then we found out that he was in the internet business. (I wouldn't be surprised to find WiFi in all of the marinas the next time we're here. He seemed to be the entrepreneurial type.) He was gracious enough to give us a ride all the way back to our side of the island and even drove us up to the customs office so that we could check out. (Dale thinks that he felt sorry for a couple of old farts and couldn't believe we were walking everywhere.)
What can I tell you? It took us all day to connect to the internet but we saw the entire island from one end to the other. We witnessed the fact that if you have the money, this island is on the verge of a boom. Condos are going up on the north side of the island, while individual homes on deep water are being built on the south side. This is South Florida in the making. We got a lot more exercise than we would have any other way. We met some fantastic people and we accomplished our mission.
Tomorrow, we'll head across the TCI Bank for Ambergris Cay. It's extremely shallow and quite a few boats have run aground. We'll start out at day break and keep a vigilant eye towards the shallows. Hopefully, it won't be very dramatic.
Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI)
21.44.585N
72.17.411S
Oh my aching feet! or looking for WiFi, Part II. We wanted an early start into town so we hailed Mr. Small on our VHF for a lift. We called, Doc-No-More called, he never did answer. So we were forced to do as we did yesterday, we dinghed in to the beach, walked a short distance to the road and threw out those thumbs. It didn't take long before we had a ride, which was good because today Dale was carrying our computer in a backpack (its really heavy). The young man who picked us up was Haitian and really didn't speak very much English. I don't think he had any idea what we were asking but he dropped us off at the grocery store we had found yesterday. This was OK because today we were armed with a map (found in one of the magazines we'd acquired from the car rental place) and off we launched looking for Suzi's Turn, the area of town where the WiFi was supposed to be.
Did I mention that island time includes taking off inordinate amounts of time for holidays? We soon discovered that a majority of small businesses close between Christmas and New Years. Including the little shop that had WiFi clearly advertised all over its windows. Poor Elaine wasn't sure who to feel sorry for, Dale for carrying the computer all that way or me, who she thought might go into withdrawal symptoms if we didn't connect today. We did run into a lady outside of the little shop who suggested that we walk further down the road to a supermarket that she thought had just started advertising wireless. So we did. Walk that is. Just before we got to the supermarket (about a mile and a half away), a nice couple from Denver who have a vacation home here, pulled over and offered all of us a ride. As it turned out, the supermarket was advertising for wireless telephones, not wireless internet connection.
Roger & Elaine wanted to continue on to Grace Bay, an exclusive resort area (which also was supposed to carry WiFi). What the heck, we thought, we'd go on with them and see the island. The couple from Denver lived in the area and said that they would take us the rest of the way.
Now we find ourselves at the complete opposite end of the island. We were dropped off at a cluster of small stores where they thought an internet cafe' was located. We found it. Unfortunately, the young lady behind the counter could only input the code into the machine, if it didn't work, she didn't know how to fix it. Of course, it didn't work. I noticed that it didn't work for any of the people who brought in their own laptops. (I miss Cherie and the IT crew, who I am convinced could fix anything computer related.)
By this time, Roger & Elaine had taken off to do their own sightseeing (I can't imagine why they didn't want to continue on with the search for internet connection) and we headed down to the resort clubhouse to see if they might have a hotspot. We were half way there when we spotted the clubhouse. Clearly very exclusive and not inclined to let boat trash (Dale's description, not mine) onto the premises. (We were even wearing our polo shirts. I couldn't believe he'd call us that.) So, we did an about face, headed back to the main highway and out came those thumbs again.
The gentleman (a TCI native) who picked us up asked the normal questions, where were we from, where were we going, how did we like the island so far, then he asked why we had traveled so far from our boat. We told him our plight. He picked up his phone and called his wife who owned a store, explained the situation and asked if she were using her computer. I guess she suggested that we try one more place (that we hadn't tried) on the way to hers and if they weren't open, to come on ahead. As it turned out, the place she suggested was closed but the people inside doing inventory let us in and we were granted access to the internet for as far as we could go without a code. As you can see, I was able to upload our blogs while Dale was able to access our e-mail; we'll have to wait to pay bills later.
After a successful day at the internet, we were once again out on the main highway trying to get back to our side of the island. So . . . those thumbs were stuck in the air again. This time we were picked up by a man from Sarasota who lives on the island part time. (He had accidentally discovered how nice this island was when his private plane needed to be refueled on its way to somewhere else.) He asked the same questions as everyone else except that he kept saying that he couldn't believe that we had traveled across the island in search of WiFi. Then we found out that he was in the internet business. (I wouldn't be surprised to find WiFi in all of the marinas the next time we're here. He seemed to be the entrepreneurial type.) He was gracious enough to give us a ride all the way back to our side of the island and even drove us up to the customs office so that we could check out. (Dale thinks that he felt sorry for a couple of old farts and couldn't believe we were walking everywhere.)
What can I tell you? It took us all day to connect to the internet but we saw the entire island from one end to the other. We witnessed the fact that if you have the money, this island is on the verge of a boom. Condos are going up on the north side of the island, while individual homes on deep water are being built on the south side. This is South Florida in the making. We got a lot more exercise than we would have any other way. We met some fantastic people and we accomplished our mission.
Tomorrow, we'll head across the TCI Bank for Ambergris Cay. It's extremely shallow and quite a few boats have run aground. We'll start out at day break and keep a vigilant eye towards the shallows. Hopefully, it won't be very dramatic.
Providenciales (Provo)
Turks & Caicos
21.44.585N
72.17.411S
A great sail. We hoisted anchor about 12:30am and rounded the reef of Mayaguana towards Providenciales, Provo for short. Once past the tip of the island we turned off the engine and sailed the rest of the way to the Turks & Caicos (TCI) doing between 5 and 7 kts with 10-18 kts of wind off our port beam all of the way. What a savings in diesel. We've been very lucky when it comes to sailing; the general rule is that wherever you're headed, the wind is on your nose (which means that you're motoring.)
It took a little over an hour to enter onto the TCI banks and into Sapodilla Bay to anchor in 7-8' of water. Dale and Roger took the dink around to the freighter channel and checked us in to customs. The guidebooks indicated that only the captains of the boats should step foot on the island prior to the customs paperwork being completed, so Elaine and I waited back on the boats, dutifully (yea, right). Dale said that Elaine was doing the 'puppy dance' ('when can we go, when can we go') on her boat. At the other extreme, I took advantage of my time alone and had a nice, hot, leisurely, private bath and washed my hair. Maybe it's something about being female but for some reason, taking a bath or shower just makes you feel good. You have a tendency to step out and say "God, I feel human again." Particularly after a night sail where you're on 3 hour watches. Night and day and time seem to meld together. I'm never sure when to brush my teeth.
After lunch we took the dinghies and our bags of trash in with us as we set out to explore the island of Provo. We immediately found that the trash bin described as being at one end of the beach for cruisers, was no where to be found. Now what? Dale tucked ours back in the dink; Roger slung his over his should like Santa and we started off down the road towards town.
Before long, we knew that the 4 mile trip to town was not going to be as easy as we first thought. The cars drive on the left side (sort of); actually they're dodging pots holes, so they're all over the place. We just didn't want to get hit while they were dodging. The guidebooks said to hitchhike into town; that the people are friendly and would gladly pick you up. I have a problem with this. It's not that I have an aversion to sitting in the back of a pick up; heck, I lived on a farm, my father and mother threw the 5 of us kids in the back and off to town we'd go. It's just that I've taught my children not to hitchhike because you never know when the next Ted Bundy is around the corner. Roger & Elaine are more the world travelers and stuck out those thumbs as soon as they decided enough was enough! The first truck that stopped wasn't going all the way into town but when we asked about trash disposal, he said to just throw it in the back of his truck and he'd take it. Great! One hurtle crossed. Roger was happier now. The next truck that pulled over for us was going into town so we all piled into the back. It did remind me of when I was a kid. Dad & Mom weren't there, so I sat on the wheel well. I figured if I was going to start breaking the rules, I'd break that one too.
Provo is really spread out. Town is one long highway the length of the island. We were deposited in front of a bank, which again made Roger happy since he had to make an ATM withdrawal anyway and this time, it actually worked. We next headed for the airport on foot. We figured that we could rent a car to take us to all of the other places we needed to go without having to tote, our laundry, the computer, groceries and whatever else we might want to do back and forth the 4 miles into Town. We found a Budget Rental but unfortunately, it's still the holidays and every car on the island is rented out until Sunday. They were very friendly and let us take some island magazines which did list all of the establishments and where they were located. We sat down at a nearby restaurant and re-evaluated our needs. OK, I can do laundry by hand, Elaine could pick up a few items at the grocery store and carry them in her back pack but I had to have a WiFi connection! We were in luck, there were several internet companies and one that listed WiFi as being available.
In returning to the boat, we were lucky in finding a taxi driver on his way home who offered us a ride with the promise that we wouldn't tell anyone what we paid. We promised. Tomorrow, we'll call him again, because you all know I have to have a WiFi fix and Small's Taxi has guaranteed customers each time we have to go somewhere.
Turks & Caicos
21.44.585N
72.17.411S
A great sail. We hoisted anchor about 12:30am and rounded the reef of Mayaguana towards Providenciales, Provo for short. Once past the tip of the island we turned off the engine and sailed the rest of the way to the Turks & Caicos (TCI) doing between 5 and 7 kts with 10-18 kts of wind off our port beam all of the way. What a savings in diesel. We've been very lucky when it comes to sailing; the general rule is that wherever you're headed, the wind is on your nose (which means that you're motoring.)
It took a little over an hour to enter onto the TCI banks and into Sapodilla Bay to anchor in 7-8' of water. Dale and Roger took the dink around to the freighter channel and checked us in to customs. The guidebooks indicated that only the captains of the boats should step foot on the island prior to the customs paperwork being completed, so Elaine and I waited back on the boats, dutifully (yea, right). Dale said that Elaine was doing the 'puppy dance' ('when can we go, when can we go') on her boat. At the other extreme, I took advantage of my time alone and had a nice, hot, leisurely, private bath and washed my hair. Maybe it's something about being female but for some reason, taking a bath or shower just makes you feel good. You have a tendency to step out and say "God, I feel human again." Particularly after a night sail where you're on 3 hour watches. Night and day and time seem to meld together. I'm never sure when to brush my teeth.
After lunch we took the dinghies and our bags of trash in with us as we set out to explore the island of Provo. We immediately found that the trash bin described as being at one end of the beach for cruisers, was no where to be found. Now what? Dale tucked ours back in the dink; Roger slung his over his should like Santa and we started off down the road towards town.
Before long, we knew that the 4 mile trip to town was not going to be as easy as we first thought. The cars drive on the left side (sort of); actually they're dodging pots holes, so they're all over the place. We just didn't want to get hit while they were dodging. The guidebooks said to hitchhike into town; that the people are friendly and would gladly pick you up. I have a problem with this. It's not that I have an aversion to sitting in the back of a pick up; heck, I lived on a farm, my father and mother threw the 5 of us kids in the back and off to town we'd go. It's just that I've taught my children not to hitchhike because you never know when the next Ted Bundy is around the corner. Roger & Elaine are more the world travelers and stuck out those thumbs as soon as they decided enough was enough! The first truck that stopped wasn't going all the way into town but when we asked about trash disposal, he said to just throw it in the back of his truck and he'd take it. Great! One hurtle crossed. Roger was happier now. The next truck that pulled over for us was going into town so we all piled into the back. It did remind me of when I was a kid. Dad & Mom weren't there, so I sat on the wheel well. I figured if I was going to start breaking the rules, I'd break that one too.
Provo is really spread out. Town is one long highway the length of the island. We were deposited in front of a bank, which again made Roger happy since he had to make an ATM withdrawal anyway and this time, it actually worked. We next headed for the airport on foot. We figured that we could rent a car to take us to all of the other places we needed to go without having to tote, our laundry, the computer, groceries and whatever else we might want to do back and forth the 4 miles into Town. We found a Budget Rental but unfortunately, it's still the holidays and every car on the island is rented out until Sunday. They were very friendly and let us take some island magazines which did list all of the establishments and where they were located. We sat down at a nearby restaurant and re-evaluated our needs. OK, I can do laundry by hand, Elaine could pick up a few items at the grocery store and carry them in her back pack but I had to have a WiFi connection! We were in luck, there were several internet companies and one that listed WiFi as being available.
In returning to the boat, we were lucky in finding a taxi driver on his way home who offered us a ride with the promise that we wouldn't tell anyone what we paid. We promised. Tomorrow, we'll call him again, because you all know I have to have a WiFi fix and Small's Taxi has guaranteed customers each time we have to go somewhere.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Mayaguana, Bahamas
22.17.036N
72.47.146S
Another day on the boat, waiting. This morning was still overcast when Calaloo hoisted anchor and pulled out for Luperon. We radioed our bon voyage to them and watched as they circled around the anchorage and headed out of sight.
Dale and I spent the day cleaning the interior of the boat and studying the charts. Elaine radioed us about midmorning that she was tired of talking with just her husband so we went over for a lunch of homemade soup and finalized our plans for moving to a staging area for a midnight departure. The guidebooks advise to be at the entrance channel to the Turks and Caicos by morning so that you can go through the channel with a minimum of engine power against the outgoing water from the banks inside. Apparently the sun heats the water on the banks and they flow out to the ocean during the day at a fairly good rate and then return at night when the banks cool off again.
After lunch we hoisted our anchors and started sailing to the end of the island to the staging anchorage about 1:30pm. Dale let out one of his fishing lines and caught a tuna head (sharks got the rest). I don't think any of us realized just how far the end of the island was (17 miles is really nothing, right?) until we noticed that the sun was getting lower and lower in the sky and we still needed to go about 8 more miles. We turned on our engine and added a little iron wind to our sails to get the 8 kts we ended up with and anchored about 45 minutes before sunset.
We are now anchored (where suggested) in the swell just before the water hits the reef at the end of the island. We never did find the deep sand described in the guidebooks but Dale let out enough chain for the weight alone to hold us in place. Doc-No-More is right beside us. The winds are very calm, so there shouldn't be any problem.
We're off to bed early so that the alarm set for midnight won't be such a shock. Although it won't exactly be an overnight passage, the majority of this passage will be after dark, or should I say before light. This winter sailing is for the birds.
22.17.036N
72.47.146S
Another day on the boat, waiting. This morning was still overcast when Calaloo hoisted anchor and pulled out for Luperon. We radioed our bon voyage to them and watched as they circled around the anchorage and headed out of sight.
Dale and I spent the day cleaning the interior of the boat and studying the charts. Elaine radioed us about midmorning that she was tired of talking with just her husband so we went over for a lunch of homemade soup and finalized our plans for moving to a staging area for a midnight departure. The guidebooks advise to be at the entrance channel to the Turks and Caicos by morning so that you can go through the channel with a minimum of engine power against the outgoing water from the banks inside. Apparently the sun heats the water on the banks and they flow out to the ocean during the day at a fairly good rate and then return at night when the banks cool off again.
After lunch we hoisted our anchors and started sailing to the end of the island to the staging anchorage about 1:30pm. Dale let out one of his fishing lines and caught a tuna head (sharks got the rest). I don't think any of us realized just how far the end of the island was (17 miles is really nothing, right?) until we noticed that the sun was getting lower and lower in the sky and we still needed to go about 8 more miles. We turned on our engine and added a little iron wind to our sails to get the 8 kts we ended up with and anchored about 45 minutes before sunset.
We are now anchored (where suggested) in the swell just before the water hits the reef at the end of the island. We never did find the deep sand described in the guidebooks but Dale let out enough chain for the weight alone to hold us in place. Doc-No-More is right beside us. The winds are very calm, so there shouldn't be any problem.
We're off to bed early so that the alarm set for midnight won't be such a shock. Although it won't exactly be an overnight passage, the majority of this passage will be after dark, or should I say before light. This winter sailing is for the birds.
Monday, December 26, 2005
Mayaguana, Bahamas
22.19.576N
73.01.816W
Happy Birthday April. We love you; hope you had a marvelous day.
This morning came like any other. The big storm we were expecting had not occurred during the night. Dale checked with the various weather reports and spoke with Roger who had heard that the storm had passed through Georgetown earlier in the morning. We all stayed on our boats and waited for the inevitable.
About noon we heard the ominous thunder in the distance. About 1:00 the wind shifted as expected and we turned to face a black cloud that lined the entire horizon to the north of us. The black clouds rolled towards us like some giant road paver. I gathered our computer, a hand held VHF radio, a hand held GPS, our charter plotter blue chips and placed them in the oven to hopefully protect against any lightening strikes. Dale and I paced back and forth from the bow to the stern making sure that we had secured everything we could. We battened down the hatches, fastened our cockpit enclosure completely, tightened all of the lines one more time and then waited for it to hit us.
I sat in the back of the cockpit searching the leading edge for signs of a funnel cloud that could drop down and form a water spout. The rolling clouds passed over us and continued on. About 2 pm, it started to sprinkle. Off to the left, we could see Port Nelson, the distant town on Mayaguana, getting a down pour. Off the the right, the ocean was in another down pour. We held our breath.
About 3 pm, it was clear that this was a non-event. The sprinkle was all we ever got. No real rain; no howling wind. Dale looked at me and said that he knew he shouldn't say it, but we've been blessed with good weather on this trip.
We spend the rest of the day reading about the Turks and Caicos. Calaloo wants to totally bypass the country but we and Doc-No-More would like to get off the boat and see the countryside. Calaloo says that as long as the weather holds, they're heading out tomorrow regardless of what we decide.
22.19.576N
73.01.816W
Happy Birthday April. We love you; hope you had a marvelous day.
This morning came like any other. The big storm we were expecting had not occurred during the night. Dale checked with the various weather reports and spoke with Roger who had heard that the storm had passed through Georgetown earlier in the morning. We all stayed on our boats and waited for the inevitable.
About noon we heard the ominous thunder in the distance. About 1:00 the wind shifted as expected and we turned to face a black cloud that lined the entire horizon to the north of us. The black clouds rolled towards us like some giant road paver. I gathered our computer, a hand held VHF radio, a hand held GPS, our charter plotter blue chips and placed them in the oven to hopefully protect against any lightening strikes. Dale and I paced back and forth from the bow to the stern making sure that we had secured everything we could. We battened down the hatches, fastened our cockpit enclosure completely, tightened all of the lines one more time and then waited for it to hit us.
I sat in the back of the cockpit searching the leading edge for signs of a funnel cloud that could drop down and form a water spout. The rolling clouds passed over us and continued on. About 2 pm, it started to sprinkle. Off to the left, we could see Port Nelson, the distant town on Mayaguana, getting a down pour. Off the the right, the ocean was in another down pour. We held our breath.
About 3 pm, it was clear that this was a non-event. The sprinkle was all we ever got. No real rain; no howling wind. Dale looked at me and said that he knew he shouldn't say it, but we've been blessed with good weather on this trip.
We spend the rest of the day reading about the Turks and Caicos. Calaloo wants to totally bypass the country but we and Doc-No-More would like to get off the boat and see the countryside. Calaloo says that as long as the weather holds, they're heading out tomorrow regardless of what we decide.
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Mayaguana, Bahamas
22.19.576N
73.01.816W
Christmas Day. Dale let me sleep in since I was up monitoring the wind during the night. It had picked up to 22-23 kts. steadily for awhile but then tapered off again. The front we've been waiting for isn't supposed to come through until tonight or tomorrow morning. We don't think we dragged anchor last night but if we did, it wasn't by very much.
We started our day by calling our children. It was wonderful to hear their voices and learn that Michelle (daughter) and James (son) were spending it together with Stephanie and her family (James' girlfriend). Kyle (son), a fireman, was still at work but we were able to speak with Veronica (who's expecting our 3rd grandbaby) and Valerie (our 1st grandchild). Valerie was very excited about getting her ears pierced. Alayna (our 2nd grandchild) was still asleep. Veronica said that the pregnancy was going well but that she was tired from chasing after the other two. We weren't able to find April (daughter), a graduate student, so we'll send her an e-mail as well as my parents (who just moved to Texas). Robbie, Dale's sister, didn't pick up the phone so we figure that she and her family are in Oregon for Christmas. We also spoke with our friends, Fred & Geri and Gerry & Nicky. Now that we've used our allotment of satellite minutes for the next 5 months, I feel better.
The rest of the day was pretty quiet. I started re-reading the guide to the Turks and Caicos, the next country we're visiting. It's a small country that most cruisers just check in, pass across their banks, then check out as they continue on their way to Luperon in the Dominican Republic. I'd like to spend a couple of days there visiting their land and sea parks. Elaine (from Doc-No-More) agreed with me (or perhaps she was looking for me to validate her argument to Roger) that it would be nice to spend some time there as well. Rick & Connie (from Calaloo) however, would like to bypass the country totally by making another overnight trip around the island nation, anchoring on the banks, then continuing on to Luperon. Regardless of what the final decision is, no one is moving until Tuesday, after the front moves through and the wind and waves quiet down.
In the meantime, Doc-No-More's has been having a problem with vibration loosening a screw that holds a brush in place on their generator. Dale's soldered a broken wire for them a couple of times and came up with an idea to perhaps alleviate some of the problem, so we visited with them for awhile this afternoon. Unfortunately, neither Dale nor Roger had a longer bolt to use with a locking nut to keep things in place. So he'll just have to keep patching it back together for them until we can get to a place where they can find what they need. Dale said that he didn't know who was happier when he fixed it this last time, Roger or Elaine.
Tonight, with some lightening on the horizon, we've let out an extra length of anchor chain to help hold us in place. We've done all that we can to secure ourselves and don't anticipate any problems but when you're completely surrounded by reef as your only protection, it's hard not to be a little apprehensive when a big blow is coming your way.
22.19.576N
73.01.816W
Christmas Day. Dale let me sleep in since I was up monitoring the wind during the night. It had picked up to 22-23 kts. steadily for awhile but then tapered off again. The front we've been waiting for isn't supposed to come through until tonight or tomorrow morning. We don't think we dragged anchor last night but if we did, it wasn't by very much.
We started our day by calling our children. It was wonderful to hear their voices and learn that Michelle (daughter) and James (son) were spending it together with Stephanie and her family (James' girlfriend). Kyle (son), a fireman, was still at work but we were able to speak with Veronica (who's expecting our 3rd grandbaby) and Valerie (our 1st grandchild). Valerie was very excited about getting her ears pierced. Alayna (our 2nd grandchild) was still asleep. Veronica said that the pregnancy was going well but that she was tired from chasing after the other two. We weren't able to find April (daughter), a graduate student, so we'll send her an e-mail as well as my parents (who just moved to Texas). Robbie, Dale's sister, didn't pick up the phone so we figure that she and her family are in Oregon for Christmas. We also spoke with our friends, Fred & Geri and Gerry & Nicky. Now that we've used our allotment of satellite minutes for the next 5 months, I feel better.
The rest of the day was pretty quiet. I started re-reading the guide to the Turks and Caicos, the next country we're visiting. It's a small country that most cruisers just check in, pass across their banks, then check out as they continue on their way to Luperon in the Dominican Republic. I'd like to spend a couple of days there visiting their land and sea parks. Elaine (from Doc-No-More) agreed with me (or perhaps she was looking for me to validate her argument to Roger) that it would be nice to spend some time there as well. Rick & Connie (from Calaloo) however, would like to bypass the country totally by making another overnight trip around the island nation, anchoring on the banks, then continuing on to Luperon. Regardless of what the final decision is, no one is moving until Tuesday, after the front moves through and the wind and waves quiet down.
In the meantime, Doc-No-More's has been having a problem with vibration loosening a screw that holds a brush in place on their generator. Dale's soldered a broken wire for them a couple of times and came up with an idea to perhaps alleviate some of the problem, so we visited with them for awhile this afternoon. Unfortunately, neither Dale nor Roger had a longer bolt to use with a locking nut to keep things in place. So he'll just have to keep patching it back together for them until we can get to a place where they can find what they need. Dale said that he didn't know who was happier when he fixed it this last time, Roger or Elaine.
Tonight, with some lightening on the horizon, we've let out an extra length of anchor chain to help hold us in place. We've done all that we can to secure ourselves and don't anticipate any problems but when you're completely surrounded by reef as your only protection, it's hard not to be a little apprehensive when a big blow is coming your way.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)