21 38 .5N 079 53.54W CAYO BLANCO
Around the world with the Aqualunies
Jonathan & Gabrielle Lyne
Fri 12 Apr 2019 14:26
We arrived having picked our way through the reef until we got to the dredged channel and came into the port, we knew the marina was far too shallow for us to go in so made plans to anchor, in a good sheltered anchorage just outside it and out of the channel. First we had to clear in, as with every port of call with the Garda, so we went into the basin and called them up, no answer. Eventually we got somebody jabbering so fast in Spanish it was impossible to understand, then they played a recorded message in English, but non of it made sense. We decided to go back down to the anchorage we planned to leave the boat in and call them up again, but as we were heading for it the VHF called out ‘Aqualuna Stop!!’ so we slowed down to find a boat with the Garda in it chasing us. They said we could not go in the marina as it was too shallow for us, we had already figured that out, but we were told we could not anchor outside and had to leave!! This meant another six hour sail to Cienfuegos, they would not even come on board and give us another dispatcho to this port. Consequently we decided that we did not want to arrive in Cienfuegos in the dark so went back 5 miles to anchor off a little Cayo called Blanco. One other small French yacht was there as well. We dropped anchor in a sandy patch in 1.5 metres of water under the keel. We launched the dingy and went ashore as it looked as though there was a resort there and we also needed to stretch our legs with a walk on the beach. There was one man in charge there he said we could look around, it was empty, just a restaurant and lots of sun-beds on the beach and palm umbrellas, after a walk, swim and relax and reading on the beach, we asked him if there was a possibility of having dinner ashore he said yes BBQed lobster, etc. We went back to the yacht via a fishing boat and bought a large King Mackerel off the men, which Jonathan made into steaks to go in the freezer. We were the only ones on the island for supper which was lovely, it is a tiny tropical island that has day trippers over from the mainland for lunches and swimming. We gave the waiter/cook/guy in charge a T shirt and some soap, Soap is always being asked for here. Supper was not brilliant, very dry lobster, tinned vegetables, and chip potatoes. Slices of pineapple to finish.
Back to the yacht and a good nights sleep. Awoke to grey weather but it is slowly burning off and we are now on our way to CIENFUEGOS. We just hope the Garda understand why we do not have a ‘dispatcho’ for that marina. We are discovering that you can not anchor outside marinas as the garda are terrified that somebody may board our yacht and escape Cuba!!