18 06.1N 073 41.7W ISLE A VACHE, HAITI
Around the world with the Aqualunies
Jonathan & Gabrielle Lyne
Tue 2 Apr 2019 11:32
We had a good sail with about 15 knots of wind until it dropped late afternoon, after that it was motor sailing. I did the 10 - 2 am night watch and Jonathan the 2 - 6 AM watch, then we were both up to sail through the reefs as we came into Isle a Vache. As we were sailing in there were many small traditional sailing boats out fishing, it is a design that has been used for centuries, no motor just a huge amount of canvas and a board that the sailor goes out on to balance the boat. The larger ones also carry cargo and passengers to other islands and the mainland.
As we came inside the reef we were met by dozens of dug out canoes with young men desperate for anything we could give them. The port officer, Cadet Luxar, arrived on board and we had a bit of form filling to do. Meanwhile more canoes arrived hanging off the side of Aqualuna to the point where we came quite concerned about the damage to her sides so we had to ask them to keep off. We asked the port officer how we should deal with this influx and he said give jobs to the first ones that met you smile sweetly at the others and say you don’t have anything to give them. We gave the job of cleaning the stainless steel and polishing the side of the boat to Winson and his mate Bernard, they spent all day on the boat and did a very good job. The port officer asked us if we had any snorkelling gear we could give him so we said we would look some out and to come back this afternoon. Meanwhile I gave some iPhone ear plugs to one chap, a charger to another, shampoo to another. I felt we were ill prepared for such an influx of begging and wish I had known and come with more things to give away such as paper and pencils for the school and T shirts. We have some T shirts but they are for Cuba.
We pottered up to what was the hotel late morning to see if we could pick up wifi but the hotel was closed, run down and no electricity. We walked around the village in the late afternoon, It was filthy plastic everywhere just thrown, the beach stank and there appeared to be no care of the village at all. This was such a shame as we were told in the cruising guide how beautiful the bay (Morgan’s Bay) was it is such a shame as it could be stunning. The village is very poor, but the people are lovely and full of smiles and on the whole honest, except for one chap who came over asking for snorkelling gear pretending to be the port officer…….. This is all my opinion and first impression, yet near us there is a catamaran with a couple and young child on board and they have been here for 20 days and love it. I guess if you just ignore the rubbish and smell it is a tropical paradise with lovely people.
Photos to follow once we have found good wifi and not sending via iridium.