Thursday 7

I did not sleep well, despite being on the dock.  A boat came in that I knew from the Rio, not a guy I can say I ever liked the look of and here was no exception. He kicked off over the noise one of the boats was making, talking to fishermen.  Then his stern rope chafed through and they were not even aware of it and the noise their boat was making.  He was too drunk and the other boat sorted his rope.  In the morning they left at first light.  Something we all wanted to do, but there were Cuban formalities, did he pay the dock fee and get his cruising permit the night before and not leave?  He has been cruising the Caribbean for many years and should know the drill.  There had been a small sport fisher boat which kept motoring around, evidently this was the Coastguard.  I was told they went to sort him out, it would be interesting to know what happened.

I was on the dock and had to pay full fee, I had two boats rafted up next to me and they got a discount.  I said I should get a discount for having two boats tramp over mine to get to the dock and I was told that was my fault I should have said no!   I was not impressed and told the PR lady that it was bad PR.

Kodo and I had our cruising permits from the Port Captain and we were supposed to leave immediately.  Kodo were on the outside, but the 60 foot boat in the middle was trapping me.  They announced they were going to get breakfast in the restaurant and then they would leave.  I could not wait, I was already short of time because of the cruising permit and paying for the dock.  I asked the people on another boat if they would help me and the owner came back while we undid his lines to let me back out and then tie him up again. 

I did reasonably well, but the wind picked up East 15 plus Knots, too much for me to motor into so I sailed along the due East section of coast.  I had to tack out to get the angle and I did not quite go far enough so it was a bit tight nearing the point.  Corners have a tendency to get confused seas, so I put the motor on for the last few miles until I was passed, but it was slow and uncomfortable.

After the corner I put the sails back up and romped along at over 5 knots a lot of the time.  Kodo and Xanadu had anchored at Maria la Gorda.  This used to be the check in for the SW Cuba, but it took the officials 5 hours to get there so they closed it.  I did not arrive until 7.30 and it was dark with no moon.  I headed for the shore lights as the anchorage was off the resort.  I spotted a mast light and headed fo that, I had failed to get Kodo on the radio for a GPS position.  I was about ¼ mile out when Kodo came out to meet me in their dinghy.  They had been ashore, you have to check in with the Garda everywhere you stop and they had told them that I would be arriving late, so I will not have to go in tonight, but tomorrow they will want to come and inspect the boat before I can leave.