After splashing Meshugga, Nicholas and I left Varadero and sailed round the western end of Cuba to the south coast to Cienfuegos. The trip was not great, with almost no wind at first and we had to motor sail. Once the wind came up, no sooner were we round the western end, that it veered directly east (the way we wanted to go), and had us pounding into steep waves and having to sail close hauled. The wind continued to pick up, and seas mount, and we decided to take a break and protect Meshugga and headed up into Bahia de Corrientes to Maria le Gorda, where we spent a lovely day in perfectly flat conditions, on a mooring buoy of the only local hotel, enjoying cold Cristals at their beach bar. Excellent clarity of water, we could see the sea bed at 8 meters where we were moored.

The wind abated and we left the following day to Cienfuegos where Connor and Genné joined us.