Hopefully weather permitting we should be sailing into Dominic Republic
sometime tomorrow,we first sail past the coast of Haiti,amazingly despite
starting with some strong winds,storms and seas we have in the last 36 hours
had  favorable winds which at first were taking us back towards the Caymans
and Jamaica! but then right on course.

We are currently in the straights between Cuba and Haiti.

We checked in and out of Cay Largo, the officials took practically 24 Hours
to deal with check in and out.

The procedure for checking in.

First we radio in to say we are coming this at least meant the authorities were ready and waiting.

They are most courteous and polite.

First the Doctor who looks us up and down charges us 25 of the Cuban Convertible Peso (CCP),and gives us an OK certificate.

Then the Man from the ministry of Agriculture, to check what we are bringing in Birgitte is so good at smooth talking him particularly when he tells her the US has mad cows Disease, and she has the cheek to tell him the only mad cow on the boat is Capt, Chakamak!Ant way the diversion worked he overlooked to look into the freezer.(Having been to Cuba before we knew not to bring any chicken on the bone nor eggs), we now learn they are worried about beef;he seemed to accept that if we were not taking it off the yacht and eating it for own consumption it would be OK.

Then man with sniffer dog for explosives,we gave the dog socks, (to avoid dirt and scratching! which kept coming off!! we gave up in the end.

Then man with another dog to check for drugs!

Then Immigration, and Yacht permit official,followed by a guy to search the yacht.

Having checked all the passports etc, it is interesting that we had to wait 2 hours for the checking of all the passports for departure, such are the ways in these parts of the world.I know it will not be any simpler in DR, although they don't have the dogs, they do have plenty of officials who's income depend on us visiting yachts.GOOD TO KNOW WE CAN HELP IN SOME WAY!

The main thing being we managed to check out
and still have permission to stay within the 12 mile territorial waters and
take up an anchorage should we need this, we also managed to top up our
diesel which was surprisingly clean; the fuel we had even with the top up
i.e. full tank of 650 Liters, was only just going to be enough to get us to
Dominic Republic.

With the favorable winds we have had we still have aprox 400 Liters of Fuel
sufficient to get us to DR without having to stop at Haiti

With calm seas and the sun about to come up a light breeze of 7Knots and
speed over ground of 4 knots (with a half knot current against) one soon
forgets the battering we were getting sailing into the wind and heading
totally off course 3 days ago!

Bad weather is forecast for Thursday (Tomorrow) hope we can make it to DR,
before it gets to bouncy!

MORE LATER OFF TO SEE THE SUN RISE