Virginia to Cuba
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Deltaville, Virginia to Havana, Cuba via Florida
Keys The new sat phone shows up, installed and works but now we have missed our weather window and we are stuck waiting in Deltaville, Virginia. So, yet another “last” trip to the supermarket for fresh stuff. Hitching into town, we get picked up by a lady called Thyra (sp?) whose opening line is “I’ll take the cute one!” Not sure which one of us she means but I let him sit in the front anyway and I squeeze in the back with the concrete corgis – don’t ask! She’s heading in to town to the docs so drops us at Wal-Mart and collect us afterwards – “just call me!” It was great to be back in a good supermarket even if I had forgotten to bring the bloody list! What nice people there are around in US. But it’s too cold – we have to go! One classic Mr G comment happened while we were here- “What are your feelings re what you want for dinner, darling?” “I don’t have any feelings!” I rest my case!
We bumped aground a couple of times leaving Deltaville at last, originally with the intention of heading out East and then South to Virgin Islands. However, as ever, the weather has alternative plans and we decide that discretion is the better part of valour and we head south to Beaufort NC instead. Had a lovely couple of days there, where it’s a lot warmer than Deltaville, reviving. Stopped at a fishmongers to get some tips on how to cook conch. Apparently the trick is to put them in the freezer for 24 hours so the “black stuff” drops out easily and then cut them down the middle (middle??), take out the gut and chop ‘em up. Then just cook ‘em – so easy, don’t know why I didn’t think of it before. Nice guy even offered to lend us his pick-up to go to the supermarket. They are genuinely nice people here too. Met up with David and Lynn on “Moonbeam of Argyll” who we last saw overtaking us in the ICW last June while we were travelling with “Emma” Had a chat with them re the weather and life. They are waiting for a weather window too. By the time we are out of the channel, on a lovely peaceful morning with both of us bright eyed and bushy tailed, we have decided not to go to St Croix but have opted for Fort Lauderdale instead. For various reasons, including the fact that’s it’s a 5-day passage instead of 10, we're not sure my inflamed gum is going to need attention and the outboard engine needs major repair. Lovely sail all day, till evening when the wind got up to 35kts at times, sea was horrible and again, what am I doing here! The
worst night ever! We were hove to for 8 hours and just stayed below waiting it
out with the proximity alarm on. The next day though, the wind moderated a lot
and the sea is gradually calming down.
By the time my shift started, the sea is flat, the sun’s
showing a fab red glow over blue-black sea and there are dolphins playing around
the bow. Wouldn’t believe we were in the same bit of water as a couple of days
ago. We still think we will get to Ft Lauderdale in a couple of days but the wind’s from the south and that’s the direction we are heading! However, south wind = warm breezes and sunshine. Hurrah! The sun’s out, socks are off and all’s well with the world. There was a brief moment, in the early hours of the next morning, when the wind came in from the wrong direction so we decided to tack out for a few hours while Mike got some kip and then tack again when he woke. Shame because we were doing so well but speed 2.4kts as the currents against us. Finally, arrived Ft Lauderdale and picked up a mooring. Rum and scotch complete the day. We
tracked down a Honda repair guy and took a cab with the broken outboard and we get the quote of $350 plus tax
for the repair. Resign ourselves to the cost and hire a car to pick it up later
in the week. Managed to have lunch at the Cheesecake Factory again, as we had
with Hannah & Will (and Henry) in April – pulled pork sandwich, massive and
delicious and a margarita for me, fish and chips and coke for him.
Half-destroyed Pulled Pork and margarita How the
really rich show off in Ft Lauderdale! Then did a run past “The Coopers” house on Fiesta Way to check out their Xmas decs (against Mr Grumpy’s wishes) but so glad we did!
Eric (tattoo boy) from the Honda repair shop is under pressure as we’d asked them to guarantee the price but, together with a new contact switch, the outboard sounds and looks brand new. Fully stocked, clean and we are ready to go first thing tomorrow. Sailed slow in order to get to Marathon in the Keys in daylight. Contacted a boat on the VHF who said we could get in easily and that the bridge didn’t have opening hours as it had been removed. We have a very old pilot book!
Roadbridge joining all the Florida keys to Key West and even more of it at sunset
Left Marathon for Cuba but managed to hook up a lobster pot, initially round the prop that Mike dove down to clear. Set off again and realised we were still attached to it somehow! Sails down again, not daring to turn the engine on in case we fouled the rope and Mr Bond dives again with my sharpest kitchen knife to free it, this time it was wrapped round the rudder! After that we sped up somewhat. Early morning off Havana looking for the entrance to Hemingway marina and trying to raise the marina on the VHF to ask them whether the entrance was passable. Bloke gave directions in excellent English and I called the depths as Mike took her in. Kept my eyes on the depth sounder, so missed the really hairy entrance through the reef. Looking back over our path afterwards, I was glad I hadn’t had time to watch us going through! At one point, Mike said, “there’s no turning back now!” Once through, it’s calm and warm (if overcast) and we tie up with help at the Guarda office. There, all lined up, are the doctor, immigration, customs and the agriculture reps. Reminded me of the kids song “In came the lady with the alligator purse!” First came the doctor to check we were well enough to enter. Nice man, looked at our medicine box. Then agriculture, 2 guys, more forms looked at the veg and the fridge and, on departing, asked for a tip. We decided on $5, he wasn’t happy – “only $5?” – “yes, we’re poor” – thought afterwards we should have taken it back if he wasn’t happy with it! Next guy, don’t know who he represented, but he had a lovely spaniel with him who he said was loco. Dog sniffed around, obviously found nothing. Bloke opened drawers looked at charger wires. Finished his job and muttered to Mike about a present. Mike offered him cigarettes (left over from baksheesh in North Africa, so probably off by now!), they were declined, did we have any money? No, sorry. What about one of the charger wires then? No way! Finally, 2 guys from Customs with 3 different forms to fill in between them. They both looked around the boat, having asked us to follow them so we witnessed they weren’t taking anything. One asked if we had any coffee, offered him our instant, he thought that was funny and declined. All the “presents” we were told to buy have, so far, proved useless but will probably come into their own once we get into the boonies. The immigration lady didn’t bother to come on board – just took our passports and reappeared later with our visas tucked inside them. No stamps in our passports, so we wont be hassled next time we hit the USA!
We were then given directions to our berth and met on the quay by the marina manager on a pushbike who indicated the tight spot he wanted us in (odd, seeing as most of the marina is empty!), came on board with yet another form, gave us lots of cheery info – like there was hot water in the showers. Finished with that, when we came to leave, if we wanted to give a tip for the excellent service we received then he would be pleased to accept it! Mike went for a shower – there’s no hot water! There’s a hot water tank but the wires to it are not connected! He also recommended the “China Restaurant” at the end of the quay beside his office as the “best restaurant in Havana”. Hmmmm! So far, nothing that happened is anything like other peoples experiences we have read about, apart from the number of people who have to come aboard. Having said that, all of them were pleasant, very welcoming, and had, at worst, passable English. Many had good English. All knew more English than we know Spanish! Unfortunately, the hotel on the next quay plays music loud from 10am till…….! Then an endless trawl round looking for Internet finally landing back at same hotel we had started at, that has Internet but today it’s broken! (Mumbles of “I told you so” issue from me!) So for reward, we stop at the Yacht Club for beers and ice cream! Back on board idling the day away. The weather is better thank goodness.
Cuba, so far, a cross between “Grease” and Romania! RT in Hemingway Marina with her new awning and Marina electrics – funny the guy seemed hurt when we declined his elec connection! Met an American in the ice-cream bar from clapped old boat called Cheeseburger. Did we want any lobster and prawns? Silly question. We had just come back from walking miles to Customs office so he borrowed our bag and set off walking to next village. Returned an hour or so later with 6 lobster and 2 kilos of prawns for about £12 which we filled the freezer with and had 2 delish lobsters for supper. Finally a weather window appears but it takes an hour to leave the marina because several more forms had to be filled in and stamps glued onto them! Sniffer dog had to do his thing again, left them a list of where we are planning on heading to next and we were cleared to go. Bit hairy getting out of the channel but we made it. Heading West to round the end of the island to head to Cienfuegos. Horrible seas but strong winds had us averaging nearly 7 kts overall. |
In Marathon lagoon, Mike
inflated the dinghy and put all the awnings up as we thought we would venture
ashore and have a look around. He then worked out that we didn’t have enough
time to explore and go to Key West as our weather window to Cuba would be lost
if we explored the Dry Tortugas, so he deflated the dinghy, took down the
awnings so we were ready to set off the next morning!
