It was time to move West to Cienfuegos, spending three weeks in the Jardin de la Reine, hundreds of small Coral Cays in a vast area of shallow water,  on the way.

It turned out to be the best sailing we have had in years.  Trade winds in completely protected water with no waves. I have enjoyed sailing without feeling ill. I now understand the joy of the sport! Still it won’t last as we will soon get back into the open sea.

It has been an amazing experience snorkelling in crystal clear water with incredible underwater coral and garden with such variety of brilliantly coloured fishes.  

                     Such clear waters that one sees crabs even under 6 inches of water....

One  morning we left an Island                  In the afternoon we had an

 With the most amazing sunrise                  equally beautiful sunset

We have moored in completed deserted Islands where birds have been our only neighbours.

Even the Darby and Joan club              In Rota, Spain we anchored our

Finds deserted Islands                           our brolleys with plastic bags

                                                              Full of sand but here we use

                                                              Empty Conch shells

On our deserted Islands we                  Crocs make wonderful water wings

Wear our sarongs on our heads

In case someone turns up....

Lobsters courtesy of Witte Raaf, They run out of smokes so we swap this

 Pack (which we had for fishermen) for this beauty.  That evening we had Lobster Thermidor!

Witte Raaf rescued a small Cuban fishing boat, whose Perkins engine had broken down. The crew had been rowing all day in extreme heat. We used our Iridium to call the rescue services to no avail but eventually we alerted the Caribbean Emergency net on shortwave radio, who in turn alerted their local home port. The Captain was an Obstetrician, no doubt trying to supplement his income. For our help we were given 10 lobster tails. Cubans are forbidden to fish (unless licensed) and eat lobsters, only tourists are allowed, so much for social equality! 

We heard later that they had been safely rescued.

We were lying on a beach all alone when Chris heard a slight noise. He noticed to his right an Iguana eyeing him. He seemed totally unfazed by us, we talked to him and after a while he took fancy to my bikini bottom drying on a twig. He tried to eat the beads and decided to take off with it. Chris has to chase him to get them back. It was such a hoot...

  He took off with my bikini bottom...

The last Island we stopped before Cienfuegos was Cayos Machos de Fuera, where supposedly hundred of Flamingos fly to. We did not see one, instead we found many Iguanas. It should have been christened Iguana Island. 

Sadly it is time to leave this picture postcard paradise.................