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February - May 2003     Again underway to Cuba !!
Now starting in Venezuela and sailing counterclockwise around the Caribbean , visiting 22 islands.

 

January 2003 - FIRST we brought 10 tons of original Trinidad brewed Coca Cola (that brown gassy refreshing drink) to a thirsty Venezuela that was paralyzed because of the strike against her President Hugo Chavez. And when Monsoon was loaded till the saltwater porthole marks we were doing 12 knots under power, probably because of a bit longer waterline.





The first island we landed on (and landed the bike as well) was Grenada, just a day sailing north of Trinidad, close hauled in a very strong northeasterly trade wind. Few technical problems after the one year refit got solved under way. We anchored in Prickley Bay and later in Mount Hartman bay. A bit of hassle to handle the 400 kilogram motorbike but after a while you get used to it. Its part of the job. Fun to go over the mountains with my new so called mountain bike with 21 gears, and on a steep slope even better walk with the bike on hand.
In Feb. 2003 we left Trinidad and started a cruise with the Forwoods, an Australian couple that wanted to visit all countries of the world with their Harley Davidson motorbike, so they had to visit the Caribbean islands as far as these are independent countries. We met them in Varadero Caribe in Cumana. Leaving Trinidad on Feb. the 8th we sailed towards the first target in the Eastern Caribbean, the so called Windward islands, on our planned way to Cuba with approx fourteen countries to visit along the line.
From Grenada another day north into the same strong winds, visiting the smugglers island called Petit Martinique (check the prices!) and Petit St Vincent (an expensive holiday island of just one square mile), were my holiday started as I went snorkeling, played in the sea with a small turtle that I even could pick up. Very sweet! We were now in the hart of the famous Grenadines, and saw a few nice yachts, nearly as good as Monsoon. Clearing into Union Island (St. Vincent), where we spend some extra days waiting for the weather to get better. Saw a Venezuelan fishing boat called Edith, selling 25 tons of PDVSA diesel which they buy in VEN for local price plus a bit tip. I was a bit jealous. Further, the local weather forecast : "Three days before until three days after the full moon was said to be very rough." They were right. Important for us because we had to go to in a difficult direction to the next country Barbados.
Barbados, 110 nautical miles to the north east , exactly nose in the wind, and 3 to 4 meter seas, waves a bit higher than between Aruba and Curacao on a rough day, but Atlantic waves are a bit longer and therefore a bit more friendly. So... good old Monsoon did it again, when it was indeed a bit calmer and we happily arrived in this, like Aruba styled, tourism center. Everybody happy??? Than cheer all together: Yeah!! ... We have seen this before. The best of this island was that they catch lots of flying fishes with nets and sell them on the market. The local ladies clean them very nice. (a thousand a day pp). Monsoon cooking tip: olive oil in the pan with onions and tomatoes and the fishes ON TOP of this, after a little while to turn the fishes. ( Low fire and lid on the pot!) Yeah, kapi Jan has to cook for himself. Next to the thousands of flying fishes you see hundreds of Dorado's , the yellow/blue flying fish hunter, on the market in Barbados. I prefer the flying ones to eat, by far! By the way, pity for you guys, that you missed this. (serious)
OK, a pleasant nightly 100 nm reach brought us to next island called Saint Lucia.
I made a flawless midnight moonshine gibe in 20knts without even disrupting the sleep of the crew. And sailed early morning into Lucia's Rodney Bay. The Lucians do what they can to make it pleasant for their visitors. Here I heard the Macarena again on a charter boat, luckily from far enough and first time since three years ago in Aruba. Happily enjoyed the Lucia traditional Friday night street party with Paul, captain of the Teldoi (?), the 35 meter long floating coffin, that was show time! patched up (which means that it appeared to be more like a movie) in Varadero Caribe Cumana when we were there hauled out in May 2002. On their way to London and making a bit of water, not with the water maker, crew run off in Martinique. Paul stayed and takes care of the old lady in Lucia, mostly busy trying to survive the weekends. Life is hard for lonesome captains. Found local goat meat in the super and made me the Cretan traditional dish called: katsikaki me rizi. Recipe available on request.
The 5th of March, after a bit difficult start of early morning snorkeling in muddy 5 mtr deep water, chance less searching for the 27th pair of sunglasses that I had lost over the Monsoon railing, after that, we had a TRUE GLORIOUS 10knts .... 10.5knts .... 10.9 knts beam reach to the French island Martinique. That speed lasted for over an hour and I was proud, can you imagine. We anchored in Fort of France (capital with indeed a huge stone fort) and got direct after arrival, even without clearing customs and immigration, indulged in the local yearly carnival grande parade with Stella Artois, and lots of old and extremely noisy cars, with a bunch jumping boys/girls on top. Aruba and Trinidad do a bit sweeter parade, with old ugly women camouflaged in flowers and colors.
Met our friend Wolf with the Varadero secretary and vessel WolfOcean, the super clean floating caravan. He was happy in Martinique, where he felt more basic human rights since the BIG EUROPE became ONE, and since he was away from bribes and anarchy like in Venezuela. I believe I lost my homeland appreciation for ever after being an unwanted stranger for so many years in Aruba where they use Dutch passports and language. Having real human rights in the country where you live might make you feel more comfortable. I must have forgotten this. I'm making my boat and my boat life comfortable. Have a new favorite lady singer and unfortunately she remains to stay only on CD, Cesaria Evora in portuguese, pleasant, mature, relaxed, wonderful.
Martinique: Inhabitants of this 100% french province all have the same rights as the french in France. You can feel it all around, its more relaxed than on the other Caribbean islands where their black fellow brothers try to emotional recover from slavery in their around 40 year old cripple democracies.
Well, life goes on. And I was in France. Bagette (stokbrood), Camenbert and red Bourgogne, Got a bit drunk with a bottle and tried singing with a loud Tom Waits at cd.
Could buy in FoF and without a licence a .22 riffle for a thousand dollars, which is a firearm and gives extra hassle and paperwork when entering countries with Monsoon, so I hesitated and bought some pepper spray and similar gel to fight off unwanted intruders in the future, where ? God knows. It will go in my collection of defense weapons, where I have kitchen knives, flare guns, spear guns, molotov cocktails and muriatic acid cocktails. You must know that during nightly Venezuelan, Colombian and Haitian coastal solo sailing you could feel a bit vulnerable, so you have to make yourself, once more, a bit comfortable. The 8th of March we sailed to a northern village of Martinique, called Pierre. You could feel the boring atmosphere similar like in these half desolated villages in France. Zero wind in the bay at night, and we made a 360 on anchor.
The 9th we sailed 50 nm to the next country: Dominica.
A 20 volcano rainforest/mountainous friendly low populated island, which is for us coming from the south , the first island in the chain of the so called LEEWARD CARIBBEAN ISLANDS. And indeed, its not as windy anymore as like in the WINDWARDS, where breaking waves run after you like barking dogs. Real satisfying that I can watch them from so close and like an addict I can't stop focusing on that transparent sea green wave tops that make you forget the women in the ports.
So we were in Dominica and here the Monsoon is gently riding at only ONE anchor in the bay of the small northwestern town Portsmouth, together with a dozen visiting yachts. And in between us, the local black boys buzzing in their fancy colored super light and super fast small plywood speedboats, asking you: Cap, want some fresh bread ? Cap, want a jungle tour on the INDIAN River? Need a restaurant tonight? Cap, what about some fresh fruits. Yeah, some local fruits, would be great! Not too ripe! The village shoreline is covered with rusty wrecks of freighters and tugboats, each of them swept onto the beach by another hurricane. I know we have to be south of 12 degrees north by the end of June, so plenty of time to do Cuba.
Forwoodharley is driving around the island trying to find more big big juicy grapefruits, and Cap is prepping Monsoon for the new expected visitor, mr Bob from USA, who will come join us in Antigua on the 14th of March. Well.. Tired and sweaty of that hard work I wanted to jump in the sea at the same moment spotting a big big dolphin circling close around monsoon. so better no swim, some are used to humans, other same friendly dolphins could want to give you a push with that hard snout, broken rib, trough mi hart, no thanks.
Met again friends, now of 40ft dutch Joshua sailing into the bay on their way to St Martin. Young family with 1 and 3 yr kids on a fast trip A'dam to Grenada, vice versa. World is really small.
We do not want to sail in the night, because you do not see too much, and get tired so have to sleep next day again, so.. we make two night stops on the way to Antigua. First in a french island called Saintes, an incredibly noisy tourist hole with too many cruise liners and more rental scooters than inhabitants. Second stop on the north west point of Guadeloupe. Then cross over to Antigua, raced with a 50 ft fiberglass boat, in 25 knots and 3 mtr seas nobody beats Monsoon upwind. And how fantastic, second time in my life I see whales, there were two, sneezing and puffing 75 mtr away. First time was in 1993, Bahia Balena, Mexico, Pacific side. As you can count, you do not meet whales that often. To make the scenery complete we got on the background the fat smoking volcano of the UK island Montserrat, worlds most active volcano since 1995. With a capital where only the church tower sticks up above the lava ash. So after a few days in caribbean's most important yachting center of English and Falmouth Harbor Antigua, we sailed straight back to see that volcano from close, but now it was asleep because it cannot work always. We slept the night quietly in the bay at the safe side of the volcano crater.
Next day no wind and under motor to NEVIS (is a country together with Saint Kitts). Finally caught the first fish (baracuda) trawling my self-made primitive but cheap lures. We nearly did not do fishing at all the last months mostly because sailed too fast to trawl a lure. Cleared into Nevis 20th march. Friendly and relaxed 10.000 mostly black person island with a mountain in the middle and a flat coastline.
Cleared into USA on the island St Croix, the most quiet island of the US Virgins (St Thomas + St Johns). All of us had a valid visa for the USA, a very strict requirement to get by private yacht into the USA. We were told that fines can run up to US$ 3000 pp if you do not bring your thing. Well well, we were there (USA) again and I cannot say I was too glad with that overorganised culture after a few years of anarchy and malfunctioning in the southern and eastern Caribbean.
Visited the puerto rican island Viequez where the handful inhabitants were glad that US military has decided not anymore use the island for bombing exercises. The whole island will turn into protected nature. Which is always nice.

Proceeded to Salinas in the middle of the south coast of Puerto Rico. Checked out a hurricane hole and programmed the way points in the GPS, (you never know, gods decisions are unpredictable, like the captain's). Stayed the night in a very shallow bay with big sea cows around the boat. The plan had risen to stay a few weeks in PR and do some extra work on the boat. So took the bicycle and checked out the small town. Salinas was a bit nothing, but Ponce seemed to be good to work and turned out to be great.
From now on this report will be illustrated with photos,
because of the NEW digital camera, enjoy!!

PONCE / PUERTO RICO

Decided to stay till 24th april in Ponce PR, 15 nmiles west of Salinas. Turned out to be the right choice and had a lot done there. The Association de Pescadores was very friendly, in fact all over everybody was cooperative and pleasant to deal with. First see above picture with my new digital, of that scenery for those three weeks. A bit right of the middle you find the pink watchtower and than to the right the fishing club in the orange building. From the tower all the way down the malecon towards the left see the music and snack places with their loud and good nightlife music. To the far right the beginning of the Ponce Yacht club, which is a bit useless expensive for us. Although this Ponce is the second biggest city of Puerto Rico, with over 150 thousand people, its a clean and natural place. No oil spills, no garbage, beautiful double rainbows,(It was a bit rainy during those weeks:5 inch/hr) Nice sunsets and last but not least, the puerto ricans are very positive latino. Len & Else came over from Aruba to have a few weeks holiday and sailed with me to Jamaica. (left)

rain dinghy filled up
which is special for me coming from desert places like Aruba and Paraguana (para agua nada)

click in picture to enlarge

Ponce / Puerto Rico
to Luperon in DOMinican REPublic.

(click any picture to enlarge)

Very peaceful and pleasant 300 nautmile crossing with genneker up night and day. Else has watch and spotted the freighters and cap tries to teach Len make omelet, but Len is a very stubborn boy. Had traumatic fishing with new 50$ lures and zero catch. But we have seen most amazing dolphin circus in history. (see photo)

CLICK ANY PICTURE TO ENLARGE

Luperon / Dominican Republic
to Great Inagua / Bahamas

click any picture to enlarge

Following the agreement with the motorbike owners, we loaded them again in Luperon, a dirty small village at the northern coast. Set sail to Great Inagua, Bahamas. Recovered 100% from our fishing traumas. Our first strike we even have a small baby girl mahi mahi, but we lost from the hook. Second hit was something much bigger. Len and myself were absolutely desperate. We had lost that little dorade trying to bring on board, how in the world we are going to bring this BIG thing on board. The fishes get wilder closer to the boat. So I jumped overboard with my new Mares spear gun and needed one shot. We pulled it up to the deck. It was a 17 kilo yellow fin tuna, which was very welcome. Sashimi, tuna steak, tuna curry. Easy.

Bahamas, another place to pass by, next time.

Great Inagua, 1000 inhabitants of which 300 produce a million ton sea salt per year. A few boats, a zillion mosquitoes. We left after Harley did its thing and sailed to Jamaica. YES !!!

If you want to see the above inserted pictures bigger than click in them.

 


Below see our beloved Else and Len leaving at Kingston airport
and next picture showing pirate Eroll Flynn passing his mansion on
Navy Island, Port Antonio/Jamaica.

Cuba, here we come !!!
click any picture to enlarge

11 th may 2003

After 3 months cruise with the Harleys
and visit approx 20 islands
finally we reach destination CUBA.

By the 13th all paperwork is done and Harley and Monsoon are free to go their own way.

Its nice to be back here in Cuba, some people recognize us from before, Cuba is different.

Pictures right up:
The marina of Punta Gorda / Santiago de Cuba with their pleasant service

middle: at the entry of the bahia, the old castle called El Morro de Santiago.

right: 100 miles away from any land suddenly thousands of butterflies land on Monsoon. Dolphins and butterflies bring you luck, so we are loaded again with good luck.

Left:
the famous Harley motorbike that had to visit all these Caribbean Islands.

 

 

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