Passage to the BAHAMAS: Second Leg

I cannot recall if I ever admitted that I like the BEING  in a variety of tropical paradise settings rather than the GETTING THERE part.  We have a huge, colorful chart of our chosen cruising ground on the wall in our salon.  It shows the area as far north as the Yucatan Peninsula over to Florida and the Bahamas, as far east as Barbados, as far south as Trinidad and the South American coast over to Panama,  and as far west as the countries along the coast of Central America.

When you look at THAT chart, the Bahamas don't look that far away.  But believe me- with every additional leg of this journey- they ARE really, REALLY FAR AWAY.

There was barely a breeze when we set sail in the morning after our restful night at Big Sand Cay in the southeastern Turks and Caicos. So we whisker-poled the head sail. Unfortunately,  the main sail blocked what little wind there was from filling the head sail. We changed tactics, then,  and arranged the sails to fly wing-and-wing.  For a very short time, this appeared to slightly enhance our speed...until the wind was reduced to a whisper.  Motor ON.

I don't motoring although I know that it is necessary at times.  The hum of the engine is not as loud as a speed boat, but I still dislike that it destroys the solitude for which sailboats were designed.

So we begin motoring through Whale Cut, a charted shortcut across the Caicos Bank.   This cut has much shallower water and our depth meter showed six feet or less for miles.  To complicate matters, a large dark patches on the bottom (possibly a cluster of coral heads) crossed our path repeatedly.  I held my breath every time.   The Captain continued to calmly read his book and didn’t even flinch.

WELCOME TO THE BAHAMAS!  We had studied the guide books and talked to plenty of cruisers with deep-keeled boats who had 'been there, done that.'  We were ready for a baptism by fire.

That afternoon, we finally dropped off the Caicos Bank and into thousands of feet below the keel. The wind picked up to a respectable level and we HAPPILY SAILED through the night and into BAHAMIAN waters. The next morning, we anchored in Abraham's Bay, Mayaguana -Bahamas to rest again.

PASSAGE to the BAHAMAS: First Leg

[Will post pics when connection allows.]

Some miscommunication with the local authorities delayed our departure from Puerto Bahia Marina in Samaná,  DR by two hours.  It was a Monday morning and when they finally showed up for work they were full of smiles and cordial apologies.  We kept our last necessary interaction with them curt, yet polite because we just want to get going.

With the wind and waves on Exit Strategy's nose, it took four hours to motor out of the bay and up around the point of Cabo Samaná.   Near the point we encountered one fisherman after another whose small motor boats bobbed into and out of view in the 7-9 foot ocean swells.  It is inconceivable  the conditions those men toil through on most fays of the week.  We spotted a couple of humpback whales that surfaced without acrobatics within sixty feet of our boat.

[BTW- Our electronic charts indicate that there is a MARINA at Cabo Samaná.  We saw an extraordinarily rough, rocky coast with huge breaking waves there- NOT a likely spot for a marina facility. But we could imagine a boat GRAVEYARD at that location.]

Since the motor was running, Danny turned on the water maker to replenish our fresh water supply.  Sailing conditions were perfect once we clear the turbulent seas around Cabo Samaná,  so the engine and water maker were shut down.  We cruised comfortably averaging around seven knots with a single reef in the main. That night we sailed under a full moon making our watches quite pleasant.

The next morning I woke to that magnificent aroma of freshly brewed coffee and another sunny day in paradise. In hopes of offering the "Catch of the Day" on our dinner menu, I set out a fishing rod.  An hour or so later after no action (from fish) it was time to change the lure.  When I attempted to rinse the salt water from the  first lure at the sink, no water came out of the tap.  I checked the water tank monitor and it read "0%" full.  Regretfully,  I informed the Captain.

He went straight to the hot water tank locker and found a broken whale fitting.  (Yes, that's what the Captain says those plumbing connections are called.) To make a long rant short and socially acceptable, he said, " I was waiting for one of those to wear out!"

My immediate thought was, Why don't you just schedule  changes on those connections to avoid flooding the bilge with 55 gallons of good water!!!

Fortunately,  the Captain keeps a huge supply of whale fittings in all shapes that are suitable for Exit Strategy's needs. He set about the repair task and, as luck would have it, a short while later the wind died.  The engine and the water maker were fired up again.

That afternoon we anchored off of Big Sand Cay (aptly named as there is nothing else there) in the Turks and Caicos to rest for the night.   We ate supper- without any "Catch of the Day"- AFTER thoroughly sopping and sucking up most of the water from the bilge.  I timidly made the suggestion to put this plumbing item on the maintenance schedule.  (Time will tell. )

We're SO glad this didn't happen when guests were on board.  It doesn't bode well when landlubbers see water under the floor boards.

HOLA, SAMANÁ !

Becky, Jeff, Maya, and Genna, Cayo Levantado; Exit Strategy in background.

    The crew of Exit Strategy just completed a week long tour in the Dominican Republic with four guest crewmen, namely our daughter Becky's family. They traveled all day from Kalamazoo, MI and arrived in time for a late supper of Creamy Conch Chowder and Shrimp Spring Rolls on board the vessel.  Afterward, we snuck into the hotel's second floor infinity pool so our grand daughters, Maya and Genna, could have a swim before bed.

Seaside infinity pool at Puerto Bahia Marina.

Examining a sea star 

Day One- We used a slip at Puerto Bahia Marina as a base for our exploration. The first morning was spent lazing around at the seaside infinity pool and snorkeling off the wall.  Sea stars in a variety of shades were scattered along the sea bottom and a few were attached to the wall. While snorkeling, I pointed out a cluster of empty shells to Maya and explained that the spent shells usually indicate that an octopus lives nearby. She immediately screamed and said one had touched her foot.  Oh MY!

Hiking the trail to El Salto de Limon.

                                                                                                                                                                                   

        After lunch we drove northward up and over the mountain ridge to hike to El Salto de Limón, a waterfall and popular tourist attraction of Samaná.  Everyone except Becky and Maya swam in the pool there, but Jeff was the only one of us that was a strong enough to swim behind and under the falls.
        We drove into Santa Barbara de Samaná for dinner and enjoyed the local specialty of Arroz y Pescado Con Coco (Rice and Fish in Coconut Sauce).

Purposeful graffiti in the tourist section of Santa Barbara.

Day Two- The authorities advised us that we couldn't take our boat to go whale watching without a permit, so we took the long way to Caya Levantado and craned our necks for awhile.  Just as we were about to give up, we began seeing a few whales jump out of the water near a tourist boat (that probably had a permit, ha-ha!). I can't include any pictures to prove our sightings because it was difficult to time it right to get a shot. 
        Next we anchored off the sandy shore of Cayo Levantado, a small cay that is also known by the locals as Bacardi Island because a rum commercial was filmed there.
        During the two hour motor-sail to Los Haitises National Park, the Captain was the sole person on duty, as the rest of the crew napped or relaxed watching a movie below deck.  Another cruiser was anchored in the bay when we arrived and radioed us with kind info on the area.  For dinner that night, we gobbled down the Burgers on Excessively Seedy Buns and Becky's Grilled Potato Wedges.

Cayo Levantado Beach

Day Three- Off we dinghied toward the clearing in the mangroves that lead to the larger caves in Los Haitises National Park.  Thankfully, the cruisers we met reminded us to take flashlights, so we were able to observe many paintings done by the Taino Indians hundreds of years ago and watch our step more carefully as we wandered through the various parts of the caves. (Photos were not allowed to be taken inside the caves.) 
        That afternoon, Becky spied a beach across the bay at the point of entry. Being off the tourist track, it was somewhat littered, but our family still ventured along the shore.  We found more sea stars, lots of shell fish, some crabs, coconuts, and JELLYFISH!  But the no-see-ums found Jeff big time, so he stayed in the water up to his neck for the most part.  Genna played with quite a few beached jellyfish blobs without ill effect.  And Maya discovered a note in a bottle on the shore that read, "Whoever finds my treasure will have good luck.  A.B. "  About thirty feet away, the girls found driftwood in the shape of an X and began digging.  The treasure box had over 1,000 pesos and some candy.  What good luck!
        Maya and Genna played "Restaurant" during dinner and acted as waitresses for their Momma and Papa who dined in the cockpit.  The menu included Tropical Juice, Yellow Rice, Cucumber Salad, and Captain Dan's Secret Pan Fried Fish Recipe.


          

 Day Four- We pulled up anchor and again motor-sailed out across the bay.  Along the way, the girls sat on the foredeck with me and tried to teach me some hand clapping games/songs.  We laughed a lot, but I couldn't remember half the lyrics and my hand movements always seemed to be one beat off. Soon we were pulling back into the slip at Puerto Bahia Marina. 
        After lunch, we drove northeastward up and over the mountain to Las Terrenas, a recommended beach area.  The girls were thrilled with the surf and sand, while Papa and Grandpa loved the French pastry shop.  Back on the boat for dinner we savored a new recipe of One Pot Cajun Pasta.

I had no intention of getting all wet, but the surf was powerful.

Day Five- Everyone packed up to leave Samaná in the morning. Then we drove the two and a half hours to Santo Domingo, the capitol city of the Dominican Republic. Once we entered the city limits the traffic got heavier and there appeared to be frequent forks in the road. Thank goodness for GPS! 
         We checked into El Dona Elvira Hotel, a lovely old inn in the historic section of the city. We wandered through El Conde tourist shopping area that was a few blocks away. Then the girls and I had to try out the pool that was just outside their room under a huge mango tree.  In fact, a couple of nearly ripe mangos fell into the courtyard while we were there which we happily retrieved. 
         A few years ago, Jeff became well-acquainted with a Dominican named Jose in Kalamazoo, so Jose insisted that we meet his parents who live in Santo Domingo during the trip.  That evening, Rafael and Fior picked us up and took us to one of their favorite restaurants. BIG SURPRISE!  It was ITALIAN with superbly seasoned dishes that were priced quite affordably.  

One gate to the city near the grand plaza; vendor in foreground.

Twins in the hotel courtyard; pool in background.

Day Six-  Santo Domingo has a rich history, so we decided to hire a guide, Roberto, to take us on a walking tour.  The most interesting tidbits that I gleaned from the tour were: 1. It is said that the local police earn 'onion wages' because when they see their pay, they cry. 2. Historically, the bodies of Dominican heroes were cut in half to safeguard against loosing the hero when shipped back to Spain. 3. An early Spanish missionary priest is credited with starting the first lottery! 

       We had a scant breakfast before leaving and the girls were in favor of the tour only because it promised a stop for something more to eat.  Alas, there were no food stands along the route, but an ice cream vendor caught our eye near the grand plaza, so Becky let us have ICE CREAM for breakfast! 

          Raphael was due to pick us up at 1 AM and take us to his casa for a lunch of REAL DOMINICAN FOOD.  Fior met us at the door and they showed us around their spacious, brightly decorated place.  The table was filled with tureens hot soup laden with chicken, smoked pork, green bananas, plantain dumplings, and squash.  There also were avocados, rice, and flat breads.  We ate our fill and then Fior dished out more!  WOW!
         Later that evening Becky and Jeff were once again whisked away to party with Rafael and Fior while Dan and I were very happy to tuck the girls into bed at the hotel at a reasonable hour. Rafael and Fior were gracious hosts and we wished we knew more Spanish to adequately express our sincere gratitude.

Ice cream for breakfast

Genna just had to buy these hoops.

Day Seven- We said our "good-byes" at the bus terminal and Dan and I road back to Samaná in relative comfort for 2.5 hours.   Meanwhile, Becky's family took in two more attractions near Santo Domingo- Los Tres Ojos and the Aquarium- before heading to the airport.

Our luncheon at Rafael and Fior's

PONCE, PR por los Ojos del Campechano

Castillo Serralles, home of the founders of Don Q Rhum;
 named for Don Quixote, the well known dreamer.

       A few weeks ago, we stopped in Salinas, Puerto Rico.  While there we wanted to touch base with a dear cruiser friend.  Ronnie lives in San Juan, the island’s capitol, but spends a lot of time in Salinas where he keeps his boat and is involved in the local sailing association. Getting into the anchorage at Salinas was a little harrowing, as our depth meter read only one to three feet under the keel.  Once anchored, Captain Dan called the authorities by phone to register our entrance into the country using our LBO (Local Boater Option). However, the officer said we must call in when in the harbor at Ponce which is an official Port of Entry.


The sculpted gardens of the Castillo Seralles Mansion

        We took two days to travel the relatively short distance to Ponce because we needed to stop and rest along the way at Isla Caja de Muertos (Coffin Island- named for its shape), a favorite cay of ours that is surrounded by crystal clear water and nary another vessel. The next day we anchored in the harbor at Ponce between the Yacht Club Marina and the boardwalk of La Guancha Plaza, an expansive recreational and cultural complex.  Clearing in by phone from there was a breeze.

        Ponce is Puerto Rico’s second largest city and- lucky for us- it also happens to be where our friend, Ronnie, grew up and made his living in the construction industry. We were so honored when he took us on a personal tour to see the sights of his hometown!


Crucceta del Vigia- watchman for ships: pirates or supplies



 

        The Crucceta del Vigia is situated high above Ponce where the watchman has a clear view of the harbor.  From there his task was to spot and identify ships that were approaching and alert the townspeople.  He hoisted a flag to indicate if the ship was bringing supplies, passengers, or PIRATES! 

 In the firemen's barrio all houses were red with black trim.

 

        When touring the Hacienda Buena Vista Coffee Plantation we learned that it is a marvel of engineering.  It is one of only five plantations worldwide that efficiently use water power.  Water from a river that flows down a waterfall high above the plantation is diverted into a simple trough that runs along the mountainside down to the base of the plantation.  There it powers the machines that hull the coffee beans and grind the corn. Afterward the water flows back into the lower part of the river. GENIUS!


The stone at the top filters and purifies the water for drinking.

 

        CAMPECHANO is the name of Ronnie's boat.  Ronnie's brother told us that "CAMPECHANO loosely translates to 'nice guy' in Spanish."  And, that, Ronnie IS without a doubt!