PHOTOS LINK à> https://photos.app.goo.gl/xla7O3Sp3jIl6bUm2
Our intension had been to spend only a few days in Hemmingway Marina, but that turned in 5 days. Chico was a huge star there, so many folks wanted to see him and photograph him. He seemed to enjoy the celebrity status.
February 12th we said goodbye to our friends on Kestrel, who we had originally met in Brunswick, Georgia in late October. Then we went to the customs immigration dock and had paperwork sorted, received our dispatch papers and they checked boat again. The two young lady officials, came aboard, had a look and then wanted to hold and photograph Chico. So finally we set off for our first anchorage Bahia Honda.
Bahia Honda
This was a very protected anchorage in a large mangrove lagoon. Nearby there was an old shipyard that appeared to still be active, but also had several rusted ship hulks nearby.
We had a very quiet evening and only saw a couple of fishermen the next morning, they waved as they passed.
Cayo Levista
Cayo Levista was our second anchorage and my favourite. On this Cayo there is a small eco resort, plus there is a Guarda Frontera there daily. So we started by checking in with the Guarda. which is a must in Cuba. After which there was time to have a quick peek at where we were.
The beach on the other side was just magnificent! The resort looks lovely, beautiful place to stay. We were anchored just off of the resorts dock area and surprisingly there were no mosquitoes despite the nearby mangroves.
The following day we set off to explore the Cayo. First walking through the resort to the beach we then set off towards the eastern end of the Cayo. Here the beach wound along the coast and when the mangrove area started there was a pathway that we took continuing towards the end, which was a huge sandbar.
There we walked to the bitter end. There was an old wooden pier, which John went towards and suddenly sank up to his upper thigh in what had appeared to be sand, but was actually silt. At the time it was quite hilarious, but for a child could be quite dangerous.
At the center of the sandbar was an old palm thatched bar area where we stopped for a while just enjoying the day.
Back towards the beach we wandered and then proceeded to walk nearly to the other end along the beach. There were so many Portuguese Men of War washed ashore along the beach, some shells but few birds.
The afternoon we took the dingy and headed westwards along the mangroves. The lagoons were lovely, the water so clear, and finally I saw birds amongst the trees, herons, pelicans and a frigate bird.
We found one lagoon area, which was actually on the other side of the beach we had walked along in the morning. So we paddled the dingy ashore, pulled it up on the beach and walked along the stretch of beach we had missed in the morning, not a soul was in sight.
Upon returning to the dingy, surprisingly enough there was a cruising sailboat dropping anchor just outside the lagoon. They were as surprised to see us, as we were them. They had arrived from the same direction as us, but are headed to Mexico.
Cayo Restinga del Palo
Was our next evening anchorage. This passage was the one where John caught an enormous Wahoo.
We had had 2 barracuda strikes, which we released, and then, just as we were getting ready to head into the anchorage the rod went ziiinnnngggg!!! It took quite a long time to clean being about 40 – 45lbs of fish, but after filleting and all we had 3 large bags of fish for us and 1 for Chico. He was a very happy cat with all the fresh fish and blood.
The anchorage was behind a small Cayo and a sand bar, luckily it was not too windy so we did not bounce about too much. We never did go ashore, but left next morning to outside the reefs and round Cayo Jutias past the lighthouse to our next anchorage.
Punta Alonso de Rojas.
We had good reason not to fish that day as we were over stocked with Wahoo. When rounding Cayo Jutias there were many strong currents and whirlpools where the sea was disturbed and in these were just hundreds of Portuguese Men of War. I had never seen anything like that, there were just hundreds of them. Arriving at Punta Alonso de Rojas we found it to be another mangrove anchorage. We had a swim and enjoyed a quiet evening.
Cayo Buenvista
Was our next anchorage. Along the way there we accidentally came across a couple of fishermen. Accidentally because I was below deck and John was distracted by his book when he heard shouts. We had sailed nearly alongside them in their little fishing boat. They were very happy to have us drop by and asked if we would like to buy some la langosta aka lobster from them for 3CUC. Well despite having a ton of fish John felt we should buy 2. Then he went to find his wallet, well as we hadn’t used money for a number of days he couldn’t find it, so he ended up trading a couple of his T shirts. That evening we really did enjoy the lobster grilled on the barbeque.
Ensenada de San Fransisco
Was our next anchorage for the evening. This was an enormous bay again surrounded by mangroves with not a building, light or sign of human inhabitants in sight. Later we did have a fishing vessel drop anchor near us. It was one of the larger vessels and had a crew of 4 who would dive from the small rowboat that they also had with them.
2 of the crew came across in the rowboat. This time it was Red Snappers that they had for us and they wanted rum. Well we explained we really did not need fish, but they could have one of John’s small rums he had bought to trade with. They were nice fellows who chatted with John, just interested in where we were from and such. Once again Chico was a big hit!!
Marina Gaviota, Los Morros, Cabo de San Antonio Peninsula
We decided to head into this marina, which is at the end of the Cabo de San Antonio Peninsula. Arriving mid-afternoon when the wind was blowing quite strongly we found that the dock lies more or less south – north facing and the wind blows eastwardly mostly so the waves break along the eastern stretch of dock space, leaving the westward side for docking. It was quite a challenge to get the boat secured to the dock, but without mishap and with the assistance of several folks we were secured. The dock can only hold 3 boats, it is small, very rough concrete with gas pumps and construction in progress, well maybe not progressing, but sitting waiting to be to be finished.
We “checked” in again and found that there was indeed wifi so we could use our cards, plus a very nice little eatery and so booked a dinner. The food was very good, but American prices are not.
The other boats were 1 that left the next morning for Mexico and the other with 2 Americans, one originally from India and the other from Hawaii, whom we ended up having a very nice dinner with. Then a day later at around 8:00pm another small boat arrived from Belize with 4 aboard, 2 from Sweden, 1 from France and a Canadian. So then the dock was full again. We actually were getting used to the rough dock and surroundings by the 2nd day.
Peninsula de Gaunahacabibes
John off loaded the bikes and we rode along the only road towards the small hotel. This hotel caters to people visiting the Peninsula de Gaunahacabibes. This peninsular is almost entirely a national forest park, with just the 1 small roadway in and out and the 2 very small “hotels” for tourists who like to bird watch or hike in the forest looking for wildlife. There are no ATMs, shops, fuel stations, houses or anything – it is a very isolated peninsular and marina that we were staying in.
That day we rode to the small hotel, which looked to only have a few workers there. We walked to the hotel beach, which is long and beautiful, we saw wild pigs, many birds but little else.
On the way back we took another little dirt path and rode through the brush to the end of the point where the beach stretch as far as one could see.
Around the area
Another day we walked the long beach opposite the marina dock out to the point. This beach was covered in seaweed and such, few shells and surprisingly less plastic than usual.
Having stayed for a few days at this outpost was quite interesting in that it showed a bit of how life works here, or rather the structure of how life is set up for the locals. Everyone has a specific job. Take for instance the fellow who fills the jerry jugs with fuel. Every morning he arrives on the workers bus, he and he alone is allowed to cart the fuel jugs down the dock and fill them. To buy fuel – he is called for and he alone can only do that job. The marina staff do not do anything other than their own work, even though there are obviously many maintenance jobs waiting to be seen to, thats not their job. No they sit and play dominos, and that’s just the way it is here. We have noticed a complete lack of incentive, guessing that’s because living here you just have to accept your lot in life.
Faro Roncali lighthouse
Another day we rode past the little hotel for a further 2 miles to the lighthouse. There we saw the workers homes, and the guarda watching the shoreline. The lighthouse itself – Faro Roncali – was built in 1849, but is not open to visitors. We enjoyed the views from the cliff and headed back.
On the way back we stopped along the shore, walked out along the beach, John even jumped in to cool off and we stopped to look at some workers retrieving honey from bees. There were about a dozen or so people, like an extended family group. They had a large truck filled with barrels, which they were storing the honey in. Just off the road they had a fire burning, using the smoke to calm the bees, they were extracting the honey. The group was very friendly, offered us honey, but didn’t want any photos, which was a shame. Anyway they must be the Cuban honey gathers, as everyone has a job special to them only.
It was an enjoyable ride and again no traffic, few people, just birds and pigs – I saw the national hummingbird that’s the size of a bee.
A couple of nights before we left we had another excellent dinner. The waitress Boomboom convinced John he had to eat at the marina again. We had a wonderful lobster dinner.
Then the day before we were due to leave it was Gary’s 69th birthday and Vanoo arranged a small lunchtime “party, which was just excellent The marina made some lovely food and a chocolate cake. We all toasted Gary and then dung in to the food.
The weather is nearly perfect for us to round the Capo to the southern side of Cuba where we will head to Cayo Largo.
“People are opportunities. The gift is in the interaction and the connection with another person, whether it lasts forever or not.” – Colleen Seifert
At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities.”
— Jean Houston
