Capo San Antonio to Maria Gorda

PHOTO LINK à> https://photos.app.goo.gl/HM9H3v9Z4n07Fsg63 Maria Gorda

Capo San Antonio to Maria Gorda

Having enjoyed our time at Capo San Antonio and meeting several fellow cruisers we left for a day sail around the Cape. We had waited for the weather to calm as we had been told the winds and seas can be vicious with the currents strong making for a very difficult passage east. We were fortunate as our crossing was relatively smooth; John had chosen the weather window well.

The cape itself is just a bare, rocky, cliff coast. We did see the bus running along the only road atop of the cliffs and a ship wrecked off the formidable looking shoreline.

The previous day/night one of the other sailboats had left we were happy to see them as soon as we arrived. Chris and Jess came out to “catch up” and were then off in their dingy. Then that evening the weather changed, we had much welcomed rain and also thunder and lightening.

The bay itself is huge with a beach running along the shoreline on the side we were on. The water just crystal clear, turquoises, aquamarine blues in every direction, just lovely. We had to pick up a buoy, as the area is a marine park so we were attached to one of the dive buoys and could easily see the reef below.

We headed ashore to the resort and dive center to “check in “ with the Guarda Frontera and to get some wifi connection for emails. The resort looks to be well established as a dive center. It was also relatively busy with guests. Again there were cats roaming around, kittens scrounging food, a nice bar area and comfortable looking accommodations.

A small cruise ship arrived for part of one day. Its passengers too were taken on the dive boats to snorkel and dive. It is definitely a destination I would recommend.

Our first day was spent taking the dingy along the shoreline towards the mouth of the bay along the beach and cliffs. The scenery was just wonderful, wild, untouched and untamed. We were able to pull the dingy onto a beach past the cliffs in an area where I doubt many folks ever get to see.

There we walked the beach. I was very contented to wander looking for shells, driftwood and sea glass. All of which I was able to find amongst the seaweed and sponges that had washed ashore. John strode out ahead and was soon in the distance. Thus the morning passed with us beach combing and very happily exploring the shoreline.

The afternoon we took the dingy to one of the dive buoys tied up and snorkeled the reef.

It was exquisite, the corals numerous and varied, schools and schools of fish of many varieties. We both saw fish we had never seem before and even rare species not usually seen for example hamlet and grouper. However the water is still chilly being February, so after an hour or so we had to get out.

The next day we enjoyed first exploring another area of the beach, near what looked to be an abandoned marina area. The inland area is densely forested with a palm tree species and other shrubs. Above the beach area is a long “wall of old gray, rocks that looks as if someone had build a wall.

However you realize that it’s the sea that has built the wall of rocks. The rocks have rolled and been thrown ashore over time with the high seas.

A walk towards the cliffs was very different as along this stretch the beach was more reef and so we waded in the shallows. It was just a lovely walk along the shoreline.

We both loved this beautiful area of Cuba and hope to return. After just a few days we needed to head out to Cayo Largo as our visa renewal was due. So we did a 184 passage straight to Cayo Largo.