We have never been repeat vacationers; never been ones to return to the same place year after year, or really, even more than once. Perhaps we are adventurers, or maybe we just have a bad case of wanderlust. There is so much to see in this world, and even at the expense of sometimes not exploring in depth; we have always wanted to see as much as we can. Going back to the same destination means one less adventure to be had. But there is one exception we have found in our travels, the British Virgin Islands. Our first trip to those beautiful, welcoming islands was over thirty years ago when we first sailed with our friends Alex and Marty Jakimenko and Rich and Jan Grady. The next visit was with our kids when they were teenagers, probably 18 or 19 years ago. We returned again with Jason, Kelly and Craig, and Jeff 9 years ago. Each of those times we chartered a sailboat and each of those times we thought how wonderful it would be to travel the islands on our own boat. Finally we made it. We received a text from Jason when we arrived here. He put it perfectly when he said, “The BVI on your own boat. That’s a dream come true.”

Walking around CulebraI hope he misses the bird!

Leaving Puerto Rico on May 19^th, we started off for the four-hour crossing to Culebra. Craig, on La Sirena, had left the day before while we were still trying to get the Great Computer Debacle straightened out and he was waiting for us in an anchorage there. Again it was a rough crossing and again things that had never moved before flew around the salon; this resulted in securing me to my seat and terrifying both dogs. We arrived unharmed, had lunch, and then took the dinghy to the Dinghy Dock Restaurant to tie up and to walk around the pleasant and colorful town there.

We have noticed that, in many towns in the Caribbean, schedules lack any importance. During our walk, Craig wanted to stop at the little grocery store. The hours were clearly marked 9:00 to 5:00, and there was a sign that said OPEN, but the doors were locked and no one was around. We made our way back to the restaurant and got something cold to drink while we watched the resident tarpon swimming right next to us. About one-half hour later, Craig walked back up to the store and, sure enough, it was open again. You just have to be flexible around these countries!

Our first view of Mahoe Bay, St. John, USVIThe buddy boats at their moorings.This boat came in to Mahoe Bay.  It’s not quite the classic look that AfterMath has, but it’s eye-catching!

The next day we finally had a calm, pleasant ride to the Virgin Islands. As soon as we got near the islands we both noticed a beautiful scent, which grew even stronger in the anchorage. The aroma reminded me of jasmine and frangipani flowers. In St. John, surrounded by green palms swaying in the gentle breeze, warm, salty, turquoise water lapping quietly at our boat and the shore, and smelling that intoxicating aroma, we rediscovered that these tropical islands have a way of awakening every one of our senses. We toasted our arrival in the Virgin Islands, sitting at the bow, congratulating ourselves for really making this voyage.

We have never spent much time in the U.S. islands in the past as our focus has been the BVI and, once cleared through, it is easier not to have to go through customs and immigration again. This time, however, we started our Virgin Island experience in St. John. Mahoe Bay is part of the Virgin Islands National Marine Park; it is just spectacular and there are places to snorkel right near the mooring field.  In both the U. S. and the British Virgin Islands, moorings are secure and readily available. Much damage is caused to reefs when boaters use their anchors, as coral is easily broken; moorings prevent this damage.

On our way to Leinster BayAnother beautiful beach in the bay.Snorkeling right near AfterMath.  I sure am glad I asked for that underwater camera on my last birthday!

After a night in Mahoe Bay, we moved to nearby Leinster Bay. Another beautiful anchorage in the National Park with nearby snorkeling, Leinster Bay is also very close to Tortola, BVI, where we would clear customs on Sunday morning.

Traveling with dogs is not quite as easy as traveling without as there are many rules and regulations that should be followed. The BVI has some of the strictest rules about getting a permit, but we had emailed the authorities there early and had all of the necessary test results and inoculations. (Thank you, Kelly!) The only problem was, the communications we received about the actual entry were numerous and kept changing. First they wanted to know where we would be clearing so they could courier the permit there. Then they said they could not send the permit, and they needed to know what day and what time we would be arriving because without providing this information we would likely have to wait at least 3 hours for someone to show up. By now, if you have read much of our blog, you know that dates and times are pretty hard for us! Finally after several emails, we decided on Sunday morning at 9:30 in Soper’s Hole on Tortola. The next email told us to call “Deveaux” an hour before we arrived at the port. Soper’s Hole was only a couple of miles from Leinster Bay, so I started calling Deveaux before we even left. Of course, I could not get an answer. Finally, as we were pulling in and picking up a mooring, Deveaux called and asked when we would arrive. I told him we were all ready in the port, and he asked me to have John leave the dogs on the boat and have customs call him while checking us in. John did as asked and customs made the call. Deveaux was apparently a vet who needed to approve the dogs, which he did – over the phone! As it turns out, no one in any country has really wanted to see any the dogs or proof of their immunizations and we are beginning to think that all our work trying to be vigilant is fruitless.

Soper’s Hole, Tortola, BVI

La Sirena under sail on our way to Jost Van DykeWe made it!  One of my favorite spots in the world.Captain JohnAnd Captain Craig.  It seems gray beards are not optional!Foxy’s friendly bartender mixing up some painkillers.This adorable little guy was happy to pose with his biggest smile.That’s AfterMath out there!  Sights along the road in Jost Van Dyke

We had never been in Soper’s Hole, so we took the dinghy for a little ride around the busy bay before heading to one of my favorite spots in the world: Jost Van Dyke. Jost Van Dyke is the home of Foxy’s Tamarind Bar and Grill. When we first saw Foxy’s, over 30 years ago, it was a tiny little bar at the end of the street with a few picnic tables and nothing else. Foxy, the owner, sang and told stories and entertained every customer there. Now Foxy’s is much larger, and has four bars and a gift shop, but the atmosphere has not changed at all. This was the only time we have been there when we didn’t spot Foxy himself, but it was still wonderful to be there. There is just something about that place that lets you know you have arrived in Paradise.

After lunch at Foxy’s, John and Craig went to take care of the trash and I walked along the main street to meet them, taking pictures along the way. People always talk about how much more built up Jost Van Dyke is than it used to be, but the truth is that, while the dirt road now holds a few more businesses than it used to, they are little more than tiny open- air sheds or shops and they do not change the feeling of the island at all. Great Harbor now holds moorings and there are a lot of boats there, but there is plenty of room for everyone and everyone seems to have a wonderful time. And in the morning, you can still hear the wild goats calling from the hills.

Bitter End Yacht Club, Virgin Gorda, BVISaba Rock Resort

The tarpon that come to be fed at Saba RockA walk around Bitter End Yacht ClubThat is Saba Rock in the distanceWaterspouts about at Bitter End

Leaving Jost Van Dyke yesterday, we traveled to the Bitter End Yacht Club on Virgin Gorda. In the BVI, the islands are close and often offer protected waters, and true to form, it has been so wonderfully pleasant here. Our trips are short and the water is generally calm. We are now fast tracking a little bit on our way to Grenada for hurricane season, so we are missing some of our favorite islands, but we plan to take more time through them on the return trip. Just across the inlet from the Bitter End is Saba Rock Resort. It is, quite literally, a resort built on a very large rock with room for just a little grass and some hammocks behind it. We went to Saba Rock for their happy hour that ends with quite a ceremony for feeding the tarpon that live there. In typical tropical island form, everything happens with a story, and the gentleman who fed the tarpon turned it into an event, letting people take turns and throwing food very close to an occupied dinghy so the fish would jump and splash trying to grab the tasty treats.

The original plan was to leave Virgin Gorda yesterday, but, as always, we a waited a day for better winds and seas and will leave today, Wednesday, July 25^th. The delay was great news for me, as I never have had the time to fully explore the gorgeous Bitter End Resort. Yesterday was a joy; while John was planning our trip south, I went to shore for a few hours getting some good shots and then spending some relaxing time at the pool that overlooks the bay. After John picked me up in the dinghy we enjoyed a happy hour aboard with Nicki and Andy who arrived on their sailboat, Intrepid, Monday right after we did. We first met the Intrepid crew when we were in Georgetown in the Bahamas, then we docked next to them in the Turks and Caicos, and found them again in Puerto Rico. We were happily surprised when they grabbed the mooring right next to ours on Monday.

So, today we leave the British Virgin Islands and head for the Leeward Islands. The first stop, after an overnight 16-hour trip, will be St. Marteen. Once again I can’t wait to come back. I know I will discover islands along the way that will draw me in and that I will come to love, but I think I will always have a soft spot for these gorgeous British Virgin Islands to which we have returned over and over.

Here is where we are today.

The Day came.  It was the Dreaded Day.  Since reading about the Mona Passage over a year ago, this was my biggest worry for the whole trip.  The passage connects the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.  It separates the islands of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico and is an important shipping route between the Atlantic Ocean and the Panama Canal.  However, it has a reputation of being one of the most treacherous routes in the Caribbean, especially for boaters, as it is prone to unusual currents and huge waves.  All I had read made the Gulf Stream back in Florida sound like baby steps compared to the Mona Passage.

Craig, on La Sirena, and John decided we should leave Samana in the Dominican Republic at 2 PM in order to get the best conditions possible for the 25 hour trip.  I had prepared lunches and dinners ahead of time that could be taken out of the refrigerator whenever we were so inclined, and had stocked up on granola bars for breakfast and snacks.  The day started pretty well.  The waves were about 4 feet and Craig & John  were feeling assured that all would go well.  I had my patch on, which was about all I could do to get myself ready.  It wasn’t long, though, before it became apparent that I would have to ride inside AfterMath, as the waters were too rough for me to stay on my favorite spot, the seat on the bow.  Being inside is always hard for me, as the fresh air outside helps any feelings of queasiness.  I napped off and on for a while as John was at the wheel, but at about 11:00 PM, he needed a break.  I took over, but this time, I was not able to read as we traveled due to the waves.  Within about 1/2 hour I saw some weather activity on the radar and woke John to let him know.  He took over to both steer us around the storms and to keep Craig updated so that he could avoid them too.  Finally, John went back to sleep and I took the 1:00 AM to 4:00 AM shift at the wheel.  Lightning added to the creepiness of being out there at night, and while it was rough, it was no where as bad as I had expected.  But then it happened.  The waves just seemed to grow and grow and they came so often that there was no break between them.  We were tossed and turned and Craig, in his sailboat, looked like he was even worse off then we were.  For the next several hours the Mona Passage lived up to its name.  It was miserable for all of us, but thankfully, we made it.  None of us are looking forward to seeing that body of water ever again!

Finally at around 3:15 PM we reached our destination of Mayaguez in Puerto Rico.  The anchorage was a welcome site, although it was more of a commercial one than we were used to.  Customs and Immigration were supposed to be open until 4:00 PM.  We were slightly ahead of Craig so John dropped the dinghy in the water and headed to shore, hoping to get us checked in and then have time to go get Craig so he could check in too.  As it turned out, they were not open at all, although people were there in the building.  We were able, after a couple of hours, to get a phone number to call to check in and finally we were legally back in a U.S. territory, with a Puerto Rican courtesy flag flying on AfterMath.

The streets of Boqueron.

From Mayaguez, which is on the west coast of Puerto Rico, we began making our way around the island and down to the southern coast.  Still on the western end, we battled more waves, but only for a few hours.  Soon we arrived at our first stop, which was in Boqueron.  Boqueron is a funny little town that comes to life only on the weekends.  The few streets of the town are lined with little stands that seem to sell a lot of oysters, clams and the like.  There are countless bars and lots of cars going one way, but parking where ever the mood strikes them.  It is noisy and colorful and filled with people walking around with no apparent destination in mind.  It’s supposed to be the ‘Key West’ of Puerto Rico, but it wasn’t the Key West I love so much.  We made our way through Boqueron, but decided just one night was enough in this area.

Houses on the water in Parguera.These guys are huge!  At least 4 feet from tip of the nose to tip of the tail.A typical bar in Puerto Rico.  We found even the best restaurants to look a lot like this.In the mangroves.The view from the anchorage in Parguera

The next day we traveled to Parguera, now on the south coast, again dodging waves and heavy seas.  Apparently this was once a busy town, and maybe it still is on the weekend, but it was now Monday and there was hardly a sole to be seen.  There are also no dinghy docks in Parguera, so John dropped Craig and me off as we both really needed to find a few provisions.  We found a little grocery store there, but it really was not an appealing one and we bought very little in it.  We did meet our first Puerto Rican iguana there, who did not seem to be the least bit surprised by being approached by me holding a camera and taking his picture. After John picked us up we spent some time riding on Tangent, our dinghy, through the mangroves in the nearby islands.

Just a few of the fish at Guilligan’s Island.  

At the restaurant near Guilligan’s Island.

As Parquera didn’t have much to offer, we left on Tuesday, May 2nd, and made our to Guanica where a park called Guilligan’s Island, named after the TV show, was nearby.  We anchored near a lovely resort, but unfortunately, the anchorage was pretty rolly.  Rolling anchorages make for uncomfortable sleeping, but we all wanted to take a day at the park which was known for it’s shallow waters with easy snorkeling.  Wednesday morning we took the dinghy over to the park’s docks and spent a nice time enjoying the fish that swam among the mangroves before heading to a local restaurant where we had lunch.

Thursday, May 4, we went to a lovely hurricane hole in Ensenada, which was perfectly calm and wonderful.  We were all so happy to have a nice restful night with no waves or rolling at all.

Although Puerto Rico is the size of Connecticut, they say it takes 11 days to transit from the west side to the east side, which we surprisingly found to be true.  Because the trade winds come to life at mid morning, bringing 4-6’ seas, most cruisers travel between sunrise and 10 AM.  For sailboats, that means approximately 22 miles per day.  For us, not much better.  Add in delays for rough seas and high winds and 11 days start to become realistic.

Christopher came to meet us!Craig relaxing on AfterMath.The anchorage in SalinasAs always, the weather is so important to us.  See the storm rolling in here?

The next day we continued along the south coast, again only riding for about 4 hours because the waves were heavy, and arrived at Ponce Yacht Club, where we stayed for two nights.  There was a pool there, although I admit i was the only person over the age of 18 in it.  Our next stop was in Salinas.  We stayed there a few nights while we waited for weather and mail.  The best part of Salinas was that, on Mother’s Day, we got to meet Christopher Alesevich, who is the son of our friends Chris and Sam.  Christopher lives near San Juan and we had asked him if we could have our mail sent to his house while we were in Puerto Rico.  He wanted to see AfterMath so he came to see us and spend the day.  We really loved having Christopher visit and we found him to be wonderful company.

Early morning in Puerto Patillas.  We left just as the sun was rising and were rewarded with this sight.

From Salinas we traveled to Puerto Patillas.  The anchorage there was again rolly, but we only stayed one night and we were visited by another couple on a boat that we had met back in the Turks and Caicos.  It is fun to meet people and find them again throughout our travels and always wonderful to hear about everyone’s adventures.

Here we traveled by car back to some of the places we had been by boat.  This is Patillas from the top of the mountains.All beaches in Puerto Rico are public.  Here is one we stopped at to take a walk.This family was very happy to pose when I asked if I could take their picture.

The view from a roadside restaurant.Another iguana that climbed the wall and posed for us.Salinas by land.Salinas has a very nice town square.Back to Ponce by car.  There is a beautifully restored area in the city and we enjoyed walking around it.Craig and John walking down the streets of Ponce.The fire department museum in Ponce.A lovely church on the town square in Ponce.A couple of views from the streets of Ponce.Off to Guavate, where this kind of establishment is the norm.  Lots of noise, music, dancing and eating.  This couple waved for me to take their picture.The Puerto Rican people seem to know how to have fun on a Sunday afternoon.Lots of little stands everywhere you go in Puerto Rico.John had read that you should eat Pig on a Stick in Guavate.  We had already eaten and did not partake of any of this poor guy.

In the forest near San Lorenzo.More scenes along the way.

Finally from Puerto Patillas, we made our way around to the east coast and to Puerto del Rey Marina in Fajardo.  The marina here is huge; there are 1000 slips and it is such a long walk to get to the office or the shops that golf carts travel the docks to pick you up and to bring you back.  The golf carts have trailers, which are very handy when bringing groceries or supplies to the boat! At the marina, there is a Thrify car rental, and we took advantage of the convenience and rented a car for a few days.  One day was spent re-provisioning, one was spent touring, and one was used to get Kirby a haircut and to pick up some more mail we had sent to Christopher.  John had some maintenance done on the boat while I was out getting a pedicure and enjoying a little shopping time while Kirby was being groomed.  All was well and we were set to leave on Monday, May 16, when my computer died.  On Sunday it started acting strangely and I quickly backed it up on two separate external hard drives.  This was a good thing as, after that backup, the computer never turned on again.  The next two days were very frustrating as we worked to get me a new Mac Book Pro to replace the 5 year old one that died.  Today, I write this blog on my new computer, that is not completely set up yet, but did allow me to upload my pictures and write this post.

Craig left yesterday and made his way to Culebra, one of the two Spanish Virgin Islands, and he is waiting for us to join him tomorrow.  We will get up early and make our way from Puerto Rico to the Culebra and then, the next day, arrive in St. John, a U.S. Virgin Island.  From there, the British Virgin Islands await, one of our favorite places to be.

So, tomorrow we leave Puerto Rico.  The winds and the waves here have been a trial for us, but I can’t leave without giving my thoughts on what this island is truly like.  Here the people are friendly, and most of them speak English if you ask, but calling businesses on the phone is a challenge, because most introductions are in Spanish, that is, if they answer the phone.  It is a noisy place, with music blaring in every store, restaurant, or bar.  It is colorful, though, everywhere you go.  The scenery is absolutely gorgeous, with water and mountains, lush greenery and flowers of every color.  The trees and plants here that grow wild are those that I bought and planted in my yard in Bradenton, Florida.  Driving is interesting as no one seems to mind going the wrong way in the street if it makes their life easier.  Part of the U.S., but it’s own country, we have had lots of fun in Puerto Rico.

Here is where we are today!

Gone. Gone are the days of floating peacefully along the canals of Canada. Gone are the days of watching shrimp boats, lit by tiny fairy lights, spread their nets and slowly move through still waters. Gone are the days of passing through the tall grasses of the low country. Gone are the days of dolphins swimming next to our boat in the glasslike Intracoastal Waterway. Gone are the days of visiting with kids in Annapolis and Florida. Gone are the days where the biggest challenge is judging our speed so that we make the next bridge opening without having to wait an hour. We are in the big time now. Those waves that had me leave the boat and let Jeff help John back in New Jersey would be welcome. We travel all day and all night to get to our next destination. Our first overnight passage was to the Dominican Republic.

Saturday, April 23, arrived. I was not excited about doing an overnight trip, but there was no place to stop between the islands. The day before, John and our buddy boat captain, Craig, studied the weather once again. Craig had talked to Chris Parker, the professional Caribbean maritime weather forecaster. Every weather site was reviewed again and again so that the most advantageous time of departure could be determined. The weather seemed like it would be pretty good. Seas were expected to be three to five feet. It was the best we could expect for the foreseeable future, so it was time to go.

We waited in the Turks and Caicos for the tide to come in so we had enough water for AfterMath and La Sirena, Craig’s 37-foot Island Packet sailboat, to safely leave South Side Marina. At 9:00 AM, it was time to go. I had meals prepared that could be eaten cold and we were stocked with granola bars and bottles of water. The first sixty miles were spent in the Caicos Bank. The area, surrounded by reefs and islands, provides calm waters and made for a pleasant passage. We then exited into the Atlantic Ocean for a 90-mile crossing over open seas to the Dominican Republic. Seas were three to five feet and most of the trip was done in darkness.

Boating at night has its challenges. Night travel is advantageous because the winds generally die down some at night, reducing the windswept waves riding on top of the swells. Night passage also allows mariners to leave in light and arrive in light, which is critical when entering or leaving unfamiliar ports. However, because it is dark, you cannot see the sea state and judge when the boat will be hitting the waves. The sea state is normally measured in seconds, which is the time between swells. Generally, we want 8 seconds or more between swells. Anything less makes for uncomfortable ride. Although John says we had an 8 second swell and seas were only three to five feet, I would beg to disagree. Maybe it is because I have a hard time staying awake late at night, or it may be because I do much better when I can be outside as we move along, but I did not enjoy my first overnight passage very much.

The first sight of the Dominican Republic with its gorgeous mountains.La Sirena entering the Dominican RepublicOcean WorldThe lovely pool at Ocean World.  I was asked to stop taking pictures at the pool because they didn’t have the cushions that usually surround it out just yet.  It was prettier with the cushions, but I still think it looked nice like this!The seal show from our boat

We arrived in Ocean World in Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic and immediately checked in with the Navy, Immigration, and Customs. Thankfully, the check in went smoothly for us and for Jake and Kirby. The officials were not the least bit interested in our thick file of records we keep for the dogs. We only stayed in Ocean World one night, but it was an interesting place. There is a marine park there, complete with dolphins, seals, and tigers (I’m not sure why they are included in a marine park), but other than seeing the seal show from the boat, we did not participate. There was a gorgeous pool at the hotel/casino there, and I did get to spend some quality time enjoying the water after the trip across the ocean.

We were able to spend a little time in the marina the next morning before we once again met with the Navy and Customs where we were issued a despacho that allowed us to travel to our next port of call in the Dominican Republic, Samana. This leg would also require an overnight passage to facilitate a daytime departure and arrival. We started at 2:00 PM on Monday, and arrived in Semana about 8:00 AM the following morning. This leg had us travel along the coastline, which makes for rougher conditions due to shallower water depth, wind, current, tides, and what is known as cape effect. Therefore, our ride would be far less comfortable than our previous overnight passage. It is the first time we have ever had chairs fall over, lamps fly off shelves, and constant banging inside cabinets as we traveled, even with our stabilizers turned on. Generally, it was miserable.

One of the infinity pools at Puerto Bahia, SamanaBeautiful water and grounds at the resort

In Samana we stayed in Puerto Bahia, a lovely resort with two infinity pools, lush landscaping, a beautiful lobby, and even a welcome event for cruisers. I made good use of both of the pools there. We also rented a car to tour the island; that turned in to quite an adventure of its own!

Following Wesley anywhere he took us!Driving in the Dominicah Republic is a bit wild.  They say if you are in an accident the driver is sent right to jail.  Thankfully, we didn’t find out if that was true.That’s Wesley in the gray striped shirt on the right.  He wasn’t happy until we got all the way into town.Lots of man hole covers seem to be missing in Las Terrenas.  This is how they are marked.  There are countless holes open like this with a palm tree branch stuck in them.  

The Dominican Republic is a direct opposite from the Bahamas. The Bahamas are rocky islands with little vegetation, but the Dominican Republic is lush, mountainous, and green. When we rented a car, I told John I would really like to get into the mountains as well as get to a beach. The excursions office at Puerto Bahia told us that Las Terrenas, a beach town, would be a nice place to visit when we were driving around, so we headed down one of the two roads that led to the area. When we were about half way there, a crowd of people in the street stopped us. A policeman who was there told us we could not continue along the road as it was closed. Hoping we could really keep going, we asked what was happening. Through broken English, we found out that there was a protest going on and that the road was shut, as it was very dangerous. A young man on a motorcycle approached us and asked where we were going. We told him we wanted to get to Las Terrenas. “No problem”, he said, “there is another way. Do you want a guide?” We told him that we would be fine, but he led us out of the road anyway. When we got to a turn off, he again asked if we would like a guide. A friend of his rode up on another motorcycle, and we were told this friend was a good guy and would guide us to our destination. Finally, after negotiating a cost of $20, we were on our way. In just minutes after accepting our guide, Wesley, we followed him onto a street that we would have never thought was traversable. All rock, dirt, mud, puddles, and steep hills, we traveled for close to an hour through the mountains and back roads of the Samana Peninsula. It was absolutely gorgeous, but we were not sure our rented Pathfinder was really up to the challenge. There was even one hill that took us three tries to make, backing up and getting a running start before we succeeded. When we finally reached our destination, we were very thankful to Wesley and we gave him an extra $5 for getting us there in one piece.

Our Pathfinder, on the right, after we made it to the beach.The view from the restaurant.Craig, La Sirena’s owner and captain, and our friend through these adventures.Craig and John at the restaurant

After our exciting drive, we decided to have lunch at a lovely little restaurant on the beach. The seafood was fresh and delicious and the shade, the cooling breeze and the turquoise water were relaxing and refreshing. It is a good thing we were refreshed because our ride back to the resort, on a lovely highway that traverses the mountains, was stressful. At the very beginning of the highway, the transmission went out on the rental car. We had no reverse and almost no forward. The 26 mile drive, through curves and up and down mountains, was slow, but we made it back to the resort where we parked the car sideways over a few parking places so the agent didn’t need to reverse out of a spot. John called the rental company and when they came to pick up the car they were very apologetic and offered him a good deal on another car for the next day. He thought we had done enough driving through the Dominican Republic, and refused the offer.

The Dominican Republic is a beautiful country and we would love to go back and spend more time on the way back. The people there are very friendly and helpful. At the marina in Samana there are boat boys who are ready to help you with anything you would like for a small tip. They also offer to do work on your boat for you while you are there. John had all of the stainless polished and some scraping, sanding, and refinishing of teak done for a price that was too good to pass up. We really hated to leave Puerto Bahia, but the time had come to prepare for our crossing to Puerto Rico.

We made our plans, determined the time to cross, prepared the boat, medicated the dogs and me, and got ready for another overnight. Ready for the dreaded next leg. The crossing of the Mona Passage.

To be continued……

The trip from the Bahamas to Puerto Rico has always been the part we have feared the most. There are long legs we have to travel in the open Atlantic Ocean, and comfort and safety are very weather dependent. The first section of this trip is making the crossing from the Bahamas to the Turks and Caicos.

Little Harbor, Long Island, Bahamas.  We were all alone in this calm and lovely anchorage.Sunset in Atlklins IslandOur last Bahamas sunset at Mayaguana Island. 

We left Georgetown on April 13, which also happened to be John’s birthday. We made very good time motoring to Long Island and were happy to be anchored in what should have been a nice anchorage. Unfortunately, although the scenery was gorgeous, there was a huge swell and we rolled all afternoon and all night long. It was really uncomfortable and I couldn’t wait to leave early the next morning. From there, we traveled to Little Harbor, which was on the opposite end of Long Island. We were the only boat in the anchorage, it was wonderfully calm, and we truly enjoyed a night of relaxation. The next two stops were Atklins Island and Mayaguana Island, where we spent the last of our time in the Bahamas. Finally, on Sunday, April 17, we made a beautifully calm and peaceful crossing to the Turks and Caicos and arrived at South Side Marina in Providencials, often known as Provo.

Our first view of the Turks and CaicosThe view from Bob’s Bar.

South Side Marina has been a wonderful place to stay. Bob, the owner, is very accommodating and helpful. He called Customs and Immigration officials for us and for the other new arrivals, and we were easily checked in without ever having to leave the marina. Bob is always around the property as he lives here in a house up on a hill with a perfect view of the water, his harbor, and the grounds. The gathering place is Bob’s Bar, which is attached to his home. Every night, boaters climb the stairs to the bar to socialize and hear of trip plans of the other cruisers. Everyone has advice to offer and everyone has experiences to share.

The right hand wheel.

Originally, we planned on spending two nights at South Side Marina. We rented a car on Monday and drove around one side of Provo. Driving here is a challenge; because it is a British Colony the standard is left side driving. The car we rented had a right side steering wheel and it was so strange to me to be sitting on the left side and so near the left curb as John drove. We planned on touring more of the island on Tuesday, but for a while it seemed that we needed to hurry a little to leave due to weather conditions. John returned the car, I took care of checking out with Immigration and Customs, and we were ready to go when Craig from our neighboring boat came to offer us new weather updates. As always, everything depends on the weather, and we found that leaving was not going to be a good idea after all. Our departure was delayed was therefore delayed four days until tomorrow, Saturday, April 23. Such is the cruising life.

While we are safe, secure, and happy at the marina, we didn’t get to see very much of the Turks and Caicos this trip.   We did get one day on a beach when a family a few boats away invited us to join them and their dog. This was a huge day for Kirby! He is a terrible runner, and so is never allowed off leash except at a dog park, but this beach had a natural barrier in that it was encompassed with rock sides that were about 10 feet high. The sand was soft and fine, perfect for doggy digging, the water was shallow, perfect for playing in the waves, and there was really no way for a crazy terrier to get too far away from us. The fact that there was another dog for him to play with only made the situation better.

We are ready now to leave tomorrow and I will be making my first overnight crossing (John and Jeff did an overnight in New Jersey, but I was not aboard). Our next destination is Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic and we will travel with our neighbor here, Craig, who is single handing his sailboat. It seems that we have a very good weather window for the next several days, and we will travel as much as we can over this time. The very big deal coming up is the Mona Passage, which is in the path from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico, and we want to do it when the weather is the most favorable. We will have a few overnight voyages along the way, and we may not get to do as much sightseeing as I would like, but before long we will be in the Virgin Islands. I can’t wait!

Here is where we are today.

Think about how you live your life. What are your necessities? Do you hop in your car to go to the grocery store? Is your water delivered by the city, or do you have a well? And when you think about places you have lived, what do you think of first? Is it the scenery, or, more likely, the people you have met and the friends you have made? Life in the islands is different than life as we have known it, but we are blending in, embracing the people, the food, and the inconveniences as part of the experience. It is an amazing adventure.

Ida is a whirlwind of energy, and she is always smiling!  Here she is giving John his first Bahamas haircut.The view from Ida’s laundromat and the dinghy dock there.

One thing we have noticed along our way is how resourceful and industrious most of the residents of the islands are. On Tuesday, March 29^th, after a short trip from Staniel Cay, we made our way to the local laundromat in Black Point that seemed to be so well known. Usually laundromats are pretty mundane places, but everyone we met told us that this was the place to do laundry. We hardly expected what we found when we arrived! Not only were people busy with their washing and drying of clothes, but there was a large gazebo and picnic tables full of cruisers using the Internet, eating conch fritters, shopping in the small attached gift and snack shop, and chatting, and there was even a plastic lawn chair available, and always in use, for getting haircuts. At first entry, it was little confusing as none of the machines took standard coins, but within minutes a fellow cruiser recognized us as newcomers and instructed us to find Ida who was either cooking, at the cash register in the store, or cutting hair. Ida happily stopped in the middle of a haircut to get us our tokens. We were there for a few hours doing laundry, catching up on the blog, chatting with people we have met along the way, and, for John, getting a haircut by Ida. The place is so welcoming that a group of us agreed to dinghy back to the laundromat’s dock for a potluck dinner that evening. Only in the Bahamas!

Joe and Charlotte

The next day, we climbed in the dinghy, picked up our friends, Joe and Charlotte from Sun Cat, and made our way to shore for 9 AM breakfast. We again docked at Ida’s, walked next door to Lorraine’s, a popular restaurant on the island at Black Point, and found the door locked and Lorraine getting ready to drive away. She stopped when she saw us and told us that she had to make a run to the airport but she would be back soon. In the meantime, we were to go in the side door and relax until she got back. Lorraine’s mother came in from her house next door and thought we needed coffee so she heated up a pot of water and handed us cups, spoons, a jar of instant coffee, a can of evaporated milk and the pot of water. She then left and went back home to start her daily bread baking. Lorraine finally came back about 45 minutes later and asked what we wanted for breakfast. We had heard rave reviews of the French toast made with her mother’s coconut bread, so we ordered eggs, sausage and the famous French toast. Lorraine had to walk over to get the bread from her mother’s house, and breakfast was a while in coming, but it was delicious and we did get real coffee after all!

Entering Willie’s Garden of EdenWillie with one of his driftwood creatures.Charlotte tasting a tamarind fruitGoodbye Willie, it was great meeting you.

After our wonderful, but time consuming, breakfast, we needed a walk, so we headed up the street to The Garden of Eden. An elderly man created the Garden of Eden and, although I had heard about it, I had no idea of what to expect. When we arrived, we found a handwritten wooden sign that said to ask for Willie. Walking back through countless pieces of driftwood set up on the rock that made up the ground, we came upon a house. There we found Willie, who was happy to take us on a tour of his creation. Willie finds driftwood, and as he describes it, he sees figures in each piece as we find pictures in clouds. His soft, steady, gentle tones throughout the whole guided tour of his sculptures made us have a real respect for this kind man. He brought us through his garden of fruit trees, as well, all of which he started from seed and planted in the small holes that exist in this island that formed from a coral reef. Charlotte and I tasted tamarind plucked fresh from the tree, which Willie says can be used in place of lemon or lime and which apparently is good for a hangover as well. Although we wondered if we should really enter the garden at first, we all left feeling really happy we had met Willie, who suffers from Parkinson’s Disease and cataracts, and who was a real joy and an authentic gentleman.

The local goatsLorraine’s mother in her kitchen with her home baked bread.

Walking back to the dinghy dock, and passing a few goats on the front door step of a house, we stopped at Lorraine’s mother’s house to pick up our very own loaf of her homemade bread. We knocked on her door and were invited to go in and pick our bread from the many different varieties she had ready on the counter in her spotless kitchen. For the next few days it was homemade cinnamon-raisin bread toast for breakfast.

David Copperfield’s Island – Musha Cay

The next morning we said our goodbyes to Joe and Charlotte, who were heading back north in a few days as we continued on our way south. We traveled for several hours and passed by David Copperfield’s own island here, Musha Cay. For a mere $60,000 a night we could have stayed on the resort, but, instead, chose to anchor at the island next to his in preparation for our trip to George Town the following day.

In the center of GeorgetownThe beachesChat ‘N Chill
AfterMath leaves her mark at the Chat ‘N Chill bar

George Town, with a population of 1000, is the largest settlement in, and the capital of, the Exumas Island chain. The second largest settlement is Black Point, which has about 350 residents. All of the Exumas 700 islands, by the way, have a total population of about 7300. Elizabeth Harbor lies between Great Exuma Island, where George Town is located, and Stocking Island. Boaters from all over the world love to come and spend time here. Many leave their boats and come back every year to spend the whole winter. It is a cruiser’s playground with as many as 600 boats anchored in the winter months. There are organized activities such as volleyball, yoga, jam sessions, and poker. The beaches are gorgeous, and anchoring is safe and secure. Chat ‘N Chill is a bar on the beach near a favorite mooring field and, although it has the slowest service ever, we couldn’t miss stopping by just once for the experience. The VHF radio is not ever quiet for long. People ask questions, give information, and little children call their friends on other boats with perfect radio manners. Every morning there is a “cruisers’ net” on the channel 72 that announces weather and happenings, greets new arrivals to the harbor and says goodbye to those leaving. The best part of the net is a section where boaters ask for help and announce items they have for sale. The cruisers have really formed a community here.

The beauty parlor and fish market.The fastest talking peanut man in the world!

George Town also has provisions! We had not provisioned since we left Florida and our freezer was becoming pretty empty, so I was looking forward to a trip to the grocery store. The closest and most easily accessed is Exuma Markets. We stocked up on necessities and then went across the street to the beauty parlor to buy fresh fish. There, after two separate trips, I bought lots of grouper, lobster tails and conch. On the walk from the beauty parlor I also ended up with five bags of peanuts from the fastest talking peanut man you will ever meet! He was such a character, though, that it was a fun experience.

Attacking the jelly coconut.Success!!!

On our way to shore one evening we found a local resident desperately trying to start the engine on his boat. He said his brother had taken the battery out and he was trying to crank it to start with a very thin rope. We told him we would wait to see if he got it started and, if not, we would tow him to where ever he needed to go. Although it took a long time, he finally had success and to thank us for our assistance he handed us a jelly coconut. Jelly coconuts are not ripe to American standards. They contain a lot of coconut water and the flesh is a soft, easily scraped consistency that one would eat with a spoon. We thanked him and brought the coconut home to the boat where it sat for a few days because we had no idea how to open it. Finally we approached the shell with knives and even screwdrivers. We got the water out, and I mixed it with gin for, according to a book I read, an amazing tropical drink. I can’t say we ate much of the flesh, but it was fun to try.

The courtesy flags for 5 of the countries where we will stop.

Another reason for us to spend time in George Town was that we were waiting for a couple of packages to arrive. John decided he really needed a Single Side Band (SSB) receiver for the weather predictions before we headed further south and so we had one shipped to our friends Chris and Sam and asked them to ship it to us here. Also, Chris bought us a lot of courtesy flags for our trip and sent them our way from her trip to see her son in Puerto Rico. The cruising guide mentioned that Exumas Markets would hold packages for boaters, so that is the address I gave them for shipping. Of course, nothing is that easy when shipping overseas, and it turns out that Exumas Markets only accepts FedEx packages. Ours were sent by the USPS and by DHL. After many trips to shore, lots of scavenger hunting, and a few nervous days, though, both packages showed up and now we feel free to travel at the next good weather window.

Waiting for our ride to the vet.

Dr. Kwesi Smith.  He went to vet school at Auburn University and then came back to the BahamasJohn feeling very insecure!!!

Our last big task to accomplish before setting to sea again was to get the dogs the proper paper work required by the Turks and Caicos. Besides all of our previous documentation, we needed a health certificate signed by a vet in the Bahamas just a few days before departure. This is quite a task on this island where a vet flies in from Nassau just once a month. Luckily today, Sunday, April 10^th was the day the vet would be at the Humane Society. We had an appointment and were told that someone would pick us up at the Exuma Markets at noon. Of course today was one of the windiest days we have experienced since arriving in George Town and we were a little concerned about getting Kirby and Jake to shore in the dinghy. We did pretty well going in as we could ride with the waves, but we knew the trip back would be a lot more difficult. Anyway, we got to the market and waited a while when a tiny white flat bed truck showed up. The cab only held a maximum of three people, the sides of the truck bed were just a few inches high and the bed was full of scrap rubber. Another lady was on her way to the vet to get prescription food for her cat and we would never have trusted the dogs in the back of a truck by themselves anyway, so that left it to John to climb in and make sure everyone arrived safely while the driver, the other lady and I sat in the cab. To make matters even more interesting, they drive on the left here and every time a car came at us, I was sure we were going to have a head on collision with John and the dogs barely contained in the truck bed.

We did make it safely to the Humane Society where we met a very nice veterinarian, Dr. Smith. He was from the Bahamas, but he went to vet school at Auburn University and he was happy to hear that Kirby and Jake were well taken care of by our veterinarian daughter. In fact, he wanted to shake my hand because they were so well vaccinated! After filling out the paperwork for the Turks and Caicos we returned to Exuma Markets, again with John controlling the safety and lives of himself and the dogs. It would have been good if that was the end of the adventure, but we had to get back to AfterMath on the dinghy and the waves were really stirred up by this time. According to an announcement on the VHF radio, wind gusts were clocking about 29 miles an hour. I had grabbed a raincoat when we left because I had a feeling it would be a rough ride, but John and the dogs had no protection. We were soaked, battered, and tossed by the time we got back aboard and everyone is pretty tired out, but it was an adventure we will remember and now Kirby and Jake can enter The Turks and Caicos legally.

We like to take time to notice how life in these remote islands differs from what we have been used to. We now take the dinghy everywhere as we used to take a car. If we need to drop off garbage, we dinghy it to shore here, walk down the road to the tiny white dump truck and put it in the back. We then put $2 in the truck window for every small bag or $3 for each large bag that we have left. Or, Rodney can be called on the days he works. He will come in his boat to pump out a holding tank, pick up garbage, or take your propane tank to shore to be refilled. If you choose not to take your dinghy to shore, you can call Elvis, who runs a water taxi. The residents here are not as dependent on the Internet as we Americans are; therefore, Wi-Fi is spotty and many times non-existent.

There are few marinas in this part of the world and those that exist are usually very small. This means that we have not been at a dock for several weeks now, and essentially we are ‘off the grid’. During the day we rely on our solar panels to charge the batteries, which provide power on the boat when anchored.   (When underway we can charge the batteries with a 160-amp alternator that runs off the starboard engine). In the evening we run the generator to top off the batteries, heat water for showers and dishes and also to make water. Here, there is no natural water and the communities rely on large reverse osmosis (RO) systems to convert salt water to drinking water. We are lucky to have a water maker on AfterMath (although that idea took me some getting used to), but many do not. They carry a couple of five-gallon cans to the dinghy dock and are thankful to Exuma Markets for providing the free RO water that they take back and empty into their boat’s tanks. Everywhere else in the Bahamas water costs 40 to 50 cents a gallon. Think how much water you use in a day! Getting fuel for large boats is a challenge. Thankfully we don’t need any, but only one place here sells fuel to boats, and only when they have it. We are comforted in knowing that, if our fuel tanks were full, we could actually stay ‘off the grid’ for two years!

The veterinarian comes to the island only once a month here and there is no groomer. Poor Kirby really needs grooming! Sometimes credit card machines work in the stores and sometimes they do not. You are warned to keep your receipts in case there is a problem, and you pay 5% of your purchase each time you use a card for the convenience. The post office closes at 1:00 PM until further notice, and is open only on Monday through Friday – but not every Friday. The library is open from 10:00 AM to noon six days a week. We are told that the meat market on the island comes every Monday to transport customers to their store in a pick up truck and that last Monday 18 boaters crowded in the truck bed to go buy meat and deli items.

Despite the inconveniences, we also notice that we can see a sea star clearly in the sand of the harbor floor 12 feet below AfterMath, that the beaches are whiter than we could ever imagine, and that the blue of the sky sometimes is almost purple next to the turquoise of the water. We are so impressed when a local man asks for our forgiveness because he forgot to greet us before talking to a sales clerk, or when a lady insists we leave a building before she enters because we are her guests in her land. We love that we are invited into someone’s house with freshly baked bread for sale on her kitchen counter, and that people we met a few anchorages ago come over in their dinghy so the children can pet the dogs. We feel the breezes blow over us when we settle in for the night as the boat barely, but gently, rocks us to sleep. We see that there are more stars than we ever realized in the velvet black sky of night. And, while eating the delicious curried conch (after I pounded it with a tenderizing hammer and watched bits fly around the galley), the voice of a little boy comes quietly on the VHF announcing his boat’s name and stating that they are blowing the conch shell for the last time in George Town. As the sun gloriously sets, we hear the mournful sounds of the conch shells from boats all around us as they mix with broadcasted goodbyes from other cruisers wishing their friends fair winds and calm seas as they leave this paradise. And all is right with the world.

Here is where we are today!