Isla de la Juventud

Cuba can be really funny because some people tell you one thing and when you get there it is a different story. We were told the here in Marina Colony on the SW corner of isla de la Juventud, we could officially sign out of the country, How ever upon our arrival the guards told us other wise, the we have to go even more east to Cayo Largo in order to clear out with immigration officials. So it looks like our trip has been extended yet another few more days. Such us life… On the positive side, we met up with the same boat that we cruised to northwestern shores. Skipper Steve and his crew on “Seren”. They also come about the same problem and will be making their way to Cayo Largo, so we might do some more travelling together.

Marina Colony, Isla de la Juvendud

After this it is looking like it will be a minimum of 4 days to sail across the Caribbean Sea to reach Honduras or Guatemala, pretty scary thought if you ask me, but it is what I chose for myself, and I’m sure it will be a very enriching experience.
I have been doing lots of talking to some of the locals in places were we stop, besides the fact that my Spanish has gotten a lot better, I have really enjoyed sharing experience and exchanging ideas with them. It really makes me more grounded when I tell them why I’m doing this journey… good self reminders.

Julio Cesar a friend from La Coloma
(if you read this email me!)

I’ll cut this short for now; I’ll be doing a massive upload of picture once I reach the continent…

South Shore of Cuba

Hello everyone,

This is yet another post with no pictures and very brief. We are still in Cuba, we sailing across to the south shore and are now anchored on the small town of La Coloma. From here, it looks like we will be headed to Isla de la Juventud, where we´ll stay for a few days then, hit the sea for 3'4 days in a southwest direction toward Central America, Honduras or Guatemala. Where ever it turn out we arrive, I´ll get of with a heart full of gratitude and continue on my own. I do have plans to visit Anna and Andy in Roatan in all goes well I should be there around the 10th of may.

When I reach the continent, I´ll dedicate some time to update and up load photos, video about the sailing adventure I got my self in to!!!

Lots of love and light from the south shores of Cuba!!!

Lalo

Cycling in Cuba

Dear friends, family and followers,

These past few weeks here in Cuba have been great... getting right into the people (el pueblo)
The boat has been anchored in Puerto Esperanza for 10 days and I had the privilege to go on a two day bike ride to Havana and it was nice two days there then two day ride back... I have made load of friends and have plans to return in the future for sure... after Infinity Cycle... if I could plan that far...

Carmen, Pedro and I

Leonardo

It look like we will be setting sail this wed and continue along the north coast to the western tip... from the cut south bond to Honduras... Probably around April 20th or so, no one knows for a fact when you are in the hands of the sea... C. Patrick had a slight injury on the back and I´m getting ready to handle most of the work... kind of scary in a way... we will see I´m in this till the end, however it ends...

I guess the last post was not very positive,... I want to say that even with all the surprises I have been blessed to be have all these experiences and they are all very positive ones...

lots of love from Cuba to all...


Enjoy the photos and videos on my flickr page (click here)

Did I not say I was going to Cuba?! I did not know how or when, but when there is a will there is a way! Here I have been for 10 days, safe and sound. The internet here is rare slow and expensive, plus they have made it very difficult to upload anything (pics, video) to the net, so this are test only posts and will be till we leave Cuba...

The Trek across the Gulf

On March 10th (Happy Birthday Celo and Amy) we left left the Florida Keys from Bahia Honda where we had a day sail form Marathon and anchored the previous night. It had been a good sail but nothing could have prepared me for what was to come. It really is something out of this world to sail in open waters, otherwise known as the deep blue sea.

We set sail that day at about 9h30 and sailed really fast with a total avg of 5kt in 16hrs trip of 93nm. there were a pack of dolphins who swam by our side for a little while. The waves where decent but not huge, 4-7 feet every 4-8 secound, and wind was steady 10-15 knots.

Things started to go wrong when the handle of the winch to roll up the jib (front sail) fell into the Gulf Stream. We sailed a while longer and at 1h30 in the next morning realized we were only a few miles from Cube and needed to slow down. Patrick and myself wrestled the wind in order to take down the jib and stuff it into the main cabin. Soon after we found that both the engine and the generator were not working. By the time I could see the city lights of Varadero not so far away.

The Fact that we were this close to land in unknown waters without control of the boat did not sound like a good combo for me and I insisted we try to contact somebody on the VHF radio... After sometime of trying to figure out what was wrong with the engine and talking with some Cubans at the Marina Gaviota. We decided to drop anchor and sleep, it was then 4h30 and we were exhausted.

In the morning to tow service came around 11h. On our way to shore we had some time to relax and I reflected on the whole experience. When I'm on my bicycle I exercise steadily all day long and can make decisions as to where and when I go whenever I want to. Sailing on the other hand, often you have to work very hard and quick, then after you may sit and relax for a while, but always be ready to work very hard at any given moment. Because you are indeed in the hands of "Iemanja", the queen of the sea and it is not up to you most of the time.

We had a group of friendly officials waiting for our arrival at Marina Gaviota, where we stayed for 6 day to repair the damages on the sails, the engine's problem was that in Florida, the sold us diesel mixed with water... bad combo!


Varadero - La Habana

We survived another over-night sail from Varadero to Havana a few days ago. I say survived because we had some trouble, again, with the bilge (inner bottom of boat) soon after sunset, we saw there was a leak on the boat and had to manually bring buckets of water from under the washroom up to the desk and empty it into the sea.This was an other time that I had to work my hardest and fastest even if I felt sick to my stomach. Very unpleasant to be sweating through all your pores and adrenaline rushing through you veins while at the same time your head and stomach are spinning like and amusement park ride... What an experience, hopefully we will have more pleasant ones from now on...

Around 23:00 the night we managed to get a hold of the situation and sailed calmy into Marina Hemingway just after sunrise, which was gorgeous.

Yesterday I contacted Manuel, a friend of friends from Toronto, and biked to his home in Havana. It was another of these immediate affinity encounters of this journey. What a wonderful person with a great life vision. Great time in his studio, witnessed a great show of a folkloric group called "Misterio del Vodu de Haiti en Cuba"... It felt great to be alive!!

Thank Manuel for the bike tour of Habana..

gotta go run out of time...

sailing to bahia honda tomorrow


Enjoy the photos and videos on my flickr page (click here)