Providenciales, Turks and Caicos to Puerto de Vita, Cuba

We left Blue Haven Marina in Providenciales,  Turks and Caicos,  by 4 pm on April 29th.  We were sailing downwind with only the jib up in 15 to 30 knots of wind.  The boat was moving quickly at 7 to 8 knots. 

Justin, Anthony, Catherine, and Viv enjoying the fresh air

The ocean swells were coming at the boat at a 45 to 90 degree angle from the wind, which caused the boat to roll, listing and pitching in all directions.  Catherine, Viv, and Anthony suffered from a bit of sea sickness for the first 24 hours. 

I volunteered to make dinner that first night because the boat was rocking quite a bit (which means that the chef gets thrown around while cooking), and because so many were filling ill (which is aggravated by being inside the cabin).  So I made butter chicken while the crew stayed above deck.

We divided the night into 5 watches again, each 3 hours long.  Catherine took the first 3 hour shift,  which started at 6 pm.  Anthony took the 9 pm to 12 am shift.  I did 12 am until 3 am.  Justin took the next 3 hours.   The 6 am until 9 am shift was done by Viv.  The remaining 9 hours of the day was alloted informally.

Sunset

Sunday, April 30th was a very quiet and relaxed day.  We played cards (Uno and Cambio).  I sorted photos for the blog.  I tried to read,  but ended up napping instead.  Justin made pasta for dinner.

Viv, Anthony, and Justin taking advantage of some down time

The passage only took 36 hours, over which time we traveled 240 nautical miles.  We arrived in Cuba at 3 am, and we had to sail in circles to kill time so that we could arrive when the marina opened.

On May 1st, we arrived in Puerto de Vita and anchored outside Marina Gaviota at 8:30 am.  We played Uno while waiting for the officials to come to the boat.

Waiting for officials while under quarantine

At 10:30, a boat came out to meet us.  Only a doctor came on board "Just Dreamin."  He was a doctor of tropical medicine and infectious disease and a professor at the University in Holguin.  Apparently, the 1st is a holiday and the doctor had come from a party.  He checked everyone out,  including taking our temperatures.  After he said we were all good to go, we dropped the yellow quarantine flag, and we drove to the dock.

Coming into the marina

We had to stern tie in.  However, there was no buoy this time,  meaning that we had to drop anchor, and then back up the boat between two boats in a slip about 18 ft wide.  Our boat is 15 ft wide.  We also had 15 knots of wind pushing us sideways.  This was our first time stern tying off an anchor. 

Justin was at the helm and Anthony was manning the anchor.  I was at the stern ready to jump off the boat to the dock if need be to tie off the boat.  Viv and Catherine were watching the sides of the boat in case fenders needed to be moved.

Anthony manning the anchor

Justin took the boat upwind of the slip,  and turned the boat so that the stern was facing into the wind.  We drifted the boat down parallel to the dock until Anthony signaled that the bow was directly halfway between the two boats.  Justin kept the boat in place while Anthony dropped anchor.  Then, Justin backed up the boat into the wind by a boat length and turned the boat 90 degrees so that the boat was perpendicular to the wind.  By using the wind to push us sideways and by moving the boat backwards and forwards a little at a time, Justin pivoted the boat around the anchor until the boat was positioned in front of our slip.  He then backed the boat in between the two boats while Anthony let more chain off for the anchor.  I tossed the stern ropes to the marina staff to tie off the boat.  Viv and Catherine weren't required to do anything.  We didn't even need the fenders.  The whole maneuver was executed like clockwork.  The harbour master and marina staff clapped when we finished.  I was so proud of Justin.

Justin after his expert stern tie manouver

Customs and immigration came on board to complete paper work.  Two cocker spaniels came on board,  one checking for drugs and one checking for explosives.  We were finished entry before lunch.

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

We arrived at Blue Have Marina, located in Leeward on Providenciales Island, at 11 am on April 24th.  We had to wait on the boat until 3 pm to complete customs. Immigration took another hour.  In the meanwhile, we worked on fixing the main sail halyard, which required climbing the mast.  We took turns at the top of the mast as one can only sit for short periods comfortably in the harness.  First Warwick went up, then Justin, and then Anthony.  It wasn't until Mireille climbed the mast that the halyard got fixed.  Justin ordered a car, which arrived at 5 pm.  We explored the marina and attached resort.  We ate dinner at Salt Bar and Grill.  We finished the evening by swimming in the pool, drinking a few cocktails, and warming up by a fire.

Anthony at the top of the mast

View of Blue Haven Marina from the mast

Mireille climbing the mast

Sharks feeding off leftovers after fishermen gutted fishes at the marina

Dinner at the Salt Bar and Grill

Warwick and Anthony checking out the giant chess set

Justin and I warming up by the fire after a swim - Thanks for the photo Mireille

Mireille and Warwick enjoying the fire pit

First thing the next morning, I went to the resort gym.  When the marina opened, I dropped off the laundry.  Anthony and Mireille kayaked over to the mangroves and then to Iguana Island, which is a national park.  Justin and Warwick followed in the dingy not too long afterwards.  All five of us piled into the car and visited the Caicos Conch Farm, which was an unique and informative hour long tour.  Our tour guide was a biologist, and answers all our nerdy questions.  Afterwards, we drove to the beach in the Bight.  We had lunch at Somewhere Cafe and Lounge, which was located right on the beach.  We threw around Frisbee and snorkeled around Coral Garden Reef, which turned out to be the best snorkeling we've seen in the Caribbean.   It's not a large reef and we've definitely been to some reefs that are in more stunning locations, but this reef had the most fish and coral biodiversity.  We returned to marina at dinner time.  We cooled off in the pool and sipped on some cocktails.  Mireille made us a delicious dinner.

Warwick on the way to the mangroves and Iguana Island

Anthony and Mireille kayaking through the mangroves

Mireille found a friend at Iguana Island

Warwick and Mireille taking the dingy for a cruise

Conch Farm school

Mireille and Warwick getting hands on at the Conch Farm

Tour of the Conch Farm

Justin holding Sally

Anthony flirting with Freddie

All of us at the Conch Farm

Warwick and Mireille snorkeling at Coral Garden Reef

Justin snorkeling at Coral Garden Reef

Mireille snorkeling at Coral Garden Reef

Playing Frisbee at the Bight

Blue Haven Marina beach

Myself and Justin enjoying the pool

Early in the morning of the 26th, Justin and I kayaked through the mangroves and then over to Iguana Island.   A national parks guide gave us a short tour,  and then we walked around the Island following a trail.  Anthony, Mireille, and Warwick met us at the north end of the island.  We swam and snorkeled on the beach.  We then returned to the boat and drove into Grace Bay to check out the shops.  Unfortunately Mireille had an exam the next day, so we dropped her off at the airport.  We return to boat for a quick lunch, because Justin, Anthony, Warwick, and I had a flyboarding lesson that afternoon, which was an exhilarating experience.  Afterwards, we jumped on water trampoline at the resort beach.  We topped the day off with a beer at the pool bar.

Justin and I kayaking through the mangroves

Justin and I at Iguana Island

Myself at Iguana Island

Justin on the flyboard

Anthony's turn on the flyboard

Warwick trying out flyboarding 

Myself trying out flyboarding

Myself trying to do figure eights

Justin checking out the marina trampoline

The following morning, we caught the passenger ferry to North Caicos Island and we rented a car.  We leisurely drove across the island,  stopping for coffee and at Flamingo Pond.  We crossed the causeway to Middle Caicos Island, where we pulled over to see Indian Cave.  We then went to Conch Bar Caves National Park.  A tour guide took us through the caves for just over an hour.  The caves were filled with bats.  We moved on to Mudjin Bar and Grill for lunch, where we sat on the deck and had a great view of Mudjin Harbor and Dragon Cay.  After a walk along the beach, we hiked Crossing Place Trail.  We didn't have enough time to go to the end and see the blowhole; after 90 minutes of hiking, we had to leave to make it back for the last ferry.  We did make one last stop at Cottage Pond on North Caicos on our way back to the ferry.  As we were making the 5 minute dingy ride from the ferry back to boat, dark storm clouds came rolling in over the marina bringing lightning and thunder.  We made it back just as a few fat rain drops started to fall.  Anthony made dinner for us, and we had another early night.

Justin at Indian Caves on Middle Caicos

Myself exploring Indian Caves

Justin and Anthony at Indian Caves on Middle Caicos

Warwick at Indian Caves

Indian Caves

Anthony at Conch Bar Caves National Park

Justin in Conch Bar Caves National Park

Myself at Conch Bar Caves

Tiny bats in the caves

Warwick checking out Conch Bar Caves National Park

Justin in Conch Bar Caves

Myself exploring the caves

Warwick in Conch Bar Caves National Park

Warwick, Justin, and Anthony at Mudjin Bar and Grill for lunch

Justin at Mudjin Harbor

Justin at Mudjin Harbor in front of Dragon Cay

Justin at Dragon Cay in Middle Caicos

Myself on Dragon Cay

Justin at Mudjin Harbour

Justin, Anthony, and Warwick on Crossing Place Trail

Anthony and Warwick in the tunnel between the beach and the top of the cliffs

Justin walking Crossing Place Trail

Warwick taking the alternate route to Crossing Place Trail

Cottage Pond on North Caicos

Storm brewing over Blue Haven Marina

We rented a car on the 28th, and we picked up groceries. Afterwards, we went to Long Bay Hills Beach.  Justin, Warwick, and Anthony wanted to kyte board.  I sat on the beach under a tree, watched the boys, and read on my kindle.  Justin went first.  He practiced flying the kyte,  did some body drags, and even got up on the board a few times.  Warwick coached, and Anthony got a bit of an introduction to kyte boarding.  Then, Justin and I had to leave to pick up Viv and Catherine at the airport for 3:30 PM.  We left Warwick and Anthony at the beach with the kyte board, a quarter of a watermelon, and 6 beers.  We brought Viv and Catherine back to boat to drop off their bags and to change into swim suits.  We took Viv and Catherine to the Coral Garden Reef, and we ate dinner at Somewhere Cafe and Lounge.  Catherine and Viv did some snorkeling.  Justin picked up Warwick and Anthony, and brought them back to the boat.  Justin picked up Viv, Katherine, and I up from the Bight.  On the way back to the boat, we stopped at grocery store to pick gluten free food for Viv and Catherine.  We spent the evening on the boat, talking over mango daiquiris and mojitos.

Myself reading while the boys set up the kyte board

Justin getting on the board for the first time

Warwick taking the kyte board out for a spin

Myself at Somewhere Café at the Bight

Turtle at Coral Garden Reef

Justin and I brought Warwick to the airport in the morning.  Viv and Catherine kayaked over to the mangroves and Iguana Island.  I cleaned the inside of the boat while Anthony and Justin prepared the boat for departure.   Viv and Catherine checked out the pool bar and had lunch at the resort.  We left Providenciales before 4 PM, again being guided out by the pilot boat as the channel is so shallow.

Catherine and Viv kayaking in the mangroves

Catherine and Viv enjoying the pool