Not so much a highlight, but engine problems and weather delays, but no complaints, that is life aboard.
GRAND CAYMAN
- MORE WHALE SITINGS ON THE WAY TO GRAND CAYMAN!
JET PACK - We both flew the JET PACK to celebrate our upcoming 13th wedding anniversary on June 23. It was a BLAST! aka ROCKETMAN AND WOMAN
WRECK DIVING
WALL DIVING
STINGRAY CITY AT THE SAND BAR FEEDING THE HUGE STINGRAYS
BIKE RIDE TO HELL AND BACK LITERALLY
VISIT TO HELL, WELL, AT LEAST THE VILLAGE OF HELL HERE IN GRAND CAYMAN.
The photo below is of the Salina Navy Building within the palm trees at 6:00a.m., our departure time for Barahona.
WOWIE!! Where do we begin. Last we blogged, we were still having fun exploring the south coast of the beautiful Dominican Republic and had gotten our Despacho from Mojica. He is so great and had taken us to see the fishermen bring in their wonderful catch. The next morning, we sailed off for Barahona, D.R., a 25 mile run. We have been so happy to be able to sail. Even our slow boat has been able sail under full sail without using the engine! Woo hoo! Not fast though, around 4-5 knots sometimes a little more, but always count on less. It was a great sail and we even had a huge pod of dolphins cruising all around the boat. Their favorite is to ride in the bow wake. They also use this area to do their SeaWorld Style tricks and to school their babies that are close at their side. We arrived in Barahona and anchored near the Barahona Yacht Club. The Navy was whistling for us, even before we had our hook down wanting us to come into the Yacht Club. No Bueno fo us, their dock has seen better days for one and the other is we are too wide. After the hook was down, we launched the dink and headed to pick up the Navy and Immigration agents. They did a quick check of our boat and we signed some forms, gave them our documents and had a beer with all of them. After that, we had to go into shore with the dink across the bay and meet the immigration guy on the other side at the official Navy Headquarters. We had to get a stamp in our passport and also complete some paperwork for our International Depacho that would receive when we depart D.R. Oh yes, and at the dock after we dropped off the other agents, we ended up with a temporary extra crew member, Fernando, and yes, he would like to make a few bucks by being our guide, but the plus for us is just that, a local guide and also some security for us as well. He is friends with all of the Navy officials. He wanted to take us to the Cash and Carry so we could stock up on some items. Okay, so we get to the city dock and it has seen way better days after the hurricane damage. So we were told by a treasure hunting boat captain that we could tie up behind his boat and the dink would be safe. We then were asked by immigration to load up in his car which holds exactly and only and absolutely no more than 4 people, that we fit 5 people into. The driver, Bill in the front seat, JoAnne on his lap, Steve, Alice and Fernando piled up in the backseat . Good thing that the cops are not issuing tickets for that. Paid $5 US each for the stamps and then said Adios to the Immigration officer and went to get an iced cold beer and stock up at the market for of course the local beer and lots of fruits and veggies. FYI: A HUGE PAPAYA , basketball size, costs only 50 cents US. This is a big city and they have everything under the sun as far as shopping goes. We had a great visit with the Treasure Hunting crew. They are working a wreck nearby that is from the 1600's and telling us great stories of pirate treasures found. Pretty cool work! : )
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LOTS AND LOTS OF DOLPHINS
OUR SPECTACULAR FLIPPER MOMENTS ALONG THE WAY WHILE SAILING TO BARAHONA!!
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| A FLIPPER MOMENT!! |
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| MAMA AND BABY DOLPHIN |
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| TWO ADULTS WITH THE BABY IN THE MIDDLE AND THEN MORE ALL AROUND |
ARRIVAL: BARAHONA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
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BILL TYING OUR BOAT UP TO THE TREASURE HUNTING VESSEL
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| WITH JOANNE ON HIS LAP, BILL IS TAKING PHOTOS OUT THE WINDSHIELD OF THE CLOWN CAR WE ARE ALL PILED INTO! |
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| AMAZING, SHE IS BALANCING A HUGE BOWL ON HER HEAD |
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| FERNANDO CARRYING SOME OF OUR BAGS |
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| HERE IN THIS PARK, THERE IS A KID'S BIRTHDAY GOING ON! CHECK OUT THE CHARACTERS ON THE STAGE IN NEXT PHOTOS |
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OUR LAST DAY IN BARAHONA
CHECKING OUT WITH THE NAVY AND GETTING OUR INTERNATIONAL DESPACHO FOR HAITI
THIS IS OUR HELPER, FERNANDO |
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MOTORCYCLES ARE EXTREMELY POPULAR TRANSPORATION IN THE D.R.
ONE OF THE NAVY GUY'S BIKE |
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THE HEAD NAVY GUY WANTS TO POSE AND SHOW US HIS EVEN BETTER BIKE
THEN HE WANTS TO GIVE JOANNE A RIDE, BUT WE RAPIDLY DECLINE.
WE POLITELY SAY TO HIM, D.R. TRAFFIC AND NO HELMET, IS NO BUENO, GRACIAS! |
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THE HUGE MONEYMAKER IN DOMINICAN REPLUBLIC
SUGAR MILL |
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| THE HOPPER FOR THE SUGAR TO LOAD UP INTO THE BOATS |
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| THE BARAHONA YACHT CLUB WE ANCHORED NEAR |
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BEACH DAY FOR ALL OF THE LOCAL CHILDREN
GREAT THING, EVERYONE SEEMS TO KNOW HOW TO SWIM |
NEXT STOP: ISLA BEATA, D.R.
We departed at 6:00 .am. for Isla Beata. These photos are of the beautiful sunrise on the sea and Barahona Point.
After checking out of Barahona the day before, and getting our international despacho (THE LAST PORT OF D.R. TO GET IT before exiting the country) for Haiti, we departed at 6:00 a.m. for Isla Beata. We anchored in crystal clear water and is a National Park. We headed in with our papers to tell the Navy that we had arrived and they said "No problem and to enjoy". We walked just behind the navy building and found them cooking at the large outdoor community kitchen. They were cooking lobsters. They were the biggest we had ever seen! The photos below do not do them justice. Also, nearby the Navy officer were HUGE iguanas. This is a fishing village and each fishermen has hut that he has built that even includes an outdoor kitchen. All along the beach in front of the huts, is a path that is lined with makeshift clotheslines that have many fish strung on them. The fish have been cleaned, scored and covered in salt and then dried in the sun. This is how they are making saltfish. After taking a great hike around the island, we went for a spectucular snorkel along the point! It was complete with lots of sea caves that we could take the dinghy into and delightful swim throughs. There was even one cave that was complete with its own sandy beach and rock platform that allowed us to walk even further inside the cave.
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| WINDMILL FARM |
We arrived in late afternoon and rested up. The next morning we took a great hike around the island and then a fun snorkel.
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| THIS IS JUST THE HEAD OF THE LOBSTER IN A HUGE POT! |
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| WOW! HUGE D.R. LOBSTER! THE NAVY EATS WELL AROUND HERE! |
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| HERE KITTY, KITTY! YIKES! HE IS REALLY BIG! |
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| QUESTION: IS THIS A DRAGON OR AN IGUANA! |
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| HANDSOME AND STUNNING!!! : ) |
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| THE CLOTHESLINE OF SALT FISH CURING IN THE ISLAND SUN |
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| THE FISHING VILLAGE |
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| MORE SALT FISH |
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| THESE ARE ALL FISH TRAPS |
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| SNAKE, BUT IT IS NOT POISONOUS |
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| UNDERWATER VIEW OF A ROCK LEDGE WIITH ALL OF THE SPIKY IRON ROCK FORMATIONS ON IT |
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| YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE CAVE IS CONNECTED TO THE OTHER SIDE IN THE BACKGROUND |
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THE SUNLIGHT SHINING THROUGH THE WATER IN THE SEA CAVE
THE WATER IS AGLOW OF FLOURESCENT AQUA |
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| COOL ROCK FORMATIONS |
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| INSIDE THE SEA CAVE ABOARD THE DINGHY |
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| SEA CAVE |
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| SEA CAVE WITH GREAT BEACH INSIDE |
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| THE CAVE GOES EVEN DEEPER AND DEEPER IN AND YES, THERE ARE BATS IN THIS BAT SEA CAVE! |
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| YELLOW STINGRAY |
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| CORAL: UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL SHOT |
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| FUN SWIM THROUGHS THIS TREMENDOUS LIGHT SHINING DOWN THROUGH THE WATER |
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| ISLA BEATA FISHING VILLAGE |
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| TRYING TO CAPTURE THE DIFFERENT SHADES OF BLUE IN THE WATER |
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| JUST BEFORE GREEN FLASH AT ISLA BEATA |
NEXT STOP: BAHIA DE ANGUILAS, D.R. (BAY OF EAGLES)
The next day we sailed about 20 miles to Bahia de Las Anguilas ( Bay of Eagles), although we did not see any eagles there. This place was so amazing. Crystal Clear waters and no other boats around but us and Ocean Star. The waters were the most magnificant turquoise blue! We snorkeled the harbor. There were lots of conch and fish all over the place. We walked the beach and it went on and on with a beautiful long white beach of sand!
After a great walk on the beach, Ocean Star invited us over for Happy Hour. We were just about to take the first sip of our drinks, when a fishing boat came by to sell their catch. They had a boatload of lobsters. The price started really high, and then we negotiated them down, explaining that we are not tourists and cannot afford to pay those high prices. No problem, no problem. They wanted their photos taken and then we bought all of the lobster tails you see in the photo for $20.00 USD. It is a very fair price for both us and the fishermen, so we were all happy campers, and of course they got their bonus of a mickey of rum for all to share. We invited Ocean Star aboard for BBQ lobster dinner and more drinks. Woo hoo! : ) YUMMY!
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THIS IS A TRADITIONAL NATIVE HUT THAT IS BUILT ON THE
BEACH BY THE FISHERMEN |
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| ULTRA AND OCEAN STAR ANCHORED OUT IN BAHIA DE ANGUILAS |
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CAN YOU SAY, WWWWWOOOOOOOWWWWW!
GORGEOUS! |
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| THE LOBSTERMEN HAVE ARRIVED |
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| MUY GRANDE, LANGOSTA! |
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OUR MEAL OF 4 LOBSTER TAILS FOR $20.00 USD
WOO HOO!
LOBSTERS ON THE BARBIE |
NEXT STOP: CABO ROJO, D.R.
The next day, we departed Bahia de Anguilas for Cabo Rojo. What a huge difference in scenery. This is an industrial port that has a huge factory, a port, an abandoned hotel, murky water and the wind was honking so it was extremely bumpy in the anchorage. The only great thing about this place is it is a great staging place for our passage to Ile a Vache, Haiti. We will rest up here and watch for the weather window. Tomorrow looks good, but we will see.
HAITI
NEXT STOP: ILE a VACHE, HAITI (Island of Cows)
This is a beautiful and small island just off the coast of mainland Haiti.
ON OUR OVERNIGHT SAIL TO HAITI, WE SAW A BEAUTIFUL TRIPLE GREEN FLASH IN THE SUNSET!
We departed Cabo Rojo around noon the next day for Ile a Vache, Haiti and will sail almost 120 miles to Port Morgan, Ile a Vache, Haiti. We will need to arrive in the morning, so we will have good light for the entrance into the harbor. Well, we made our departure on time and Ocean Star was to be right behind us a few hours later. They can sail faster than we can. We made it about 30 minutes out, when a tremendous wind gust came and blew out 4 our our sail lugs in the main. Of course, all 3 sails were up. We immediately brought in the head sail, and struggled like crazy to bring the main down and went back to the harbor and put the anchor down again. We immediately began repairing the sail and will depart for Ile a Vache tomorrow. Each broken lug must be removed and the stitching, too, and then a new one sewed onto the sail. Thick sail requires lots of elbow grease to push it through several times so that they are secure enough to withstand the winds. Good thing is the last time we replaced a few of the lugs was over 2 years ago.
We must say, we were a little nervous to go to Haiti, even though we have thousands upon thousands of nautical miles. There are alot of desperate people there that want to leave Haiti for a better life, and especially after the earthquake and of course the bad economy. We have heard stories of pirates attacking vessels off of the Haitian coast. One story was that a guy was approached by some men in a boat and they boarded his boat and threw him off of it, so he had to swim to shore and hike it back to the Dominican Republic. Haiti and the Dominican Republic are two different countries that share the same island called Hispanola. Of course, we cannot pay alot of attention to these types of stories, or else we would have never gone anywhere. : )
We had a long but great sail, well, motor sail for us some of the way, to Ile a Vache. We did travel in stealth mode throughout the night, with our AIS and radar on, but no running lights, but we did have a nice moon. At daybreak, the beautiful sunrise was a true gift. We began to see fishtraps markers dotting the water. The problem is, the fishermen use clear Coke and water bottles or green Sprite bottles which are not easy to see. JoAnne was on the bow as the spotter giving direction to Bill on the wheel to dodge the fishtraps right and left. Also, in the 3 ft. swells we began to see dugout canoes with men paddling them and towing their fishing lines. Some of them have their dugout rigged with what looks like a series of black trash bags stitched together for a sail, which we later discovered were really weathered black tarps. Remember these men are really far out to sea, 3-5 miles in a tiny little boat that you can barely see above the surface of the water. None of these boats have motors. Before we knew it, we were upon at least 40 of these boats.
We had bought small packages of snacks in the D.R. to give out while in Haiti. These people need everything. We began collecting the items to package up in Ziploc bags and tossing them to the fishermen. We had a lot of small packs of cookies, crackers, lollipops and practically threw our shoulders out trying to pitch them as far as possible and yelling "Bon Jour" (Good morning). We also had the real foam fish floats that we had collected on the windward sides of the islands we visit, just for this purpose, that we also pitched to them as we sailed by so that they could replace the bottles. We also transferred Coke to smaller plastic bottles with a float and threw those to them, too. Everyone was able to navigate right to the gifts. Their BIG SMILES were so great to see! In Haiti, they speak French, but also their native language Patois (African and French mix) and some Spanish.
We made our way safely into the harbor and we were greeted right away by Ashley, which is a boat boy. They call themselves this. The definition of a boat boy is: He was on a beat up surfboard with a cut off palm tree branch for a paddle. He saddled beside up beside Ultra and welcomed us to Ile a Vache, Haiti. He also handed us a Ziploc Bag with a recommendation letter inside from another cruiser and told us that if we had any jobs for him, he would be happy to work for us. Before we knew it, we had at least 15 boat boys in dugouts all around, offering us the same. WOWIE! After sailing for over 24 hours and exhausted, this was very overwhelming. All of the "boys" are between the ages of 5-19 years of age, and one gentleman we met that was in his early 50s. We quickly explained to all that we were extremely tired and needed to rest and then we would discuss with them any jobs that we might have for them. We also explained that our friends aboard Ocean Star were also coming in soon, and to give them a little time to rest, too. Of course, these boys are quite the businessmen, and they quickly approached Ocean Star asking the same from them.
Well our rest would have to wait, more boat boys came out to greet us, too, and were outside our stateroom window, saying "Bon Jour, Welcome to Ile a Vache, Haiti". We decided it was time to get up and begin to clean up the boat and see if we had some small jobs for them. They explain that they need their money for schooling. If they do not pay the $25 a month for school, they cannot go to school.
We tried to come up with small projects for them to do. Our belief was hire several, but explain to them that we only have a certain amount of money to spend on labor and instead of giving it all to one person, we will distribute the money evenly to all who help us with projects. The projects included: painting our life ring, waxing the hull, washing the salt off of the stainless steel stanchions and polishing them, and guide service for the market. We also traded mask and snorkel sets for labor, since they can use those for spearfishing. We hired about 10 boys/men to work on the boat. It was alot of fun and they were all good workers and were so happy to make some cash.
This is a really beautiful place and most everyone lives in the village of Caille Coq by the anchorage, Baie of Port Morgan, as in the famous Privateer/Pirate Henry Morgan. The people are extremely poor and they have no electricity and no running water. Also, there are not any cars on the island. However, we felt very safe while we were here.
While here, we took a great hike through the little village and then up and over the mountain to see the Abaka Bay Resort. When we arrived at the beach to beach the dink, our three 13 year old boys were there to greet us.We visited with them a bit and then began our walk through town. They were right beside us the whole way. They are 13, but look more like 8 or 9. They are very small. We made it to the resort and ordered Haitian beers for us and for the kids, Cokes. They were so happy! We had alot of fun, and we know that it was a total treat for the kids. We then headed back and then over to see the point of Caille Coq to see that area. It was a great walk, and we got to visit with the locals as we passed by. We ended up finding another hotel/hostel type place. We ordered some beers and the kids tall bottles of Cokes again. WOWIE! We think they will float away or be on a caffeine high for the next 3 days, since they probably never get to have these.
We our little helpers that we would give them all recommendation letters and boat cards, since this is their livelihood. After a day of boat projects and lots of continuous visitors, we printed out all of the recommendation letters one by one, signed them, and also made a special handwritten note on each. We also included an Ultra postcard with a photo of the boat on it and all were placed in individual one gallon Ziploc bags. We asked that each boat boy come out to collect their recommendation letters so we can give them to them personally. What a wonderfully rewarding experience. Well, word definitely got out quickly and we were swarmed with boat boys that we had not even met yet, that were asking for letters. We politely stated that if they did not work with us in some way or we had not visited with them, that we could not do that. We did give out more cookies and Kool Aid though.
We thoroughly enjoyed our experience in Haiti and would definitely go there again! Wonderfully kind people that have absolutely nothing. They have been hard hit by hurricanes, the earthquake, corrupt government and then the bad economy. They definitely make due with what they have and their ingenuity is unbelievable. They are total MacGyvers!
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| JUST BEFORE THE TRIPLE GREEN FLASH! |
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COOL CLOUD IN THE MIDDLE THAT WE BOTH LOOKED
LIKE THE DOG FROM GARFIELD |
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| OUR BELOVED CARIBBEAN COCONUTS |
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THE FIRST FISHERMAN TO PADDLE BY
CHECK OUT THE ROLLING WAVES BEHIND HIM
THE PHOTOS NEVER DO THE WAVES JUSTICE, BUT THEY WERE SOMETIMES
AT LEAST 4 FT. ROLLERS |
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| THESE GUYS REALLY KNOW HOW TO SAIL |
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| THE SOUTH COAST OF HAITI |
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| YOU CAN SEE THE FISHFLOAT WE THREW OUT FOR HIM TO RETRIEVE |
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| THESE GUYS ARE RACING FOR THE COOKIES AND FLOATS |
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THESE GUYS WERE SO HAPPY TO HAVE THEIR PHOTO TAKEN
THIS BOAT IS JUST ABOUT 5 FT. SMALLER AND WITHOUT THE SMALL CABIN, THAN THE ONE WE HELPED RESCUE IN THE BAHAMAS 4 YEARS AGO JUST AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE
THAT 62 HAITIANS ABOARD |
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| BEAUTIFUL! |
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MILES OF STUNNING WHITE SAND BEACHES AND COCONUT PALMS
ALONG THE SOUTH COAST HAITI |
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| ESTATE AT THE TOP OF THE HILL AND PLANTATION |
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| BEAUTIFUL ROCK FORMATIONS |
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| THIS IS A PHOTO OF OUR FRIEND ASHLEY'S HOME ON THE RIGHT AND ON THE LEFT AND A CHURCH THAT WAS GUTTED BY THE HURRICANE |
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| THE PORT MORGAN BEACH RESORT |
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| BILL AND LAW WAXING THE HULL |
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| THESE DUGOUTS ARE MADE FROM ONE SINGLE LOG FROM A MANGO TREE |
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A FRIENDLY FISHERMEN WELCOMES US TO ILE DE VACHE IN FRENCH.
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THE PORT MORGAN BEACH RESORT
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MORE WONDERFUL VISITORS COME BY TO CHAT
THEY ARE PRACTICING THEIR ENGLISH AND THEN ALSO LOOKING FOR SMALL JOBS TO DO FOR
FOR US TO MAKE SOME CASH
THEY CHARGE $3.00 USD PER HOUR. |
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| THE CHURCH THAT WAS DAMAGED IN THE HURRICANE |
THE WONDERFUL "OUT OF AFRICA" EXPERIENCE!
MADAME BERNARD VILLAGE, HAITI OUTDOOR MARKET
Today we are all ready to visit the St. Francois Orphanage and meet Sister Flora, the nun that runs the orphanage. We have food, clothing and linens to donate. We will also see the spectacular outdoor market in the village of Madame Bernard. We had organized with Ashley to be our guide. We picked him up off the beach at his home, and then Ocean Star also asked to ride with us so they did not have to launch their dink. We have never been and Ashley says it is not too far by boat. We were told it is cheaper and quicker by boat. We had asked for a quote of the water taxi after we made the land-hike as far as possible, but we never got an answer on exactly how far to hike (1-2 hours) or a price of the water taxi, so to prevent any surprises, we went in the dink. Okay, 5 people in a 9 ft. AB dink with a 15 HP outdoor. Okay, no problem, well yes sort of. It was an experience! We are in the harbor, and then out into the sea we go. We follow the coastline, but the waves are all coming into the boat. OMG, the dink was filling up big time. We had forgotten to load up the bailer in the dink after making our crossing. When we make a big passage, we remove the motor and all items inside the dink, fuel tank, paddles, lifejackets, bailer, etc. So JoAnne quickly pulled out a Ziploc bag out of her backpack and transferred the huge container of oatmeal to it, and then used the container for a bailer. WOWIE! Lots and lots of water coming in as fast as it was being bailed. We were all soaked to the bone in the salty waves, then the rain came, too. What a way to start out the day. Ashley said to us that it was still further and still further. It took us about 1 and half to get to the market. Too bad we did not take photos, but we were too busy almost sinking. : ) It is quick by boat, if you have a bigger boat and motor! : )
Oh well, it was a great adventure and we forgot about it right away after seeing the market. Everyone was arriving from all around the island by burro with all of the goods they were going to sell. They even had a burro parking lot. Also, many people were arriving from the mainland from the city of
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| THIS IS US BEING PASSED BY A LOCAL SAILBOAT |
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| THE BURRO AND HORSE PARKING LOT |
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| THE LOCALS ARE ALL ARRIVING FOR THIS WONDERFUL EVENT! |
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| THIS IS THE PATH TO THE ST. FRANCOIS ORPHANAGE |
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| THE GATES TO THE ORPHANAGE |
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WE ARE READY TO MEET SISTER FLORA TO DONATE ALL OF OUR ITEMS.
WE HAD BEEN TOLD TO BRING LOTS OF POWDERED MILK AND OATMEAL. WE DID SO AND ALSO BROUGHT LINENS AND LOTS OF CLOTHES |
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| SISTER FLORA IS MAKING HER ROUNDS |
WE ARE NOW READY FOR OUR WONDERFUL OUT OF AFRICA EXPERIENCE!
We have never been to Africa, but it is on our bucket list. However, we felt as if this is what an African adventure would be like. We love these events! GREAT ENERGY FROM ALL OF THE PEOPLE AND ACTIVITY! So wonderful to be completely immersed in this experience. Everyone was very friendly and greeted everyone with "Bon Jour". We bought some wonderful bread; their version of peanut brittle, which was sweet and savory and had a kick with some peppers and curry. There was everything under the sun at the market! Produce, baskets and baskets of Fish, Meat hanging everywhere, Grains, molasses by the ladle full, beans, straw art, clothes (lots of knock off designer t-shirts), lots of chickens running around and a place to change US dollars to Haitian currency which is called a Gourde. Bill bought us 2 tall old fashioned bottles of ice cold Coke for less than 1 US dollar.
1 US Dollar = 43.2 Gourdes
,
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THE MARKET IS IS JUST BEHIND US
EVERYONE COMES FROM ALL AROUND
IT IS AN EVENT NOT TO BE MISSED |
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| THESE ARE SOME OF THE STRUCTURES THAT PEOPLE HAVE BUILT THAT COME FROM THE HAITI MAINLAND AND SPEND THE NIGHTS FOR THE MONDAY AND TUESDAY MARKET DAYS. |
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| CHECK OUT THE HORSE'S HAIRDO! |
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| HOMEMADE MOLASSES AND IT IS HANDDIPPED INTO BOTTLES |
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| RICE BY THE COFFEE CAN FULL |
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| THESE ARE BASKETS AND BASKETS OF DRIED SALTED FISH |
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| A MARLIN THEY RECENTLY CAUGHT THAT THEY WILL BEGIN SELLING SOON |
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| WONDERFUL STRAW MATS |
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THE HUTS ON THE LEFT OF THE PHOTO WERE ALSO BUILT TO STAY IN OVERNIGHT WHILE THEY SELL THEIR PRODUCTS FOR THE 2 MARKET DAYS
THEY HAVE TAKEN A $1.00 USD WATER TAXI FROM THE CITY OF LES CAYES |
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| THE STRAW MATS ON THE LEFT ARE USED TO MAKE FISH TRAPS |
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ADDITIONAL OVERNIGHT HUTS THAT ARE BUILT FOR THE MARKET DAYS AND SOME
ARE PERMANENT RESIDENCES |
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| A HUT BUILT WITH A CHINESE AID TENT |
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| DUGOUT MADE OF ONE LOG FROM A MANGO TREE |
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THESE PEOPLE ARE ARRIVING FROM THE MAINLAND
LES CAYES, HAITI |
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| LAUNDRY DAY |
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| THESE STRAW HUTS ARE USED FOR ACCOMMODATIONS |
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| EVERYONE IS WALKING TO MARKET WITH THEIR GOODS TO SELL |
FROM OTHER VILLAGES
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| ASHLEY OUR WONDERFUL GUIDE |
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| LOTS OF CHICKENS FOR SALE |
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| WOW! WE THINK SHE WINS THE BALANCE CONTEST! |
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| OUR DINK AND THE WATER TAXIS AT THE DOCK |
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| AWESOME! |
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BILL LETS ASHLEY DRIVE THE DINGHY! HE IS AN EXCELLENT DRIVER!
VERY SMOOTH AND DRY RIDE HOME! |
WE ARRIVE HOME FROM THE MARKET AND THEN OUR VISITORS BEGIN SHOWING UP RIGHT AWAY
WE SERVE UP PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICHES.
ONE PROBLEM, WE HAVE SERVED SO MANY, WE ARE OUT OF BREAD.
WE DO HAVE CASSAVA BREAD, WHICH IS MORE LIKE A DRY FLATBREAD TYPE BREAD.
Well, unfortunately, the keyword was DRY. JoAnne made the sandwiches quickly and served them up right away without even thinking of that. Just thinking fresh bread for lunch for them. We feel for these kids, because we do not ever see their parents around and they do not seem to be preparing them meals either. We know that they are truly hungry. So 3 sandwiches coming up on cassava bread. About 2 minutes later, Bill comes running in and says the kids are saying Eau, s'il vous plaît. about 3 or 4 times. Oh yes, JoAnne forgot the drink. Dry Cassava Bread and Peanut Butter and Jelly. Oops! They probably told each other, this boat lady is crazy! : ) Too funny. 3 waters coming up.
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ASHLEY LEAVES 3 COCONUTS ON OUR DECK THIS MORNING.
FRESH COCONUT WATER, WE LOVE IT! |
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OUR FRIENDS COME FOR A VISIT! THEY SHOW US THEIR PADDLES, A CUT OFF PALM FRONDS
GENIUS!
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TODAY OUR FRIENDS HAVE COME TO JOIN US ON OUR HIKE
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| ASHLEY FAMILY PIG ON THE BEACH |
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| THESE ARE HOW GIGANITIC THE HAITIAN MANGO TREES ARE |
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| HELICOPTER PAD THAT IS USED TO TRANSPORT GUESTS TO AND FROM THE ABAKA BAY RESORT |
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| THE COMMUNITY WELL |
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| THIS A SHIPPING CONTAINER MADE INTO A RESTAURANT AND BAR |
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| BEAUTIFUL AFRICAN STYLE HUT |
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| A WONDERFUL HOTEL USED TO BE ON THIS POINT, BUT A HURRICANE DESTROYED IT |
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| THIS HOME REMINDED US OF SOMETHING OUT OF SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS |
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| WOODEN SPINNING TOPS AND A STRING ARE A VERY POPULAR TOY HERE |
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| WE ARE GREETED BY THE WONDERFUL CHILDREN AND SURPRISE THEM WITH LOLLIPOPS |
THE OTHER MUCH MORE BASIC HOTEL AND BEACH THAT WE VISITED
YEA! THIS IS PART OF THE WONDERFUL GROUP OF BOYS/MEN THAT WE PROVIDED RECOMMENDATION LETTERS FOR. THEY WERE SO HAPPY! THE OTHERS ARE ON THEIR WAY!
WE WILL MISS THEM, BUT WE WILL GOT BACK ONE DAY AND SEE THEM ALL AGAIN. : )
NEXT STOP: GRAND CAYMAN, CAYMAN ISLANDS
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| ALL AROUND US WHILE ON THIS JOURNEY WAS THIS VIEW YOU SEE HERE, LOTS AND LOTS OF INDIGO WATER |
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| GREEN FLASH ABOUT TO HAPPEN |
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| WOO HOO WE GOT TO FLY OUR SPINNAKER SOME OF THE TIME! |
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| BILL DOING PROJECTS WHILE WE ARE UNDERWAY |
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| WE HAD AN AMAZING SAIL TO GRAND CAYMAN |
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| OCEAN STAR |
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| BEAUTIFUL CRYSTAL CLEAR WATER! THIS WATER IS 100 FT. |
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THE FEEDING FRENZY OF BIRDS WHILE ON OUR LONG SAIL TO GRAND CAYMAN
WE SAILED INTO IT AND DEFINITELY HOOKED TWO FISH, BUT THEY BOTH BROKE THE LINES SO WE LOST BOTH LURES, THAT MAKES FOR AN EXPENSIVE DAY. WE DID CATCH A FEW MORE THOUGH! |
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WHILE UNDERWAY TO GRAND CAYMAN, WE WERE FISHING AND BILL CUT UP SOME OF THE
CONCH THAT WE USING FOR BAIT FOR A SNACK FOR SAILOR KITTY
THIS IS ONE SPOILED KITTY CAT! : ) |
We arrived in rainy weather around 9:00 A.M. in Grand Cayman. We sailed closer so we could mark some great dive sites and also to get a great view of the famed 7 miles beach, which we found out is only 4 miles long. We had called the Port Authority to notify them that we were in the harbor and wanted to check in. We had hurried so that we were checking in before noon or else we would have to pay overtime fees of $70 USD. We made it on time. The Port told us that since it was a weekend that we could stay aboard the boats for no fee and just check in on Monday. Of course we love FREE, so we asked if it was okay if we just swam and snorkeled around the boats. They said no problem. Today, we were told is a public holiday called "DISCOVERY DAY". Well, we rested up a bit and then got in the water to snorkel. Wow! Spectacular coral and fish underneath the boats and all in the harbor. There is even a dive site mooring directly behind our boat. We finished our snorkel and no sooner showered up when we received a call from the Port Authority informing us that we had been MISINFORMED and that we need to come in asap to check in instead of waiting until Monday. On Monday, the real "Discovery Day" is celebrated and the fee would be $140. OK, we told them, we will be right there. It is required that the big boats be taken into the Port Authority dock. The guide book tells us that they will bring a full team to search the boat, check our papers, check for mosquitos, and if you have mosquitos, you must pay $30 for the boat to be sprayed. This was an extremely easy checkin. Extremely friendly and everyone welcomed us! Immigration and Customs require a few forms, check passports, and no need to check the boats or mosquito man and we were on our way back to the FREE mooring in the harbor. Now we were free to roam around, so we jumped in the dingy and headed to town to explore!
HISTORY OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS:
When Columbus arrived, he named these island, Las Tortugas, because the islands were covered with countless turtles. Hence, the turtles were harvested and used to provision the ships with meat. Later, the turtles were harvested and sold until almost to extinction.
1670 - England control of the Caymans, along with Jamaica, under the Treaty of Madrid
The Cayman Islands were a base for Privateers and Pirates.
WHY ARE THE CAYMAN ISLANDS TAX FREE? In November 1794, ten vessels (THE WRECK OF TEN SAILS), which were part of a convoy escorted by HMS Convert, were wrecked on the reef in Gun Bay, but with the help of local settlers, there was no loss of life. Legend has it that a member of the British Royal Family was onboard and as a reward for their courage, King George III made the Cayman Islands TAX FREE.
When the original settlers came here from Jamaica, they brought their slaves with them. Their was a 50/50 of slave owners and slaves. There was not the agriculture here, as in the other islands of the Caribbean. The slaves were for domestic help and to do various trades.
HURRICANE IVAN: This hurricane of 2004 completed devastated these islands. If you Google it, you will be amazed. The entire islands were covered in water. Everything had to be rebuilt. No water and electricity for months.
EARTHQUAKE: After the hurricane, relief finally started to come in, the rebuilding and cleaning up was beginning and then a devastating earthquake occurred.
The people are extremely friendly and helpful. We are always offered a lift and if we look lost, someone comes up right away to help us.
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| BEAUTIFUL CONCH UNDERNEATH THE BOAT IN GRAND CAYMAN |
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| THE BEAUTIFUL WHARF RESTAURANT THAT WE MOORED NEAR |
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| STINGRAY SEARCHING FOR FOOD UNDERNEATH OUR BOAT |
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| HUGE PORCUPINE FISH IN THE CENTER OF THE PHOTO |
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MANY HUGE TARPON ARE SWIMMING UNDERNEATH OUR BOAT
THEY ARE AT LEAST 6 FT. |
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| OUR MOORING |
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| OUR FRIENDS CHRIS AND MATT OF JET PACK MAN ZOOMING BY |
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| BILL PULLING JOANNE ON THE DIVE PLANE IN THE HARBOR |
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| ULTRA MOORED IN GEORGETOWN, GRAND CAYMAN |
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NURSE SHARK UNDERNEATH THE BOAT THE WE SAW WHILE
USING THE DIVE PLANE |
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| BILL ON THE DIVE PLANE |
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| YES, THIS A WATERFRONT BURGER KING ON THE CARIBBEAN SEA! |
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| HOTELS DOT THE FAMED SEVEN MILE BEACH |
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| SAILOR ASSUMING HIS POINTER STYLE POSITION ON THE BOW OF THE DINGHY |
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| AWESOME GREEN FLASH ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE |
THE NEXT DAY WE WERE WRECK DIVING BOUND!
FIRST WRECK DIVE: KITTYWAKE
This is the famous KITTYWAKE wreck. It was purposely sunk and lies on the bottom upright and is so fun to swim through all of the rooms.
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| WATER CANNON ON THE BOW |
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PARTY ABOARD ULTRA WITH OCEAN STAR AND OUR NEW FRIENDS FROM SPAIN,
ISMAEL AND OLGA OF
S/V
CUATRO PATAS |
SECOND WRECK DIVE: WE LOVED THIS WRECK, SO WE DID KITTYWAKE AGAIN!
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| CAPTAIN BILL IS AT THE WHEEL |
THIRD WRECK DIVE: "ORO VERDE": A SCUTTLED DRUG SMUGGLING BOAT FROM THE 1980'S
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| SAY CHEESE, THIS FISH CAME OUT OF NOWHERE AND POSED FOR THE CAMERA |
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| GARDEN EELS |
FOURTH WRECK DIVE: THE KITTYWAKE AGAIN,IT IS EXCELLENT!
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| THE PROP |
FIFTH DIVE: GREAT WALL DIVE AND SWIM THROUGHS
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CHRIS THE JET PACK MAN CRUISING BY ULTRA
30 FT. HIGH |
SIXTH DIVE: WRECK OF DOC POLSEN
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WE NICKNAMED THIS ANGEL FISH, ANGELINA! SHE FOLLOWED US THROUGHOUT OUR ENTIRE.
SO CUTE AND FRIENDLY. |
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| ALICE AND STEVE |
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| BILL AND JOANNE |
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| ELECTION DAY IS TOMORROW SO ALL OF THE POLITICAL PARTIES ARE OUT IN FULL FORCE |
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| BILL ENJOYING HIS FIRST WHOPPER IN OVER A YEAR! |
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| THE SWIMMING POOLAND WATERSLIDE AT MARGARITAVILLE THAT WE WILL PLAY IN TOMORROW AFTER EXPLORING THE ISLAND BY BIKE. |
WE HAD A GREAT BIKE RIDE AROUND THE ISLAND THAT INCLUDED A TRIP TO HELL, THE VILLAGE OF HELL THAT IS, THAT MAINLY CONSISTS OF A FEW HOMES, SHOPS AND A POST OFFICE.
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| GRAND CAYMAN IS WELL KNOWN FOR THEIR BLUE IGUANAS, HOWEVER, DO NOT WORRY THEY ARE MUCH SMALLER THAN THIS ONE. |
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ADORABLE DOLL HOUSE! EVERY LITTLE GIRL'S DREAM.
THIS DEFINITELY WOULD BE THE ONLY HOME THAT WE COULD AFFORD IN THE CAYMAN ISLANDS! IT IS HIGH COTTON HERE. |
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| THIS MUST BE A HOME OF ONE OF THE GUYS THAT RECEIVED ONE OF THOSE GOLDEN PARACHUTE DEALS! |
ON THE WAY TO HELL, WE STOPPED TO ASK IF WE COULD SWIM AT THIS RESORT.
IT IS A HOLIDAY AGAIN TODAY. IT IS ELECTION DAY, SO ALL STORES ARE CLOSED AND YOU CANNOT BUY ALCOHOL ANYWHERE ON THE ISLAND UNTIL 7:00 P.M., EVEN IF YOU ARE A GUEST IN A HIGH END HOTEL! THE BAR IS NOT EVEN OPEN TO SERVE YOU A COKE!
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| THIS RESTAURANT HAPPENED TO BE OPEN. CHECK OUT WHO IS OUT FRONT, THE CHICKEN FAMILY IS IN FRONT OF CHICKEN, CHICKEN. TALK ABOUT FRESH CHICKEN! : ) |
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ISMAEL AND OLGA (OUR FRIENDS FROM SPAIN),
BILL, JOANNE,
STEVE AND ALICE |
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| GOOD WORDS TO LIVE BY, "DON'T WORRY'! : ) |
THIS IS THE POST OFFICE/ GIFT SHOPS/GAS STATION OF THE VILLAGE OF HELL. CAN YOU SAY "TOURIST TRAP". DEFINITELY! BUT FUN TO SEE ANY WAY. : )
THE TOWN GOT ITS' NAME FROM THE SPIKY ROCK FORMATIONS THAT YOU WILL SEE IN THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS. IT IS SAID TO LOOK HELL OR AT LEAST THE ENTRANCE TO HELL.
OF COURSE THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS POST OFFICES IN THE WORLD. UNFORTUNATELY, SINCE IT WAS ELECTION DAY, IT WAS NOT OPEN FOR US TO SEND ALL OF YOU A POSTCARD FROM HELL.
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THIS IS WHY THE TOWN IS NAMED HELL
YOU CAN SEE THE LITTLE DEVIL IN THE LOWER RIGHT HAND CORNER |
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| HELL POST OFFICE |
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| AFTER HELL, WE ENDED UP IN TIMBUCTUU! : ) |
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| ADORABLE CAYMAN ISLAND COTTAGE |
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| CEMETERY |
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| THESE ARE ADORABLE DECORATIVE PLANTERS THAT ARE PLACED ALL AROUND THE ISLAND |
WE STOPPED IN AT THE BEAUTIFUL CAMANA BAY
SPECTACULAR RESORT, MARINA AND SHOPPING MALL
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| ONE OF THE MANY BEAUTIFUL PLAZAS AT CAMANA BAY |
WHILE IN GRAND CAYMAN, WE MADE A COUPLE OF TRIPS TO COST U LESS, WHICH IS JUST LIKE COSTCO IN THE USA. GREAT PLACE TO PROVISION.
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| ALICE AND STEVE STOCKED UP |
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WE STOCKED UP ON THE NECESSITIES OF:
GRANOLA BARS, TONIC WATER, CAT FOOD,PAPER TOWELS AND TOILET PAPER |
STINGRAY CITY, GRAND CAYMAN
This morning Ocean Star and us took our sailboats to the North Sound. We got fuel at Barcadere Marina and then went to the Harbor House Marina to shop at their chandlery for boat parts. We then made our way as fast as possible to Stingray City to feed and swim with the giant stingrays, and all the while being very cautious of the shallows and reefs on the way. We wanted to anchor as near as possible to The Sandbar. This way,we could dink over to The Sandbar and wade in waist deep water with these wonderful creatures. We had conch bits left over from cleaning the conchs that we had dove for and then also bits of squid, too. The stingrays were very happy campers and were all over us. Trivia: It takes two male stingrays to impregnate one female stingray. The male stingrays are just a small fraction of the size of the gigantic females. There were at least 20 females and probably at least that many males, but the females are the ones that are over the food. The males are just getting any scraps on the sea floor.
After the stingray adventure we headed back to the boat. Alice and Steve headed to anchor outside the marina for fuel early tomorrow morning. We stayed anchored out off of the reef and sandbar. There was a beautiful full moon glowing on the water and the sound of the great surf. We were the only boat way out there.
All of these stingrays still have their barbs and are fully equipped to zap you as at any time. We hand fed the stingrays and they were all over us flapping their wings and tails around. Exciting and quite the adrenaline rush, but also a little intimidating, considering JoAnne was zapped by one of these creatures in Galveston Island many years ago.
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| THE REEF!!! |
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| THE BARB IS CLEARLY ON THE TAIL |
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| Hmm....AWKWARD MOMENT |
JET PACK ADVENTURE
BILL AND JOANNE BECOME ROCKET PEOPLE FOR A DAY BY DOING THE CAYMAN JET PACK EXPERIENCE!
To celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary, we decided to do it in a spectacular and very memorable way!
We are always ready for adventure. We have done scuba diving, zip lining, sky diving, rapelling, canyoning, power chuting, parasailing and much more.
We had seen Chris and Matt of JET PACK CAYMAN fly every day , and decided we had to do it. We had seen this in Ft. Lauderdale before. The owner of JET PACK CAYMAN is from Flower Mound, Texas. Chris is from Orlando and Matt we think is from the UK. JoAnne always likes to go first, so she did. What a great experience! We were both flying within seconds of starting the engine. This is definitely a once in a lifetime experience, but if it was not so expensive, we would do it again and again.
The white surfboard thing that you see following us in the water is the power source for the water jets to propel us. The jet ski is just there for safety. We had a helmet on that has a microphone so we can receive instruction from Chris. Chris is also holding a remote which he can program and control the power of the engine.
MORE PHOTOS AND VIDEO OF THIS ADVENTURE TO COME. THE YOU TUBE VIDEO IS TAKING A WHILE TO UPLOAD AND THE PHOTOS EXTRACTED FROM THIS ARE TAKING A WHILE TO UPLOAD, TOO. : )
LEARN ABOUT THE JET PACK SYSTEM AT:
www.JetPackCayman.com
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| JOANNE SUITED UP AND GETTING INSTRUCTIONS FROM CHRIS |
FUN HAPPY HOUR ABOARD S/V "CUATRO PATAS"
TODAY WE HIKED ALL OVER TOWN. BILL HAS BEEN WORKING 4 DAYS ON ONE OF OUR HEADS. IT IS STILL NOT COOPERATING, AND NOW WE NEED ONE SCREW FOR IT, AND HAVE BEEN TO EVER HARDWARE STORES ON THE ISLAND. NO ONE HAS IT. WE FINALLY GET SOME INFO THAT MAYBE ONE PLACE HAS IT, BUT IT IS VERY FAR AWAY AND IT IS ALMOST TIME FOR THEM TO CLOSE. WE HOP ON OUR BIKES, AND AFTER SEVERAL BATCHES OF BAD DIRECTIONS FROM PASSERS BY, WE FINALLY FIND A WONDERFUL LADY THAT IS FROM THE PHILLIPINES. SHE RIDES HER BIKE WITH US OVER THERE, COMPLETELY OUT OF HER WAY. The only time we stopped was to have lunch at 3:00 at a Singh's Roti shop. The owner is from Trinidad and we talked about Grenada, too. She knows our good friend JoAnne of B's Hot Spot in The Carenage of St. George's.
WHAT A GEM! We make it there 15 minutes after 5:00, but the building garage is still open. We dash in so happy. It is Compass Marine. The guys are all in there, and we tell them our problem. They have new equipment, but also old equipment. They send Christopher upstairs and he takes a look at the pumps they have and there are not too many, but some how finds a loose screw up there and it is a perfect fit! WOO HOO! We are so happy. These guys could not believe that we were on bikes and that we had been all over the island on them and been gone all day, except the stop for Rotis. One guy is building a spectacular paddle board to compete with, and the others are hanging out with him watching and all having beers. They offer us a cold beer right away! YEAH! That is definitely made our day better! : ) Interesting the beers they drink here are Budweiser, Bud Lite, Miller Lite, Corona and Coors Lite. We have not seen these beers in years. They do brew local beers here, too. We hung out with them for a while and had a great visit and Bill was able to share his surfer stories of him hanging out with HOBIE ALTER, as in the HOBIE of catamarans, surfboards, printing t-shirts, gear, etc., when Hobie was building his surfboards, since Bill grew up surfing in Southern California.
After Compass Marine, we started hiking it home. We had to walk passed the Tortuga Rum Company. We checked it out, sampled one of the rums, and we got to see first hand where those famous Rum Cakes that we used to get all of the time as gifts from the Cayman Islands banks we worked with, while JoAnne worked for Enron, are made. As we were walking out, a local bus came by and stopped for us. $2 CAYMAN DOLLARS or $2.50 USD each and we were delivered back to the dock. After a long, long day, we were headed back to the boat, and Ocean Star invited us to Happy Hour. It was definitely a GREAT IDEA! We whipped up some appies and drinks and headed back to join them with "Tree Frog" and "Quatro Patas".
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| YUMMY, WE HAVE NOT HAD ROTIS IN A REALLY LONG TIME! |
WE TOOK ANOTHER WALK THROUGH THE CENTRAL PART OF GEORGETOWN. IT IS FULL OF WONDERFUL HISTORY AND BEAUTIFUL SCULPTURES AND OTHER ART; AND OF COURSE, LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF BANKS! : )
WE LEARNED FROM THE LOCALS THAT IT TAKES UP TO 8 MONTHS TO OPEN UP A BANK ACCOUNT OR A CREDIT CARD OFF OF A CAYMAN ISLAND BANK. THIS IS EVEN IF YOU HAVE LIVED ON THIS ISLAND YOUR ENTIRE LIFE. THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT MONEY LAUNDERING.
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| THE COOLERS TO THE RIGHT IN THE PHOTO THAT ARE IN THE BACK OF THE PICKUP ARE ALL FULL OF MUTTON SNAPPERS |
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THESE GUYS ARE CLEANING 6,000 POUNDS OF MUTTON SNAPPER
THAT IS ALOT OF FISH AND IT IS ALL FROM ONE BOAT! |
We hope that you enjoyed this blog. We are still in Grand Cayman, awaiting good weather. We have been here for almost 3 weeks, but no complaints. It has been a great place to be. We look forward to hearing from all of you and how you are doing! : )
Cheers and have a wonderful day,
JoAnne and Bill : )
aka ROCKETMAN AND ROCKETWOMAN
S/V ULTRA
