13 Mar 2009 1710 hrs GMT 1410 hrs local
Lat 21º 51.32' N Long 84º 48.87' W
Docked Cabo San Antonio, Cuba
Wind 15.6 knots E
Sea State – 1' to 2' - Beaufort 5
Air Temp 77.8ºF Barometer 30.86
Clear
I made the decision to land at Cabo San Antonio to see ifwe could ascertain the issues with the fuel transfer, before we crossed the Yucatan Channel.
Cuba, at last. We arrived at Cabo San Antonio light just before 0300hrs local time after a very beautiful cruise close to the Cuban coast. In less than 20 meters of water the Gulf Stream lost its grip on us and we sailed along at 7.7 knots with a following sea. The moon was settling into the western horizon and the illumination was serene.
The final approach was a little stressful as all the markers were missing from the sea buoy to the harbor entrance. We very cautiously felt our way along the charted channel hoping that the last few hurricanes that hit Cuba and wiped out the marks hadn’t also barred the channel. All was well when we were hailed by the Guardia de Frontera on the VHF welcoming us to Cuba. As we approached the dock there were two Cubanos there to direct us in and handle our lines. Engine shutdown at 0440hrs local and we all fell into bed for a few hours of well deserved rest.
The Immigration and Customs came aboard at 0900 hrs and we went through a lengthy but cordial inspection. We were now free to come ashore.
We had a breakfast at the restaurant, cooked by the woman/Immigration Officer. This end of Cuba is very low and mostly unpopulated. We saw maybe 15 people, all young men and the one woman .
Harry and I worked on trying to solve the mystery of the fuel transfer to no avail. All seems well. I am puzzled.
Two sailboats arrived during the morning, one from England the other Dutch with 3 children aboard.
We spent the day in a sleep deprived fog getting Second Star ready to wrestle with the Gulf Stream again as we planned to cross the Yucatan Channel on the following day. A 30’ sailboat with two german men aboard asked if they could cross with us. I made certain that they understood that I would be happy to stay in contact as best we could, them radar updates on shipping traffic, etc; but that I would not be responsible for their crossing. They gratefully accepted my terms.
We asked about going to Havana by car or bus but it was a long ride and we all wanted to rest as much as possible. So we spent the day puttering aboard, chatting with Cubans and thee other boaters and resting. Dinner was the fresh grouper Harry had caught in the Dry Tortugas over rice and a nice bottle of chardonnay. It was excellent. Eve gave it her enthusiastic approval but begging for more.
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This began many years ago for Johne. Somewhere along the way, he decided that someday he would have a boat and sail around the world. Through the years bits and pieces of the dream have changed, but the one thing that has remained the same was the desire to see the world from the deck of a boat. In July of 2000 the opportunity presented itself. Johne found a boat in Florida that was literally a "fire sale." The galley had caught fire and destroyed the housing, but the potential was there. Johne and Susie made the leap. They bought the boat and moved from Reno, NV to Ft. Myers, FL. Immediately they began the process of tearing down the old and rebuilding the new. By December of that year, all that was left, was a good, solid hull. For the past several years, Johne has build Second Star almost entirely by hand. Built with love and fueled by desire. Now that the construction has nearly reached completion we would like to share our dream with you. Please join us as we head out for the adventure of a lifetime.
What's in a name? It is supposed to be bad luck to rename a boat. In this case, however, the old boat died, and a new boat has reemerged from the ashes. "Second Star" comes from a quote, "second on the right and straight to morning." Recognize it? It is Peter Pan's directions to Neverland.
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This began many years ago for Johne. Somewhere along the way, he decided that someday he would have a boat and sail around the world. Through the years bits and pieces of the dream have changed, but the one thing that has remained the same was the desire to see the world from the deck of a boat. In July of 2000 the opportunity presented itself. Johne found a boat in Florida that was literally a "fire sale." The galley had caught fire and destroyed the housing, but the potential was there. Johne and Susie made the leap. They bought the boat and moved from Reno, NV to Ft. Myers, FL. Immediately they began the process of tearing down the old and rebuilding the new. By December of that year, all that was left, was a good, solid hull. For the past several years, Johne has build Second Star almost entirely by hand. Built with love and fueled by desire. Now that the construction has nearly reached completion we would like to share our dream with you. Please join us as we head out for the adventure of a lifetime.
What's in a name? It is supposed to be bad luck to rename a boat. In this case, however, the old boat died, and a new boat has reemerged from the ashes. "Second Star" comes from a quote, "second on the right and straight to morning." Recognize it? It is Peter Pan's directions to Neverland.
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