A Cuban Landfall - Santiago de Cuba

The Morro Fort Is On Starboard As We Approach The Entry

Crystal Blues arrived on the south coast of Cuba at Santiago de Cuba, last Friday afternoon. Sailing under the ramparts of the Morro Fort, dating back to the 15th century, was an incredible arrival experience. The government run marina is about 1/4 mile inside the harbor, where we received a friendly welcome. Many visiting boats were anchored out, however the marina offered us a berth and we accepted gladly - the first time we'd berthed the boat since last November.

Ley's Favourite Vegetable Stall

This is Cuba's third largest city, with around a million people, though it's position in the far east of the country gives it an individual identity and a strong sense of independence. From this region the first rebellion against Spanish rule commenced, and later it was Castro himself who started from here to evict the Batista regime.

Of course the Cuba of today is very different, with a population that are embracing change as Cuba relaxes the old rules. Economic prosperity is still some way off, however the people do have some of the highest literacy and health care standards in the world.

Starting last Saturday we've traveled a little in the city and out into the mountains to the north west. This included an overnight trip to Bayamo, one of the oldest Spanish cities in the world, where we stayed in a "Casa Particulare", basically a homestay with meals available if we wanted. This cost around $25.00 per night. Ley figures the Cuban people invented the AirBnB concept, without the internet....

Overflight On Our Arrival

Over the years the Cuban people have learned to live with less, and the place is famous for keeping old cars running well beyond there regular use-by date.

Noel & Neil At The Morro Fort

We've enlisted the services of a local taxi driver "Noel", who has enriched our visit with his quiet pride and strong sense of humor. Noel's taxi is a fairly battered but reliable Moskovich (Russian) car - I asked how old it was one day, and he quickly replied "It's New! Just 30 years!" Compared to some of the vehicles we've seen, it is indeed quite new.

Cuba has been in our cruising sights for many years, and whilst we had a little taste of the land  last year, we had high hopes for our visit this year, keen to experience more of the people, food and music. We haven't been disappointed!

The annual music festival in Santiago de Cuba was in full swing when we arrived, a festival that is produced for the locals, not just for tourists. The national history includes waves of immigration from Spain, Britain, France and Africa. These influences have been distilled into a national musical palet that includes strong African segments, more traditional Cuban works plus Spanish influenced classical styles. Here in Santiago the African tribal roots are celebrated with community performances in a local coffee shop twice a week, where we were able to dance to a beat from 8 drums and a variety of percussion instruments accompanied by many voices.

Santiago Concert Hall

 At the local concert hall, we were fortnate to view a performance by the orchestra from the local conservatory, with guest vocalists from around Cuba and a guitar trio from Mexico. That same evening we danced in the streets to more classic Cuban sounds when the festival stage went live for the evening.

Learning To Busk, Latin Style

In the town square local troubadors entertain each evening, earning coins for their performance. I was able to spend an hour accompanying one guitarist with my newly purchased percussian instrment, the local Guayo.

Music is everywhere in this country. In the towns we often see people carrying guitars, brass instruments and drums, all a common sight. Culture is different here - some how more inter-personal, rich and educated than we expected. In Bayamo we came across a fencing school right on the street, while in Santiago we've visited two different chess clubs that occupy beautiful historic buildings.

We plan to sail onwards across the south coast of Cuba for the next few weeks.

Departing George Town, Bound For Cuba

Exumas Racing Sloop

After almost a week in George Town Harbor we are ready to move on, with fuel and provisions loaded and our hearts looking forward to the next destination - the south coast of Cuba.

We arrived here in the middle of the George Town Cruising Regatta and learned to live with the constant VHF radio chatter generated by more than 250 cruising sailboats in the one harbor. The harbor could probably cater for many more - it's long, generally shallow and provides great holding and protection for anchored yachts.

The annual regatta here has a little something for everyone, from big boat racing to Bocce tournaments, beach volleyball, poker and even cruiser golf played on the local salt flats.  And yes, the local rum was a major attraction.

The local sailors also get involved, competing in traditional 16 foot sloops that feature heavy sliding boards to carry the windward crew and impossibly large main sails and booms.

To the north of us, the Atlantic Ocean is whipping up a major storm that is expected to send large swells down here later this week, so we're heading south before we're boxed in again. A series of cold fronts moving down off the US coast have complicated the local weather forecasting, and no one is relying on anything more than two or three days out. Subject to weather, we expect to arrive in Santiago De Cuba on Friday morning, March 16, truly ready for the local music, food and yet more rum.

A Soft Shackle Starter

Soft Shackle Main Sheet Block Attachment

Soft shackles can and do replace conventional stainless D shackles in many places aboard sailboats today. We like using them because they can articulate readily, they don't rattle, won't scratch other fittings and don't bleed rust (as all the stainless shackles will do in the long run).

On Crystal Blues we've been using them for some years, originally purchasing shackles made by our friend David at Precision Shipwright Services in Phuket, Thailand.

Eventually I was shamed into learning how to make my own, settling on a process that is clearly described here at L-36.com, a great source of boating and rigging info. We do like the "better" soft shackle described there.

Now I'm a hunter in all the chandleries we visit, looking for short lengths of Dyneema high strength line that I can buy cheap - off cuts, roll ends etc. On occasion I've been given short lengths for free, which are quickly converted into valuable shackles. Most of our shackles are made on passage, whiling away the hours on watch at sea, so it's not an onerous task. The calculator on the L-36 web page will guide you as to the critical dimensions and line lengths required.

Out Latest Production Batch - We've Been Busy

George Town Arrival

Yesterday afternoon we arrived in George Town, Exuma Islands, after a seven hour passage from Black Point Harbour.  Atlantic ocean storms to the north of us, while delivering snow and heavy weather in the UK and USA, are sending large long period swells down to this part of the world.  Moving on or off the shallow Bahamas banks requires a little care and planning, selecting a reef pass that is preferably wide and deep. The Admiral snapped this swell as we moved through the Conch Cay Cut into Exuma Harbour yesterday.

Beautiful Bahamas Cruising

The locals call these Nurse Sharks, but to us they look a little like the Australian Wobbegongs, or maybe Lemon Sharks.... either way, they are an unusual welcoming committee. Coming ashore in the Exumas Islands these guys are a common sight, along with giant rays, turtles and numerous reef fishes. The further south we travel, the more interesting this area becomes...

Warderick Wells Mooring Field

Of course it's also beautiful, when the weather is cooperating. We're still working with weather systems that are occasionally dominated by the lows and cold fronts that come down off the US east coast, but at least the average temperatures are now above 25degC. in the daytime. Warderick Wells, inside the Exumas Land & Sea Park, is a popular cruising hangout, and the walks ashore reveal a distinct (if limited) range of wildlife. Lizards and birds dominate, though if you stay on the beach after dark you'll be sure to see the native rodent, the Bahamian Hutia, once considered extinct but now resurgent in the park.This is the first place we've been where native palms dominate - sure enough, we found the park service had worked very hard to eliminate the invasive Australian Casuarina, or the She Oak as we call it back home in Australia. The locals here really don't like these Aussie invaders.

VonYachtSki Moored At Warderick Wells

Our friends Harry & Liz aboard the Canadian yacht VonYachtSki enjoyed the park with us, and we eventually sailed further south to Staniel Cay in company. Next we're heading for the big smoke - Georgetown on Great Exuma Island. We should be there before the end of the week. For our favourite images of Warderick Wells and the Bahamian wildlife click the link below.