Adios, Santiago de Cuba!

 

We have had the most wonderful time here in Santiago de Cuba, finishing last night with a visit to the 'Morro" built  by the Spanish conquistadores in 1639. 

After that we found our way to a restaurant "paladar" which is a local restaurant in a private person's house. We had the most amazing fresh lobster. Muy delicioso. 

Here there is no googlemaps. To find our restaurant, our driver Alex (in his 1952 Ford with a Nissan diesel engine) called the restaurant owner who sent a guy on a motorbike to lead the way. 

Cuba is highly recommended. Good idea to learn some basic Spanish too...

CUBA - more photos

Yes this was our transport for a tour of the city....

Fidel 'hasta siempre' - RIP

Goose-stepping guards and security guy

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Schoolgirls at the Malecon

Provisioning will be an interesting challenge....

The benefits of fruit and vegetables

China cabinet in our lovely lunch restaurant

The band spotted me looking down from the hotel window....

Cathedral in the Cespedes square

RJW in the sunset

Cocktails on the terrace I should say so

Wonderful wonderful band at the 'Casa Tradiciones'

The balcony where Fidel addressed the nation

Getting your medicine at the farmacia

Santiago de CUBA and how we got there!

A four day passage, 600 miles from Fajardo, Puerto Rico, to Santiago de Cuba, past Guantanamo Bay and in to the  beautiful harbour and second biggest city, Santiago de Cuba.

Caught a mahimahi on the last day as we rounded the East coast of Haiti into the Windward Channel. A very very wet welcome to Cuba but the harbour was so beautiful!

We've spent a couple of days off the boat staying in the Casa Granda hotel in the city's main square where  Fidel Castro first addressed the people after the Revolution. We visited his grave in a magnificent cemetery, and all you've heard and read about the music, the cars, the people, the cigars, the rum......is all very very true.

Astonishing blue waters as we left Puerto Rico

Mahimahi for dinner, lunch, dinner......

Santiago de Cuba

Fearless fishermen floating on anything they can find, using plates as paddles , out there for hours and getting big hauls! 

Wet captain and crew on arrival

Sparrow checking out the Squadron burgee, our Q flag and the  home made Cuba flag I made out of an old NZ flag. Not quite enough blue.....

More of the glamour side of sailing

Maintenance day at Dewey, Culebra

Our shakedown trip to Culebra revealed a few more tasks that needed doing, so once again we put on our worst clothes and got stuck in.

I went up the mast to retrieve the genoa halyard which had released itself up there, sending the sail back to the deck. (not my favourite activity but the view was great).

All well despite mozzie torment (Sarah) jellyfish stings (Kristin) and a few scrapes and bruises.

Back in Fajardo for final shopping of all the things we forgot before, then off to Cuba on Tuesday or Wednesday!

Sarah and Ryan - engine oil change

Rupe fixing the toilet in the forward head. 

Shakedown trip to Culebra

The last day at Puerto del Rey saw new anchor chain, Jorge up the mast fixing the main halyard, and we eventually put to sea to give the engine a 4-hour run to Culebra. Once in Dewey, Culebra, Ryan and Rupe got busy attaching a new main headboard (top) car and then we got the main on. Rumpus has all her flags up, dinghy inflated and we are set to explore.

Ensenada Honda, Dewey, Culebra

77 metres of chain ready for marking in 10 m lengths and stowing  in the forepeak

Jorge end-for-ending the main halyard and attaching the lazy jacks

Ryan and Sarah

The Dinghy dock bar

Omg provisioning

Today was MAD SHOPPING day. We hit the wholesale supermarket "sam's club" for bulk quantities of food food food and drink. Then 'Ralph's' for everything else. Huge effort from Sarah. We also managed to get kumara, honey, coconut sugar and green peppers from the lovely guy by the side of the road. We would like to note that this all occurred during a major tropical downpour that meant that everything packed in cardboard turned to mush. The boys got the hardware from west marine so we are all set for our Good Friday excursión to nearby Culebra. 

She floats!!!!

Today Rumpus ended her 21 month hibernation and we are in the water!

We scrubbed, we sanded, we polished, we painted, we shopped, we sweated.

The super crew at Puerto del Rey  took great care with our baby.

A few glitches: no instruments, no chart plotter and at first no engine.

However....once we had ignition, we were on the move and we are snug in our marina berth. Our Easter plan? a shakedown cruise to the Spanish virgin Islands (Culebra and Vieques)

Stay safe in Aotearoa with Cyclone Cook ! we are thinking of you!

The guy on the left is driving the hoist with his little remote control

Sarah and Ryan watching Rumpus on the move

Last minute antifouling on the keel

And finally in the water!!!! 

Crew on their way!