Jamaica
Port Antonio
We arrived at Errol
Flynn Marina, Port Antonio just before sunset after a struggle against the wind
for the last two hours.
We were checked in
very quickly and at no cost the next morning. We left the dock at the marina to
anchor out (@ U$ 15/day!)
Port Antonio is a
small town with relative few tourists. The lush green mountains and typical Caribbean architecture with the ever present whiff of marijuana
makes for a beautiful setting. There is
a few nice beaches close-by, especially Blue Lagoon from the movie.
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| On anchor at Port Antonio |
We loved Jamaica ,
people are very friendly and we love the Jamaican English, Jo mon!
We had jerk chicken at
a jerk centre, spicy hot BBQed.
Cost of food/drinks is
higher than we have been accustomed to.
We met some cruisers
that have been to Cuba
and after talking to them were eager to get going.
After 5 days we left
for Port Maria, a safe anchorage (according to Frank Virgintino, the author of
our cruising guide) Nm. to the west.
The wind was quite strong and a good swell running.
We entered the bay but
soon realized that this is not a good place to be and turned around. We now had
a near lee shore and 20-25 knots wind. With the engine at full power we just
made it out safely.
(Manuel of SV Sandokan
later told us that Port Maria is only OK in absolutely calm weather.) We had no
choice but keeping going west until Ocho Rios.
At Ocho Rios we were
surprised to find Victor and Pauline on S/V “Le baiser du Cachalot” (the kiss
of the whale) They left for Cuba
the day before, but encountered some very rough weather, both got seasick and then
the goose neck (connection of boom to mast) broke! They were able to fix the
goose neck and left for St Ann ’s
(the next anchorage).
Ocho Rios is a cruise
ship destination, some days two ships will dock at the same time and the town
will be flooded with mostly overweight tourists who have no idea where they are
.The time that there is no cruise ship is very nice, lots of crafts for sale.
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| S/V Sandokan in front with a cruise ship entering the harbour in the back. |
We met Manuel and
younger wife on S/V Sandokan in the anchorage.
Manuel and wife is
Chilean and the boat registered in Panama .
We had a great evening
on board Sandokan and it strengthen our believe that there is a lot of nice
people in Chile
and we will have to go there soon.
The weather window to
sail to Cuba was looking good
so we checked out and left for Jardin
de Reina , Cuba
