Puerto Rico July 2013

Boquerón

Due to the strong current flowing from South East Caribbean to Mona Passage, we decided to cross the Mona Passage and head for Puerto Rico to get more easting before we sail down to Venezuela.

Arrival at PR

We left Friday 5 July at sunrise with 10knots in the face, but just after clearing Saona Island we faced confused 6-8ft seas and 17 – 20knts ENE wind. By midday sea and wind calmed down. At sunrise the following morning we were approaching land and radioed the USA coast guard to report our arrival. To our surprise they asked us to sail to Mayaguez to clear in to PR! (Another 4 hour motor against the wind!)

By midday we arrived at Marquez, a big bay protected from E, but huge fetch from the SE. We were met by two very friendly boarder control men.  We had no problem to enter USA with our USA Visa, but our Namibian flag boat cannot get a cruising permit, because there is no agreement between our two countries! We have to check in and out (40U$) at each harbor while sailing the PR coast!!! There is no way one can get this list of countries that have this agreement before entering US waters! We paid the 40U$, stayed the night to rest and left for Boquerón the following morning.

Once again we were met by extremely friendly Puerto Ricans at Boquerón's Sunset Sunrise bar.

Preparing Songerie for possible hurricane winds 

We were not prepared for the next shock waiting for us when we went online the first time in a week. The tropical storm Chantel was on her way in our direction with possible hurricane winds close to us! We waited 2 days and when all forecasts show her 30-50miles south of us… us in the windy quarter, we headed for the mangroves. We spend 2 days preparing Songerie for the worst. Our Inmarsat weather forecast gave every 6 hours the update on the storm. The wind and rain were supposed to hit us between 3am and 12h on We 13 July. Our friends Ritmo de Vita were also in her predicted line at the Bahamas.  By miracle/prayers she changed direction South of PR and dissipated before hitting Bahamas! All we got were a lot of mossie bites and no wind or rain. (not complaining!)

Next we head for the “Spanish Virgin Islands”, but with the next tropical Storm warning of “Dorian” we changed course and sailed 4 days south to Isla La Blanquilla, Venezuela….. OUT OF the HURRICANE BELT!