 |
| Sad to say goodbye to Lilly, our Cuban friend of the past 5 years. |
After a quick stop in Cienfuegos for fresh supplies, rum and cigars we sadly said goodbye to this beautiful nostalgic city and our great friend Lilly. Anchoring in Cienfuegos became too expensive in the past year. We paid 12 U$ per day just for anchoring, no water, showers, wi-fi etc. We do not think we will return in the near future again.
We believe that previous socialists become super capitalists!
We bought 2 big bags of charcoal from this friendly local woman. She unlike many other Cubans charged us the local price of 2 U$ instead of the rip off "gringo" price 10-15 U$!
 |
| Jaco cycling through the nostalgic streets of colonial houses, horse carriages and workers on bicycles. |
 |
| Keeping the first mate happy! |
 |
| Lobster butternut soup. |
At Cayo del Rosario we waited for new friends Tito and Cathy on S/V "Lela". While another cold front passed through, I cooked a delicious butternut-lobster soup.
Together with Lela, we sailed to Cayo Avalos where we anchored for one night before we sailed further west to Cayo Campos.
 |
| Mmm, this smells like a grey snapper. |
 |
| Ahh! Jaco got a great size, all time favorite, mutton snapper at Cayo Avalos! |
 |
| "Lela" under full sail on the way to Cayo Campos. |
 |
| BBQ on the beach. |
Unbelievable, when we sail west the prevailing east winds turn west....we found ourselves
again beating against the wind.
At last we met up with "Ti-bag", our great French sailing friends. The next 2 weeks we sailed together with them, their buddy boat, "Lady Athena", and "Lela". (Us the only Africans among the French invasion!)
On one occasion, we all enjoyed a beach BBQ on the Monkey Island.
Here 4 Cubans are stationed to take care of the exotic monkeys. Jaco and I are not fond of this artificial breeding of the monkeys. They are not indigenous nor protected animals, here they can not find their natural food and therefor depend on the caretakers. Also they do not generate any income, only cost money.
 |
| Cathy slicing one of her delicious cakes.... please be "regverdig"! |
 |
| "First MAIDS" doing the dishes. |
 |
| JP slicing the big cubera snapper with Birgitte supervising.. |
 |
| Don't believe a word he is saying! |
 |
| The French invasion, Jaco and 2 Cuban caretakers. |
 |
| Tito and Cathy. |
Jaco and I celebrated the day met each other (1 May 1993) with Tito and Cathy, sharing a great SA wine.
When "Lela" left for Mexico, we turned east, back to Cayo Largo.
 |
| Us on board "Lela". |
 |
| and another fish! |
 |
| Jaco kept the fridge full, while waiting to sail south. |
We were waiting for favorable winds to sail south, hopefully Panama otherwise back to Honduras.
The weather in Cuba was starting to turn bad, strong thunderstorms passing regularly... time to sail away. (On one occasion while we were visiting S/V Motu a 40 knot squil passed us and we saw Songerie dragging anchor, towards the beach on the lea shore! Luckily we managed to save her just in time!)
 |
| Smoking fish to keep a bit longer. |
 |
| Delicious horse-eye jack. |
 |
| Black grouper for last BBQ before we depart to Guanaja. |
Our weather-forecast guru, Chris Parker, did not see any window south to Panama in the near future and our 3rd Cuban visa was coming to an end...our only option was to sail to Honduras. With a very strong trough 50 NM east of us and heading our way in 3 days, we left Cayo Largo in not the best conditions!
