We threw the towel: the weather will not improve till next week and that's too late for us. Rather than risk a crossing just because we have to cross, we decided to leave the boat in Cap Cana. I must say our decision was greatly aided by the fact that on a fluke I decided to check ticket prices for today and got the lowest prices so far, even lower than I had found to return from Puerto Rico. I took it as a sign and we just bought them.
So Juan is now at the marina office negotiating prices to leave it here and in an hour and a half we will be leaving. We are all packed, all we need to do is take the genoa down and maybe the bimini. We are not sure when we will be back, could be in August, in November or earlier if Juan gets volunteers to help take it to either Puerto Rico or even Virgin Gorda where we can leave it on the hard. So for the time being, bye bye
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Maybe tomorrow...
Now that we made the decision we're off to the beach and the swimming pool. Cap Cana is an enormous ghost town. Beautifully manicured, security at every corner, people cleaning and mowing already cut lawns, everywhere. The marina is about 40% occupied, mostly large fishing boats that fish for records.
We returned the golf cart we rented yesterday to go around and visit the development, the other golf carts we see around are driven by marina deckhands and security. Our only complaint about the DR is the bureaucracy to check in and out of each port and now the country. It's still much better than it was in Luperón, because being in marinas they bring the officials to us, but it's endless!!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
So near and yet so far...
We woke up at 5am and 45 minutes later we were underway, just the stretch along Samana Bay is at least two hours. When we came out into the Atlantic we were faced with big waves and 14 to 18 knot winds This time they were hitting on a slightly better angle but still very, very uncomfortable. Our worst problem is that the auto pilot is a puny contraption on the wheel, (rather than a strong arm on the column underneath) so when the waves are as high as they were yesterday, it does not hold, so we have to steer by hand most of the time. Again not easy because the waves keep kicking you off course all the time. The forecast said it would improve during the day and it did not, it also said waves 4 to 6 feet and they were more like 6 to 8. So as the hours went on and we realized we could not rest or take proper watches, we decided to come into Cap Cana. We had phoned earlier to let them know we would arrive by 7 and asked for instructions. When we arrived they were waiting for us and came out in a runabout to guide us in.
It is a very big marina, a lot like La Romana but larger. And although it has internet and cable we will leave today and make the crossing to PR. We know the conditions will be as bad if not worse than yesterday but at least we will be crossing during the day after a good night's sleep. Hopefully my next posting will be from Puerto Rico...
PS: the good thing about the trip yesterday is that we saw whales, twice. We were told it was late in the season and whales had already left Samana, but this pack was late in leaving, we saw the spray and the tails as they went into the water. We also had a very athletic dolphin follow us for a while, it kept jumping clear out of the water!
It is a very big marina, a lot like La Romana but larger. And although it has internet and cable we will leave today and make the crossing to PR. We know the conditions will be as bad if not worse than yesterday but at least we will be crossing during the day after a good night's sleep. Hopefully my next posting will be from Puerto Rico...
PS: the good thing about the trip yesterday is that we saw whales, twice. We were told it was late in the season and whales had already left Samana, but this pack was late in leaving, we saw the spray and the tails as they went into the water. We also had a very athletic dolphin follow us for a while, it kept jumping clear out of the water!
Monday, April 5, 2010
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Picture perfect marina Puerto Bahia
As usual, our perfect plans to get to Cap Cana were thwarted by the weather. Not the winds that hovered around 10 to 15 for the most part but by the swells that were large and on our beam and were most uncomfortable. They were neither dangerous nor scary, although they were 8 ft, but the roll they produced did not allow us to rest. So by 1am, when we were approching the turning point to Samana, the thought of going 12 more hours without rest became unbearable, so we made a wise decision and headed into the Samana Bay. We moved very, very slowly so we could come into the marina by daylight.
The bay is beautiful, the anchorage looked nice but the marina is spectacular. They opened only three days ago so not everything is working but it's been done in excellent taste. It really is a resort with a hotel and villas. I could not have chosen a more beautiful place to celebrate my birthday month (and week now).
Yesterday they took us into town, to the supermarket and for a quick tour. But today we are staying put getting ready for tomorrow. We replaced the jib for our large genoa - we have been wishing we had it every leg, hopefully we won't regret having changed it. The plan is to head straight for PR, but if the going gets rough, then it will be Cap Cana. Our neighbours in the marina, a Swiss Jeanneau already left, to anchor in Samana and be ready to head out early tomorrow, but they are going to Cuba so they are going with the wind. The other two neighbours, Spanish boats, are heading to the Azores the day after tomorrow! Long trip.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
The bay is beautiful, the anchorage looked nice but the marina is spectacular. They opened only three days ago so not everything is working but it's been done in excellent taste. It really is a resort with a hotel and villas. I could not have chosen a more beautiful place to celebrate my birthday month (and week now).
Yesterday they took us into town, to the supermarket and for a quick tour. But today we are staying put getting ready for tomorrow. We replaced the jib for our large genoa - we have been wishing we had it every leg, hopefully we won't regret having changed it. The plan is to head straight for PR, but if the going gets rough, then it will be Cap Cana. Our neighbours in the marina, a Swiss Jeanneau already left, to anchor in Samana and be ready to head out early tomorrow, but they are going to Cuba so they are going with the wind. The other two neighbours, Spanish boats, are heading to the Azores the day after tomorrow! Long trip.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Friday, April 2, 2010
On our way
We left our slip at 7:45 to go to the fuel dock and from there check out and clear with the port authorities. The marina opens at 8 but their computers obviously had a hangover from last night and it took them forever to fire up. But worse than that, much worse in fact were the officials that had to clear us. They did not get in till 10. We wanted to leave early because the forecasts were ok for today and tonight but they showed a significant increase in the swells for tomorrow and we wanted to be tucked in in Cap Cana before that!
While we waited, the other Tayana that was next to us in TCI, Blue Wind, with two girls, arrived. They had a good passage on the ocean but a rough time on the banks. There are two sailboats that came from Luperon sailing in the same direction as us, so we will keep each other company.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
While we waited, the other Tayana that was next to us in TCI, Blue Wind, with two girls, arrived. They had a good passage on the ocean but a rough time on the banks. There are two sailboats that came from Luperon sailing in the same direction as us, so we will keep each other company.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Rainy day in Puerto Plata
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
