22 Feb 2013

[Cruise News] Culebra, Spanish Virgin Islands

We had a slow old crossing to Culebra from the BVI with following light winds and sea - our estimated 5 to 6 hours soon became just over 7 hours.  We also had a challenge with the dinghy.  Now we normally take it out of the water for longer passages but for only 30 miles on a calm day we decided to tow it.  Unfortunately for us, we were travelling more slowly than the swell which meant the dinghy would surf down waves behind Jay Jay, the tow-rope going slack, and then this would suddenly go under tension again.  This motion was putting incredible strain on the hitching point on the dinghy and so we spent 4 hours of the passage trying to dampen the effect manually.  Needless to say, it became rather tedious and strenuous .... good for the arm muscles!

Anyway, we arrived and entered the huge natural harbour at Ensenada Honda anchoring just off the main town (village?) and passed a peaceful night.  Friday morning Paul, as skipper, duly went off to clear us in with Customs and Immigration at the airport .... they fly in from Puerto Rico ... only to find out no-one was coming today!   We were given a telephone number to call which we duly did and left a message.  No-one called us back.  So an hour later we tried again only to be told to return to and remain on our boat until Saturday morning when an immigration officer would be at the airport.   So confined to barracks, so to speak but we used the time usefully.

Even from the cockpit, it's obvious we're out of charter territory and back into cruising territory.  Good to know we'll be amidst like-minded people (when we're allowed ashore!) and won't be running the risk of a kamakaze charterer hitting us!!