So I'd better take this one passage at a time and describe the adventures/misadventures.
Haiti to the Dominican Republic: From Ile A Vache we headed overnight for Bahia Aguillas in the Dominican Republic. We managed to sail a few miles into the wind before we realized that wind shifts had put the wind on the nose (no matter where we are going, the wind seems to originate directly from that port on the thorny path), so we hoisted the iron jib and furled the cloth jib, relying on the main sail to stabilize the the boat quarting the waves. Still a bit of pounding but minus the rolling. About 8pm, just after sunset, the motor sputtered and died. Great, must be a clogged filter. Changed the filter but that was not the problem. So, while the boat rolled and we drifted, I disassembled the fuel delivery system tracing all the supply and return lines for both the main engine and the generator (something I should have done earlier). Turns out that the fuel pickup tube from the tank had clogged. So, a bit of creative re-plumbing had the main engine running from the generator pickup tube. At least we were back under way.
Christine fell ill with a fever the next day at Isla Beate, a small fishing village, so the next passage to Las Salinas was an overnighter single handed. Fortunately, the normally nasty weather around Cape Beate settled down and it was uneventful. We spent a week in Las Salinas spending time with David and Janet, our new found cruising friends from New Zealand. We rented a car together for a couple of days and had adventures in Santo Domingo and Jarabacoa (botanical gardens, hiking and swimming in water fall pools, lots of fun). My main business computer got water damaged here, and I am now limping along with a computer sans battery..
We picked up some fuel in Las Salinas borrowing an extra jerry can to shuttle fuel out to Gypsy Queen 11 gallons at a time. Five trips later, with arms at least an inch longer, we had enough fuel for or next leg of our jouney to Puerto Rico where diesel can be had from fuel docks at less than $2.00 US per gallon! Puerto Rico gets it petroleum from Venezuela unlike the rest of the US, hence the lower costs.
Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico: Leaving Las Salinas we rounded the local cape and got hit with 30knt sustained winds on the bow for several hours. The weather forecast called for maximum sustained winds of 15knts. Hey, what is a 100% error between friends! So, we pounded into those conditions for awhile stressing equipment. List of casualties:
1: Mail sail reef cringle (torn out)
2: Solar panel support broke
3: Staysail traveler car broken
4: Main halyard broken at headboard shackle
So, thus disabled, we hobbled into Puerto Rico where we managed to repair all items. It was the first time I had to re-thread a halyard that goes down the center of the mast. Turns out that there is a handy/removable mast head fitting allowing access to the sheaves and the job turned out easier than I had feared. My bosons chair and ascenders do not allow me to work easily above the mast head fitting, but we managed pretty well in the calm of Puerto Real harbor. Looks like some new running rigging will be needed before next season.
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| Feeding the winged rats near the oldest cathedral in the Americas in Santo Domingo D.R. |
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| Is it possible to carry 4 live goats on a motorcycle? The definitive answer is YES. Just tie their feet together and lash them to the luggage rack (only in the DR) |
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| Water fall near Jarabaco DR, time for a little impromptu swimming! |
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| Our route through the Windward Passage to Haiti, DR, Puerto Rico updated on share.delorm.com/fishbaugher |
