After a day of a few errands and settling our accounts (read: pay off corrupt officials), we are ready to go here in about 30 minutes. First stop, immigration, where we learn that if you stay over 15 days, money due. Only $8/person, but still. Then to harbour control, where we learn, even though officals visited us on check-in, that we owe $30...$10 for harbour fee, and and extra $20 for staying over a week. Then to the navy commandancia, where we learn, that even though these are supposed to be free, we must pay $20 for the dispatcho, a ruse to check our boat for illegals we might be transporting. They are to come to us at 4p with the dispatcho. 4 comes and goes. At 5:30, getting nervous, we call to inquire. Aha! It seems the NAVY has NO BOATS and that we should come back to the dinghy dock to pick them up. Fortunately, some of our new friends were in town, heard this comedy of errors on their portable VHF radio, and brought the navy to us.
All squared away now.
We have not gotten a window to make the whole passage to Puerto Rico...one long enough for the whole trip is still at least 2 weeks out. So, we will be making short, 50 mile passages up the coast, traveling at night to take advantage of more calm wind and sea conditions. We will stop during the day for rest. We doubt these little rest stops will be equipped with internet towers, so it may be several days before our next post.
Keep checking back!
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3 comments:
Looks like you guys are having the time of your life! Awsome!
Craig..check your email for a picture of "real sailing" on Lake Michigan
To quote the famous philosopher T. Petty, "The waiting is the hardest part." Hope you two are safe and smiling :-)
We read with great interest your seafaring tales afar. We just took a slip the other day at Cocoa Village Marina. All is well and we are cruuuuuusing North bound.
Matt and Linda
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