Once leaving Great Inagua on April 3, 2012 at 1:30pm and entering the Windward Passage for the trip to Jamaica there is not too much to report but a companionable trip with Jupiter's Smile for quite some hours. We were able to sail a great deal of the distance after the motor was needed to begin the trip. At night we could continue to sail but with reefed sails. From my log book I say, "we saw dolphins and ate soup." Much later on my watch we have many AIS targets but the large ships identified are not close, and so not problems for us. With only 13-14 knots of wind we have up all the sails and manage 5.7 ave. speed.
Second day out is sunny and hot, less wind and from NW and we are maintaining 5.5 knots. We switch to a wing-on-wing sail pattern. Second night we are watching for squalls and have AIS targets again, so sleep is a problem. We hear some other boats we know, Tempest and Night Hawk talking on the radio and realize we will be meeting up in Port Antonio.
Unfortunately, the third member of our group, Ron, single-handing Wind Dancer, has had some boat issues; a ripped sail and auto pilot steering inconsistencies, and he is getting very tired. We all radio chat to help him keep awake and relieve the boredom. We inform him of AIS targets on a need-to-know basis.
Then April 5th we arrive to the harbor entrance for Port Antonio. We have been smelling the mountain freshness and comparing it to the dry Bahamas. We circled around outside the harbor for awhile until the sun was higher and at about 9:00am entered.
A little misty and dark when we arrive.
Later we can see the shoreline better and this castle on the cliffs. I think it actually is a Hilton Hotel.
More sun creeping in from the water and up into the Blue Mountains
Passing the lighthouse landmark
In the harbor work has begun
No more than one hour later we were being checked in.
Then I'm pretty sure I napped before we moved out to the anchorage
When I think of Jamaica, I think of the food- Breadfruit roasted at the market,
Varied vegetables and fruits after little fresh available in the Bahamas look soo good,
Wonderful, colorful characters- she I recall from my last visit to the market in Port Antonio two years ago now.
Here's Mr. Dixon the owner and recipe creator at Mr. Dixon's, a vegetarian restaurant we found again on our second day back in Jamaica and took everyone else.
This shot was taken two years ago of River Rafting a la Erroll Flynn.
We didn't go again this time.
Barb, Jay, Ron, Dan and I crammed in a taxi and went to this Music Fest in Boston, Jamaica.
The scenery was spectacular past the top of the tents
The locals played Beano and we walked around and waited and waited for music. We were there about two pm as we were told- only the "real" music didn't start until 7:00pm and by that time we were finished. I had twisted my ankle and was unable to walk so we just never saw the popular groups that were to play.
We were not the only ones there-- there were clowns, toys for the kids
Fashionable dudes
Fashionistas
Rastas with yellow, green and red colors shown
Oh-my-word! Chicken or pork Jerk and super spicy shrimp
Pork cookin'
Hope Barb and Jay like their picture.
This was for the teens. Two young boys about 10 and 12 years old have put on these sumo wrestler suits with large padded boxing gloves and been helped up on the bounce pad
Where in about two minutes they are so tired from even trying to stand, let alone fight, and hot they're probably done for the day!
Today the local band has a celebrity in the audience
They invite Ms Patrice Wymore, actress and widow of Errol Flynn
.... to walk the red carpet near the still empty band stage She's a very classy lady and has lived quietly at her ranch in Jamaica for years. She was married to Errol Flynn between 1950, and his death in 1959.
Barb, Jay, Dan and I rented a car and went into the Blue Mountains.
A view of Mount Edge Guest House where we again stayed...
In this, the Gong Room.
We went by this restaurant again but it was closed the first time and although we ate there the second time, it was pouring and no hummingbirds were at the outside feeders.
Same winding roads, though.
Waterfalls
Our rental car
Jay and Barb's little world.
Doctorbird, or Red billed Streamertail. He's a beauty with iridescent green and black colors, red bill and the very long scissor tail that causes a hum when it flies..
This lovely woman is the owner of a coffee plantation. She invited us for a tour, let us taste and crunch her five types of coffee beans, and served three different varieties for us to taste in her home overlooking the fields.We did not dare to request milk or sugar.
This is the view from her window of her acquired fields.
Her dog and Jay
Here she prepares our coffee (s). She is a person whom with her husband, moved to Jamaica from England, bought properties but now she runs the plantation alone and sells highest grade coffee. Just wish I could remember her name.
Through the window
She had a library of Jamaican history books and coffee information. These books are recommended but I haven't looked into them yet.
Also while in the Blue Mountains we visited the Holleywell Park and Reserve for a birdwatch and hike.
This is not a mongoose- because mongeese are fast, even though Barb and I saw three flash across our path- no pictures.
The hill we climbed provided a view to the sea many miles away. With binoculars we could see the cargo ships.
Three photos from our room at Mount Edge (out of sequence)-Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie in white. Maybe this was taken when Selassie visited Jamaica in 1966? I don't know.
I do know that Selassie was seen as a God, then and now by the followers of Marcus Garvey, the Rastas in Jamaica. The owners of Mount Edge have changed their dinner fare from totally Rasta prepared vegetarian dishes to a full service restaurant. They discreetly display momentos of their beliefs.
Che Guevara and Castro? I wish I knew.
What is this? Jamaica is a good place for boat care. When we had our boat cleaned, and stainless polished, I looked up and this lovely girl beamed down from atop our solar panels with not a worry in the world that she could be hurt by the glass if they should shatter or about the height. What could we say? She was already up there to reach the stainless on the direction of Hulk- below
The boat cleaner Hulk. Still in business from two years previous and he did a great job on Sea Star, from cleaning decks, stainless polishing, and hull cleaning and wax. We were in great shape when it was time to leave Jamaica.
All too soon for me, we left Jamaica on April 28th, moving to Port Morant to anchor
for one night before moving on.
The Coast Guard station at Port Morant
MAY 2012 BROUGHT US TO THE REMOTE REEFS and PROVIDENCIA, Territory belonging to Colombia but nearer to Nicaragua. Some reef areas are currently in dispute between the two countries.
