2001: A Sea Odyssey

Weather Watching

[Received Oct. 12, 2001]

Russ, Renate, Joyce, Bridget, Don, Bill, Mike, Glynda, Ora Rae, Bruni, et al

October 9, 2001

Hello all of you addressed above. I sent some photos to Russ (as did Mike) and forgot to include your addresses. I suspect that in due time he will post some of the photos, which you can access at the following web page: www.paul-jones.org/CubaTrip/Sail2001.

Russ, I’ve re-looked at my last installment. Renate is right; there are a few typos and some rough language. However, the language was a direct quote and should be understood accordingly.

I’m still in Luperon. The final dental work that was scheduled for last Tuesday has been rescheduled for today. While waiting for these dental appointments, I’ve missed some very nice weather windows. We even had a slight westerly wind for a couple of days, almost unheard of in this trade wind belt. Hurricane Iris missed us and Jerry, as of this writing, has dissolved. All Luperon got was some unsettled weather, rain and lightning. After my experience with lightning, you know how I feel about this. One boat (Nomad) and the marina were hit.

When I do leave, if I find myself fighting the trade winds earlier than expected, I may just go around the corner to Cambiaso, an isolated, reasonably protected bay with a nice beach. It would be easier to leave from there the next day before sunup. This bay has some reefs near the channel and I am a little reluctant to leave before daylight, which I need to do in order to make the next anchorage before the trade winds commence.

Lurking off to the east are two tropical waves, one still off the coast of Africa, that may impact the weather here. Other then watching the weather, my days are surprisingly busy. In addition to the Saturday sing-alongs and Wednesday Night at the Movies mentioned before, on Thursday evenings a British couple has introduced a quiz game that is common in England. My table was shy by one question of top prize the first time around.

I’ve played some pinochle and shot pool, have been to Puerto Plata and Sosua a couple of times, have been swimming in the ocean a couple of times, and I try to stop at Caesar’s Palace two or three times a week for an afternoon El Presidente (cerveza), and to watch the news on CNN if the electricity is on. On Sunday afternoons the Marina brings out a TV set for professional football fans. The Seahawks were featured in the second game once, but I gave it up at half time. What a terrible team! I haven’t watched a game since.

The ATM in Imbert ate my bankcard and that took a couple of trips to get it back. Fortunately, it was still in one piece!

For those who’ve (is this a word?) asked: My essential plans remain the same. I want to arrive back in Key West about the end of November. I was thinking of spending Thanksgiving in Pennsylvania (Happy Birthday, Don), but Thanksgiving comes too early this year for me to make that schedule: November 22 by my calculation. After securing the boat and mending fences in Key West, sometime in early December I expect to be on an airplane bound for Seattle. Will anyone be home for Christmas? Do people still fly any more? The Europeans aren’t flying much. They are the main stay of the tourist industry here and right now they just aren’t coming.

The Panama Canal is not included in my travel plans for this year. If I stay here too much longer, I even may not make it to Puerto Rico. Oh well, there is always next year

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