Sail on Sail Pending

West from Santiago de Cuba

After saying good bye to the friends we made over the past 10 days, it was time to continue our trek Westward towards Le Jardines de la Reina. (The Garden of the Queen).

Our first leg was a short 30 mile sail to the protected anchorage of Chivirico. This anchorage is a tricky approach where you have to line up with very old range markers that are hard to see. The anchorage is also very small and may only have room for about 3-4 boats.

We pulled in about 1 hour after our friends in Sandy Feet anchored.

As we pulled into the anchorage we saw horse and buggies driving down the street and people were coming out from their houses waving at us. It is not recommended to go to shore here because the Guarda are not quite as friendly as the other anchorages, but it was a very nice anchorage to rest for the night.

We rafted up with Sandy Feet and shared dinner and drinks!! What a great way to spend an evening!!

Note: We will post a video as soon as we have wifi that will explain what to look for entering this anchorage.

Cruiser Planning Sessions

One of the questions we get asked the most is, “How do you know where to go and what to do when you get there?”

Well, first of all we use guide books. For Cuba we are using the Waterway Guide for Cuba and the Lonely Planet Guide.

But, the best knowledge comes from cruisers who have been in the general direction you are going, fairly recent.

A few nights ago, we had a planning session on Sail Pending with a German couple who have spent the past couple months cruising along the Southern Coast of Cuba from West to East (we are traveling East to West) and are now heading to the Bahamas and the Eastern Coast of the US.

They gave us information about where to go and what to do. Our friends on Saltair 3 and Sandy Feet gave them Bahamas info and we gave them East Coast of the US info.

These end up being some of the best times onboard. Adult beverages are drank and stories about different anchorages are shared. There are always a ton of laughs and fun. When living a land based life, how many times have you sat with a stranger at your house and told stories to each other for hours?

Dinner with Pedro and Rosa

Rosa served us Chicken, Rice, fried plantain chips, and salad. It was very simple and delicious.

During dinner, Pedro was still running his business by filling diesel canisters for other cruisers and selling cigars. Think of eating dinner at a gas station. The filled Jerry cans were stored in a bedroom and carried out through the dining room as people came to pick them up.

After the Jerry cans were picked up by their owners, Pedro got out the Rum. He poured us each a glass out of a 5 gallon plastic water jug. At this point we really weren’t expecting a quality product….

He explained that his cousin worked in a Rum factory and that this Rum was aged 15 year and very special. (Ok, still not expecting much) ….Amazingly, It was some of the smoothest Rum we have ever tasted!!! We negotiated for him to get us 17 bottles, for $80 CUC.

…. and NO, all the Rum is not all for us. As we move farther West and into La Jardin de la Reina, we will need Rum to trade for Lobster, with the Fishermen.

The is another experience that we will definitely never forget!!

Pedro and Rosa

From the Green House down the hill from the Marina

Pedro approached us as we went for a walk in the small village outside the marina gates on the first day that we arrived in Cuba. He introduced himself and spoke excellent English. He told us his daughter just got married and was waiting for the car to arrive with her and her new husband. He wanted us to wait to see how beautiful his daughter looked on her special day. How could we say NO? ….. and yes, she looked absolutely stunning!!

He also told us to make ourselves feel at home here in his community and that he lived in the “green house down the hill.” He told us that he could get us anything we needed. All we had to do was ask and he would find a way. He also introduced us to his wife and she offered to do our laundry for us while we were here.

Over the past week, Pedro has ended up being invaluable to us!

We named it and he could get it….

1.) He filled our Jerry cans up with diesel fuel. (The government run marina is out of water and fuel)

2.) He got us the most amazing 15 year old Aged Rum, directly from the factory for less than $5 a bottle.

3.) He exchanged USD into CUC’s for an exchange rate much better than then the banks without the 10% penalty.

4.) He got us cigars, fruits, veggies.

…. and his wife Rose did all of our laundry by hand. Wash, Dry and Folded was only about $2.00 a bag.

5.) Since the “Cat Crew” is here and there are now 10 of us, he also offered to get an entire pig and roast it for us at his house. Unfortunately, we don’t have time for this experience, because we all have to keep moving West…..

….but, we did have dinner with him and Rosa before the Cat Crew arrived.

Lunch with Aldelberto

As I mentioned in a previous post when introducing Aldelberto; he invited us to his home to meet his family.

Yesterday, we took the ferry into town and had lunch at Aldelberto’s house with his family.

Aldelberto met us at the ferry dock in Santiago de Cuba and we walked about 10 blocks to his home. It was very hot and humid. When we were about 1/2 way there he took us into a small electronics shop that had cool air conditioning and even colder beers. He purchased 3 beers for the adults and a lemon soda for Tyler. He even bought Tyler a local Cuban chocolate carmal candy.

From the electronics store we kept walking and then he took us into a small restaurant where he introduced us to the owners who are his good friends. We continued to walk and listened to the history of his neighborhood and the age of the different buildings. He kept telling us how happy he was that we were there and that he would never forget this day.

As we walked along I asked him about some produce at a street vendor that I have never seen before and he explained to me what it was and how to prepare it. I completely forget the name now, but he says I put it in a blender with milk and sugar…. He then proceeds to buy a couple for me to take back to the boat.

When we arrived at his home he introduced us to his mother and father-in-law who were in the kitchen preparing lunch. Unfortunately, his wife Tanya was working and his children were in school, but he showed us pictures of all of them.

There were three place setting already set at a small table in the living room and he told us to sit down. We told him that we wanted him and his in-laws to sit down too. The in-laws said they would sit later and insisted that we start to eat. Aldelberto sat down with a plate and the four of us ate a wonderful lunch of fresh fish, pork, rice, mafungo, yuka and salad. There was so much food and Aldelberto just kept putting more on each of our plates.

As we were eating we made room for the mother and father-in-law who finally ate, as well. After lunch we had sweet Cuban coffee and home made guava tarts and looked at family pictures.

The father-in-law told us about his life as a fisherman and said that his son was a fisherman too. He explained that this son was the one who caught the fish that we just ate and he caught it the day before.

We gave them a bag of gifts that we brought for the family and put a few Cuban Peso’s in the bag for the delicious lunch they prepared. They were so happy!!!

Aldelberto disappeared and came back with 10 Mangoes he just picked off of the mango tree in his back yard and a couple Guava’s from a neighbors tree. He also gave us 2 huge pineapples that a friend gave him.

We are completely overwhelmed by the friendliness and generosity of the Cuban people. They have so little to give, but overwhelmingly share what they do have. We are humbled in their presence. The experience that Aldelberto’s family has given us is so much more than any about of money could ever buy.

The Cat Crew!!

The Cat (catamaran) Crew started in the Grenadine’s last May. We were a group of sailing catamarans who bonded as we were headed South and we traveled together through the Grenadine’s and Grenada.

Once we reached Grenada, some left their boats and flew home for Hurricane Season, another boat continued Westward and are currently sailing to the South Pacific, another sold their catamaran and are continuing their adventures on a trawler….. But, Last year, over a couple of drinks, 3 of the Cats made a plan to meet up and sail along the Southern Coast of Cuba together. As most people know, live aboard cruisers plans are written in the sand at low tide, so we were doubtful that this would ever happen.

Over the past 4 days, all 3 Cats have sailed into Santiago de Cuba, from 3 different countries and are back together and ready to sail together along the Southern Coast of Cuba!!

Yesterday, after the 3rd Cat cleared customs, the six adults poured some nice Cuban Rum and toasted the Cat Crew and all of the original members!! We talked about all of you and remembered the fun times in the Grenadines. Cheers!!!

For all those who are dreaming or planning a Liveaboard life and may be worried about feeling isolated or not having strong friendships “out here,” don’t let that hold you back from untying the lines and sailing away. The people you meet along the way are amazing and the friendships created have a special bond that I don’t think is even possible with land based relationships. We have learned that we never say goodbye to the people we meet; we say, “Until We See You Again” …..

Just a couple more pictures.

I really wish we had access to wifi to post lots of pictures of how amazing this city really is. For tonight, the satellite will only allow me to post this one.

Santiago de Cuba will definitely rank as one of my favorite city’s in the world!! Everywhere you turn is a photo op! The city is beautiful and Cuban people are amazing!! The old cars driving around are an added bonus!! Love ❤️ Love it here!!!

Lost Boat Cat.

We are currently at the marina in Santiago de Cuba and there is a boat cat who has been left behind.

The officials and marina manager do not know who’s cat it is. It has been going from boat to boat, we think to find its people. It prefers catamarans so we are also guessing it must have come from a catamaran.

I only have satellite communications so I can not post this on any of the Cuba Facebook pages, and I am sure whoever lost the cat can’t check Facebook either….. but, I am hoping maybe one of my Facebook friends will share this to a Cuba site or will let me know me if there is a vessel in Cuba who may have posted that they are missing their pet.

The black and white cat is very friendly and likes dingy rides.

If anyone has information I can only be reached via email at:

sail.sailpending@gmail.com