We anchored off of a small resort island, Cayo Levisa, our last stop before we head the 60 miles to Marina Hemmingway and Havana prior to heading back to the U.S..\u00a0 This lovely little island offers great protection from the coming cold front that should hit us tonight bring with it strong northerly winds for the next few days.\u00a0\u00a0 There aren\u2019t too many spots along the northwest coast of Cuba that provide good protection from such winds and being safe and comfortable is key for us as we prepare for the weather.<\/p>\n
Our first night here Brenda made a wonderful pasta dish of bacon, tomatoes and fresh bok choi.\u00a0 I mention this, not because it was a particularly unique dish as Brenda\u2019s a great cook and we east very well aboard Pandora, but because it\u2019s been 15 days since we have been anywhere to get fresh produce and our stores are pretty low.\u00a0 I should note, we still aren\u2019t anywhere near a produce stand so that begs the question of exactly where we were able to get fresh bok choi.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Hold that thought for the moment.<\/p>\n
I have been struggling for the last few weeks of exactly how to describe the wonderful interactions we have had with the people, especially in the rural areas, here in Cuba and perhaps our \u201cbok choi experience\u201d is a good example.<\/p>\n
As we move from place to place in Cuba, our travels are strictly monitored by the Guarda Frontera, a military\/police force that check us in and out again from most of the places that we visit with the exception of the most rural cayos.\u00a0\u00a0 When we arrived here at Cayo Levisa, I headed ashore with our papers, passports, list of Pandora\u2019s particulars, our USCG documentation and \u201cdespacho\u201d or cruising permit to check in.<\/p>\n
I was met at the dock by someone from the resort who informed me that I had to return to Pandora and wait there for two hours until the Guarda Frontera officer arrived from the mainland on the 18:00 ferry to check us in.<\/p>\n
At the appointed hour the officer arrived on what appeared to be a dive boat from the resort which circled Pandora as it arrived, officer waving, and continued to the dock.\u00a0 I jumped in my dink and headed to shore.\u00a0 As is nearly always the case, I was greeted warmly by just about everyone on the dock including the Frontera officer, dressed in his uniform.\u00a0 Black shoes, slacks and white dress shirt, complete with \u201cofficial\u201d looking epaulets on each shoulder.<\/p>\n
The captain of the dive boat also introduced himself with a hearty handshake and presented me with a perfectly ripe, enormous papaya.\u00a0 Now, I can\u2019t say that I am a huge fan of papaya but I was very touched by the gesture.\u00a0 So, back to Pandora I went with the officer and my papaya to complete our paperwork.\u00a0 Sometimes the officers make a brief inspection of Pandora but in this case he didn\u2019t and just filled out his paperwork.\u00a0 They almost always ask questions about us and the boat that go beyond the information that they need for their forms so it\u2019s clear that they are just curious about the boat, us and our travels.\u00a0 It\u2019s pretty clear that they don\u2019t see many cruisers, especially from the U.S. \u00a0and are always interested in learning more about us.\u00a0 Brenda and I always enjoy these friendly exchanges.<\/p>\n
Questions answered, we said our goodbyes and I took him back to the dock.\u00a0 I was still thinking about the gift of the papaya and had decided to give the captain a bar of soap as a thank you.\u00a0\u00a0 The captain accepted my gift with a hearty \u201cgracias\u201d and motioned for me to wait a moment.\u00a0 He retreated to his cabin and emerged with a bundle of fresh greens, bok choi, leafy lettuce and some green beans, delivered with a big smile.\u00a0 Now it was my turn and he gently let me know that if I had a tube of silicone or perhaps a spare screwdriver aboard he\u2019d be very pleased as it was tough for him to get such things in Cuba.
\n![\"4-16-16b](\"http:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/4-16-16b-010.jpg\")
Now, the more jaded among you might say that the whole exercise was designed to soften me up so I\u2019d give him something, and clearly it was.\u00a0 However, the process was done with such care and grace that I found it to be quite charming and a good example of our many exchanges where Pandora\u2019s crew received something and so did they.<\/p>\n
I told him, as best I could that I\u2019d see what I could do and would see him \u201cmanyana\u201d.\u00a0 We parted with smiles.\u00a0\u00a0 The next day I presented him with a \u201cVicegrip\u201d wrench that I had that was a duplicate in my tool box.\u00a0 He seemed to be very pleased.<\/p>\n
There are so many basics that we take for granted in the U.S. that Cubans just don\u2019t have access to.\u00a0 As a result, they are always looking for items to check off of their \u201cwish list\u201d.\u00a0 \u00a0Razors and lengths of line for boats are always very popular.\u00a0 I wish that I had known as I have hundreds of feet of extra line at home that I\u2019d be happy to give away.\u00a0 Perhaps next time.<\/p>\n
Another wonderful exchange occurred a few days ago when we were approached in a very remote anchorage by two fisherman that wanted to sell us some lobster.\u00a0\u00a0 They approached us in a small rough rowboat and showed us their catch.\u00a0\u00a0 They had come over to us from a \u201cfishing station\u201d a sort of \u201chome base\u201d on the water, a number of shacks and docks built on pilings out in the water where they managed their catch and lived between trips to the reef to fish.<\/p>\n
Anyway, we bought their lobster for a few CUCs each.\u00a0\u00a0 ![\"4-16-16b](\"http:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/4-16-16b-006.jpg\")
After our deal was done one of the fisherman took off his cap and retrieved a single playing card, the queen of hearts.\u00a0 After a bit of back and forth, it became clear that he was asking if we had any playing cards.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t know if he wanted to play cards with us or if he wanted cards but I \u201cplayed\u201d along anyway.<\/p>\n
One thing led to another, I went below and returned with a deck of cards.\u00a0 His reaction was amazing.\u00a0 He and his partner both clapped their hands and let out a \u201cwhoop\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0 What a great reaction and a good example of our many exchanges over the last two months here in Cuba.\u00a0 In the U.S. it is so easy for us to get just about everything we need but here in Cuba they are on a constant quest for even the simplest items.\u00a0 This experience was another example of the very friendly \u201cculture\u201d we have encountered, especially here in rural Cuba where the simplest gesture or \u201cgift\u201d is so appreciated.\u00a0 I expect that this will be lost in the coming years as Cuba reengages with the U.S. and consumer goods are more readily available to them.<\/p>\n
![\"OLYMPUS](\"http:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/4-16-16a-188.jpg\")
We bought some lobster from them too (our freezer is jammed now) and as they headed away they hoisted a rough sail to help them on their way toward the mainland, still miles away.\u00a0\u00a0 What a sight.![\"OLYMPUS](\"http:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/4-16-16a-189.jpg\")
As we made our way up the northwestern coast of Cuba over the last week we have visited some beautiful cayos with just spectacular scenery.\u00a0\u00a0 This shot of Pandora with the mountains in the background was particularly lovely.![\"OLYMPUS](\"http:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/4-16-16a-214.jpg\")
We anchored in the lee of some remarkable mangrove stands, some of which had trunks that were 18\u201d in diameter and perhaps 60-75\u2019 tall.\u00a0 I have never seen mangroves of that size and have to wonder just how old they must be.![\"OLYMPUS](\"http:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/4-16-16a-204.jpg\")
In one of the spots we anchored for the night, we shared the cove with a group of fisherman on a ferocement boat.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The boat was very rough construction of iron bars with a cement coating.\u00a0\u00a0 I expect that they don\u2019t last very long but this type of boat is very popular here in Cuba.![\"OLYMPUS](\"http:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/4-16-16a-141.jpg\")
They waved to me, I visited and was invited aboard.\u00a0 The captain was very nice but his English was no better than my Spanish.![\"4-16-16b](\"http:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/4-16-16b-008.jpg\")
![\"4-16-16b](\"http:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/4-16-16b-009.jpg\")
One of the crew was happy to show me some of their catch.![\"4-16-16b](\"http:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/4-16-16b-007.jpg\")
The next morning Brenda and I watched as each crew member donned a wetsuit and jumped in the water. \u00a0After a while we realized that they were picking up sea cucumbers from the bottom of the bay and filling their \u201cbaskets\u201d.\u00a0![\"OLYMPUS](\"http:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/4-16-16a-165.jpg\")
I haven\u2019t seen this on any menus here in Cuba so perhaps they export their catch.\u00a0 I know that sea cucumbers are very popular in Japan.It seems that like so much of life in Cuba, these fisherman are very opportunistic and catch whatever they can.\u00a0 Fish one day, lobster the next and then on to sea cucumbers.\u00a0 Their fishing techniques are so low tech that they are easy on the environment as they don\u2019t have access to the sorts of equipment that is the mark of \u201cindustrial fishing\u201d elsewhere.\u00a0\u00a0 I expect that a more \u201copen\u201d Cuba will lead to overfishing.<\/p>\n