Frances Diebler

hfdiebler@gmail.com

Herman, fixing our boat in exotic places. SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Before I continue taking you south through the Caribbean Island chain to the North Coast of South America, I would like to discuss some of the requirements I consider necessary to prepare yourself and your boat for such a long trip aboard.

First and foremost, from my perspective and experience, is to prepare yourself and your crew. In our case, my husband was the skipper and I was the crew. We took all of the classes necessary for long term offshore sailing; Advanced Piloting, Navigation and Weather from the United States Power Squadron. We had taken the beginning classes years ago.

My husband, Herman and I, sailed many hours offshore to distant islands and ports in New England and southward along the Eastern Seaboard. He then sailed GRENDEL with a crew of 4 other guys to Bermuda and back to Connecticut. These sailing excursions helped us to prepare ourselves for long distance offshore cruising necessary for an extended voyage.

This did not happen over night. We had maybe twenty years of local and offshore experience. Truthfully, we were prepared to do a round the world trip, but I didn’t want to be away from home, family and grandkids that long.

If you are at all interested in long range sailing, start out on small overnight or two or three night sails to ready yourself for night time sailing. There are no harbors or marinas in the middle of the Atlantic. You are on your own with the assistance of equipment such as VHF radios, SSB and Ham radios, and computers. Nowadays, more than 20 years after our voyage, you have satellite phones and computers to provide email. Also, if you are in a big town or city, you have the option of going ashore and paying a small fee to rent equipment by the hour.

However, I will only write about my experiences and how we did it. More important for me is where we went, how we went, and what was there when we got there. I do keep abreast of changes that have occurred down island since we were there. The big difference is GPS, chart plotters and internet in practically every port. In any event, sailing there in your own “little” boat has not changed. The wind still blows, the sea still rises, and cruising routes are still the same.

Local grocery and all around convenience store in Isla Culebra, Puerto Rico.

Before you leave port in the U.S., have most, if not all, of the charts you think you will need beforehand. It is not easy to get proper charts you think you may need in the future “down island”. Yes, in big cities such as in the Virgin Islands, you can buy many things that you need. However, in little villages where you may find yourself, there will be no modern shops to find any items you may need or want. Often, you may run into another cruiser whose skipper or crew would like to buy the charts that you no longer need. Such items are announced on the radio in many of the harbors that we visited.

Other items that you should include on your list of “must haves” are extra fuel jugs. Some of the smaller harbors have no refueling facilities at all. We always carried 2 or 3 jugs of fuel and one or two jugs of water. Along with fuel, think about any filters or other disposable equipment you carry aboard and keep a refill supply aboard.

Other necessary equipment should include, of course, a long range radio, a single sideband radio is a must in some areas, telephone, outside compass, inside compass, radar, wind speed and directional, depth, and an emergency light. The inside compass could be mounted above your bunk so that you can check it out at night without having to go outside. In unexpected squalls, this was a most important instrument as we lay in our bed. You then know if you may be dragging or not.

Herman, relaxing at its best after fixing things aboard.

Don’t forget a good flashlight. Also, keep in mind the word “redundancies.” Often, when you are most in need of some common object, it does not work. Therefore, have a spare in your tool box, scissors, sharp knife to cut a line in a hurry if you need to do it, a variety of wrenches, screw drivers, pliers, vice grips, bottle opener, etc. You get the idea. Oh! I almost forgot another important item, a cork screw, plus a spare, for your wine bottles!

You do not need to stock up on too many bulky items like toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, detergent, and so on. These products are readily available in most markets anywhere we have been with the exception of the Orinoco area of the Amazon in Venezuela.

Most important, do not forget you RX medicines. They may not be available where and when you need them. If you plan to be gone for a number of months, ask your pharmacist to prepare as many as he can. For you ladies, if by chance you may “enhance” your hair color, bring your products with you. The first time we sailed to the Bahamas, I had my beautician from home pack me up several months supply to take aboard. My husband became my beautician. Do not allow your husband to use the excuse that he does not know how to do it. I told mine that if he knows how to caulk a boat, he could “caulk my head!”

Obviously, there are several other subjects that need to be addressed before you cut the lines and sail off to new horizons. I do not want to spoil it for you, so I’ll stop here and next time address more urgent subjects such as tools, fixing things afloat, boat maintenance and all those other boring subjects.

Frances is a Commodore of the Seven Seas Cruising Association and a member of Sailing Association of Marco Island and AP United States Power Squadron. 

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Frances Diebler

hfdiebler@gmail.com

Isla de Coche, Venezuela. SUBMITTED PHOTOS

After writing several pleasant articles about our life at sea, I began to miss some of the things that made life both more pleasant and more frustrating at the same time. I know that this statement is a contradiction within itself. When we all write letters or tell stories about our family adventures or accomplishments, we tend to forget or diminish some of the unpleasant circumstances that we experienced. Indeed, we could not have lived aboard a forty foot boat for more than four years and in the past, sailed three different boats over a span of forty years if we could not deal with inclement weather at sea, living in tight quarters, having to live without most conveniences, missing family and friends, celebrating holidays away from family and on and on.

Life at sea is a contradiction of pleasures and inconveniences. You must adjust to planning and doing every day things a bit differently while at sea. Shopping for groceries, often not the brands and particular products you prefer, offers a weekly challenge. You learn quickly how to improvise. Laundry, for me, was the most inconvenient chore to do while living and sailing aboard.

While we were cruising in the nineties or earlier, in the seventies and eighties, banking, bill paying, and all money matters were not too easy as we had to get to a bank from time to time. Nowadays with global banking, much can be done from your computer or phone lines. We didn’t have all those conveniences from1992-1998. Also, we did not have ready access to a telephone! No cell phones, no Skype, much less internet communication. Pay phones from booths or shops ashore were our links back home. Don’t forget we were still living an island lifestyle, not a modern, vibrant big city existence.

Today, there are big, very clean, and well stocked supermarkets on the bigger and more populated locations such as Nassau, St Martin/St. Maarten and St. Barts. However, you will still have to deal with the smaller “mom & pop” variety stores where you can get fresh groceries as well as shoes, shirts and many non-edible products. No, I am not speaking about “Wal-Marts”. These all purpose stores exist in small towns and villages. There are “supermarkets”only in big cities.

Please, if you have time, leave the bigger city ports by bus, car, or taxi and explore the quiet villages where the real lifelong residents live. These people are descendants of the original natives and a mixture of many different cultures. Some smaller tribes of people still live very much as their ancestors did. Very primitive. One culture comes to mind, the Orinoco Indians who live on the Orinoco River, which is part of the Amazon in Venezuela. They still live in huts, men wear leather thongs, fish with long sticks armed with an arrowhead for a fish hook.

Arrival to Venezuela.

Throughout the Caribbean chain of islands, there is a world of difference in cultures as day is from night. Some of the islands are very continental and up scale, such as the French islands of St. Barts, St. Martin, Guadeloupe, Isle Des Saints, Marie Galante, and Martinique. Other islands which previously were British possessions, such as Anguilla, St. Kitts, Nevis, Antiqua, Barbuda, St. Lucia, St. Vincents and Bequia have changed hands a number of times in their history and therefore reflect the varied cultures of their past.

Southward from St. Vincent, on the island chain of the Grenadines, you can alter your course and head southeastward passing Mystique, Tobago Cays, Carriacou and Grenada, Tobago, Trinidad and then westward to Margarita, to the outer islands of Aruba, Curacao, and Bonaire. If you prefer a different island experience, drop down southeast to Isla de Margarita to the north coast of Venezuela, on to Puerto La Cruz.

Completing such a cruise really enlightens you to the many different cultures along the Caribbean trail. There are English, French, Spanish, African and other influences. While we were in Venezuela, we had some work done on our boat. Before they would launch it, we had to pay the bill. This was on a holiday and we would have nowhere to stay for two days until the boat was launched. We would have had to find a bank and cash a check for the money to pay for the launch.

Jane and Dave Ebbtide.

The boaters next to us, whom we only knew casually, offered to pay our bill in cash until we got to the bank on Monday. We accepted their most generous offer. Our boat was launched and we were able to stay aboard in the comfort of our own sleeping quarters. Monday morning, as soon as the bank opened, we obtained $2,000 cash to repay our most generous and trusting cruisers.

That’s how most cruisers are. We each take care of other cruisers and know that they will come through. We are all in this sailing circle together looking out for one another.

Frances is a Commodore of the Seven Seas Cruising Association and a member of Sailing Association of Marco Island and AP United States Power Squadron. 

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Rather than continuing writing on our journey from Connecticut to South America, I think it is time to address your need for planning, i.e. what to do, when to do it and how to do it. Each cruiser has many of the same responsibilities and many have very different issues. One essential task is to plan an itinerary. You need to consider the length of time required to accomplish your trip, from its start to your final travel destination and return home.

Just where do you start? First of all you need to plan your voyage realistically for six months, one year, two years, three years and so on. This plan should include your trip time and the time needed to return to your original home base. Just what do you need to know? Where do you start?

This picture shows my husband Herman discussing our plans to sail to Bermuda with Tania Aebi who had just completed her circumnavigation of the world. She was the first American women and the youngest person ever, at that time, to have circumnavigated the globe alone. Her adventure is chronicled in her book “Maiden Voyage”.

Are you planning to go off sailing with an open ended schedule? Do you estimate that this trip will take one year, two years, three years or more or even less? Do you plan any returns to you home from a distant harbor while leaving your boat in a slip or on the hard? Chances are that whatever your plan when you started out, it will be modified as you go along.

Most long range cruisers whom we have met along the way, ourselves included, left our voyage an open book. Yes, we did have an outline of where and how long we planned to be gone, but there was always an opening in the plans to allow for changes for many reasons.

Boat condition is a primary reason people continue on or turn back. Comfort, health and stamina of your crew and skipper, set the tone and harmony for all and has a most important impact on everyone’s mental state and physical comfort. Do you push onward when everyone is tired or do you all relax and take each day as it comes?

Comfort, rest, conditions on board, weather and wind directions, sleep, loneliness, and congeniality play a part in how you and your crew interact on a day to day basis.

This description describes a group or captain with a friendly crew. Another alternative is the “Mom and Pop” scenario which is perhaps the most common format of today’s cruisers.

Most of the cruisers whom we met along the way were middle aged, retired from their landlocked life at work or home and eager to try life at sea. We have met several couples who were traveling with children, who brought their school studies and plans with them. Time was set aside each day for school work and homework. The children were very conscientious and attended to their studies before they left the vessel each day. After study time, they rounded up a group and put together teams for board games and physical games such as basketball, golf, track, swimming competitions, soccer, football and the like. The students were very serious about their homeschooled lessons as well as physical education.

Each student had an education plan suited for his age, grade, and ability. There are several companies which offer homeschooled lessons. You can check on line by looking for on board schooling lessons for all school age students. There are several and with some investigation on your part, you should find one that fits your needs and expectations. Do not let this get in the way of traveling with children as their life at sea is a life time experience of is own.

Along with the required school lessons you can add, navigation, study of night skies, mathematics, using time and distance problems, which should be enhanced by living the experience of boating. You can add geography, history, botany, and the language of the islands you visit. The kids will benefit from a non-traditional education experience with the many on line resources available for family instruction.

Frances is a Commodore of the Seven Seas Cruising Association and a member of Sailing Association of Marco Island and AP United States Power Squadron. 

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hfdiebler@gmail.com 

Holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas are celebrated all around the world and it makes no difference if you celebrate at home or at sea. We have experienced both and, each time, we had friends and family who celebrated with us wherever we were at sea or at home. Each celebration was joyous, warm, with both family and friends and all of the trimmings. We tried to spend one holiday back home such as Thanksgiving and our children would fly down to the boat at Christmas time. I know that this does not always work for everyone, but somehow it did for us.

We left Westport, Connecticut, October first and worked our way slowly down the Eastern seaboard to be in Marathon, FL before Christmas so we could fly back home for the holidays. We returned after New Year’s Day and continued on our voyage to the islands. Our second Christmas was enjoyed on our boat anchored amidst the beauty of the Virgin Islands. No matter where you are or go, you can bring Christmas with you.

I wish you all a very Marry Christmas and Happy New Year. Good health, good friends, good weather, family, love and peace wherever you are.

Frances is a Commodore of the Seven Seas Cruising Association and a member of Sailing Association of Marco Island and AP United States Power Squadron. 

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Golf cart used to ride boaters around.

We had been gone for two and a half months and we were out of many staples. Fortunately, we had friends, Wally and Linda, who were living aboard their boat, TIRE SWING, long term and had their van shipped to Puerto Rico from Texas. It would have been cheaper for them to have bought an old car here. But they chose to ship theirs. They graciously would come by and take us shopping to the supermarket, Wal-Mart’s, or anywhere we needed to go. We needed to reprovision the boat and had to haul all of the groceries and everything else we bought up the ladder to our boat resting quietly on the hard. I hated this #&#$ ladder with one hand for the ladder and one hand for the bags of stuff. We’d make five or more trips up and down each time we went shopping. It does not stop here.

On top of this inconvenience, one of our two Adler Barber refrigeration systems was acting up. This unit was as old as the boat, and my husband did not want to take a chance of having it go when we were down island. He ordered one from Defender’s which we got in two days. Nothing is easy though. We had to use a block and tackle to hoist the compressor up to our “tree house” on the hard. While Herm and I were busy working topside, we had a crew hired to paint GRENDEL’S bottom and raise the water line again.

For those of you who may be interested in a boat’s condition after being closed up in a tropical atmosphere for so long, everything was fine. No mold. No mildew. No damage. The only casualties were the loss of about 35 lbs. of individually wrapped pasta, noodles, rice, cereal, instant potatoes and a box of flesh colored candles. Before we left for home, we let off insect bombs to kill any insects which may still be lingering aboard. We looked around the boat’s interior. Everything looked ship shape. When we returned after a stay of a few months, we couldn’t believe our eyes. Ants, and other nameless insects, had eaten through the double bagged and cellophane wrapped pasta, boxes of rice, and dried potatoes. Now, I’m not talking about hoards of little black critters just a group of them here and there.

The candles had melted into rather suggestive shapes. Herm thought that if they were heated again, he could straighten them up. I, too, thought it was a good idea and might work. I left him to figure things out while I went grocery shopping.

When I returned, once again I could not believe my eyes! He had all of these obscenely shaped flesh colored candles draped from a clothes line tied across the cockpit. I could only imagine what the native yard workers thought when they saw these things dangling from the line. There goes the neighborhood!

This was not one of Herm’s better ideas. The candles never got hot enough in the daytime sun to reshape them. I simply suggested that we put them in a heated oven for a short time. Voila! Soon as they softened, we reshaped them into candles. I just shook my head in disbelief. Too much education can damage the brain!

After seven days of tree top living, we were once again able to be launched. The Brunel truck, which would carry the boat to be launched, was not working. By the time it was fixed, it was 3:30 and the workers just quit and left. Herm had to paint the areas on the boat which were covered by the sling. We paid to have the whole bottom painted, but we had to finish the job ourselves as the workers left. This was not the problem. The launch driver drove the truck to the crane and lowered GRENDEL into the slot and we got aboard. The “Squall Gods” decided this would be a good time to blast through with rain and sudden gusts of wind 20+ knots. There was only one driver on shore who tied a port bowline while we were trapped helplessly aboard in the launch pit. The wind was pushing the boat against the railway. I yelled to him that he needed to get another workman. “You need another helper to take a line!” No response. I yelled again, “Two people! Dos Personas”! Now he

smiled and slowly walked to the other side to grab a starboard stern line to keep us off the travel lift ramp. By now we were almost sideways to the wind and the bow pulpit was ready to be smashed.

Herm somehow managed to jump the distance to the ramp to prevent damage. The reason for this sloppy launch was the fact that the launch truck broke down again and by the time it was fixed, it was quitting time and everyone went home. It did not matter that there was a 30,000 lb. boat in the sling! While this was going on, other workmen walked by, but this was not their job, so they kept on walking. Finally, the yard manager, a woman named Yvette, came and took the lines and we were okay again.

Frances is a Commodore of the Seven Seas Cruising Association and a member of Sailing Association of Marco Island and AP United States Power Squadron.

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We arrived at last. No more movement up and down or side to side. We were securely tied up at a dock in order to prepare the boat for when we go back to the states for a visit with our family for a few months. We had to prepare Grendel so she could be hauled out and put “on the hard,” as it is called, while we are away. That means out of the water and onto the land. We removed the Genoa sail, staysail, and all other venerable equipment which was on deck and stored it safely below. We disassembled all electronics and made other preparations.

We loaded all the bagged sails and assorted equipment safely below while we would be away. This is not necessarily an easy task. We had to sort all of our clothes and decide what stays and what needs to come back temporarily such as jackets, toiletries etc. This is one reason that we buy so much so that there are supplies we can leave aboard if we go anywhere. Redundancies are what it is called and for each person, the list will be different, but necessary. Preparing for a trip back home for a visit is just as important as the fly back to the boat when you return.

Herman relaxing on Grendel “on the hard.”

We returned to Farjardo Oct. 26 just as the weather back home was getting cold. Our first week back aboard GRENDEL was one of work, sweat, and inconveniences. Prior to our trip back home, we had GRENDEL hauled and placed in the secure storage area. Now that we were back and the boat is our “home away from home,” we were looking forward to going aboard. We arrived at Puerto delRey Marina about 5:00PM during a typical rain storm. The gates were locked and worse, GRENDEL was nowhere in sight. We finally found a guard and through “Spanglish” (English and Spanish), we were able to tell him about our predicament.

What an unexpected predicament! Here we were in the rain with no boat, therefore no home, no car and nine pieces of baggage which held boat parts, supplies and some specialty foods. The guard was on the phone trying to help us figure out just where our boat was and what we could do. Finally the boat yard manager came and explained that GRENDEL was still in the secure storage area and it would be there until tomorrow because the Brownell hauling truck broke down and they could not move the boat out to put it in the yard.

Walkway and facilities at Puerto del Rey.

Therefore, they would put us up as their guests in one of their luxury condos on the premises. Yea! For at least tonight, we’d have flush toilets, cable TV, air-conditioning and other creature comforts not on our boat. Frankly, I didn’t care when the Brownell truck would be fixed, because for a little while, I could have creature comforts which I would lose as soon as the boat was brought out of storage into the boat yard. The boatyard is where the boat is prepared to be launched.

For those of you who might not be familiar with living on a boat much less one that is out of the water, all I can think of is life high and dry akin to “THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON.” Access to our boat home was by climbing a 12 ft. ladder. More important, water usage is different. We could shower or wash dishes as this grey water flows through the drains onto the dirt below and is acceptable. However, we did not have toilet facilities. Not only did we have to climb down the ladder, when we got to ground level, we would have to walk through the boat yard, out the gate, up a hill to the very clean and maintained restrooms.

During the day, we could hail the dock boy who would come to pick us up in a golf cart. He would then drive us down the long cement dock to the showers and restrooms. Better not forget the restroom key or else it was back to the boat in a hurry. This was the daytime procedure.

Night was different as the gates are locked at 8:00PM and to get out you would have to call security who would radio a guard who would drive over in a golf cart, open the gate, let us out and be on his way. But I have to get back inside! No need to explain. The drill starts all over again but in reverse.

Frankly, this was rather easy compared with what was to come. Yes, we did have a toilet with a holding tank, but it does not work when you are hauled out of the water! We expected to be “on the hard” for at least three to four more days. I was kept busy.

When we left GRENDEL to fly home, we left all of our clothing, canned and boxed foods, toiletries and the like, that would not spoil. I felt relieved when we first stepped aboard Grendel after a few months stay “on the hard.” I began to inspect my cabinets and cupboards. I looked in my dry locker and somehow things just did not look right.

As I removed box after box of rice and pasta I saw tiny holes in the wrappings and powdery white substance coming out of the holes. Yikes! What I discovered were tiny bugs that were living in and eating away at my starchy food packages. There were holes in the cellophane and white powder falling out of the holes. These tiny pests had eaten away at my stored rations of starchy foods. I had to get big green garbage bags and throw everything out. I do not know where they came from, but I surely knew where they were going, pronto! We filled several large green garbage bags and promptly discarded all of these supplies in the local dumpsters!

Who ever said,” Sailors Have More Fun?”

Frances is a Commodore of the Seven Seas Cruising Association and a member of Sailing Association of Marco Island and AP United States Power Squadron.

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After spending a long time in the Dominican Republic, it was time to move on to our next port of call: Boqueron, Puerto Rico, which is on the west coast. Ah, Puerto Rico at last! As always, you had to clear in and out of each country or island nation that you visit. Always check ahead of time just what the requirements are for each country or island nation as they are not all the same.

Boqueron, PR.

As we entered the harbor we were so pleased to see many of the other boats that we sailed with along the way. It is a great experience to be greeted by fellow cruisers in the many different ports where we drop anchor. Inevitably, all cruisers have a story to tell about their recent passage. Also those cruisers, who have arrived before you, always have advice about what to do, how to do it, and where to go.

Boqueron is a charming seaside resort for the local people. To me it was very reminiscent of beachside resorts of the fifties. The buildings were all gaily painted in bright colors such as yellow, turquoise, blues, greens and hot pink. Merengue music blared from the shops all day into the night. I must add that each place plays a different tune at the same time making a cacophony of sounds. We loved it!

While walking along the streets of Boquerón, we walked past a clinic. My husband looked in the window and decided to have a closer look inside. As coincidence would have it, my husband met a town doctor who just happened to be using some of the medical equipment that my husband designed and developed. Needless to say, they had a long chat.

For us the weekdays were rather quiet; but on weekends the whole island really hops. The streets are lined with vendors selling all kinds of foods including raw oysters, corn on the cob, pinchos, which is grilled meat on a stick, BBQ chicken, tostones and on and on. It was like one big spring break celebration. We and other “yachtie friends” would go to town at night and especially the week-ends.

Pool or billiards was also big there and we would play with our friends. After a hot game of billiards, we would look forward to a “cerveza fria” which is a cold Medalla beer. That was really needed after the game. One other first hand observation is, if possible, do not go to the shopping centers on the week-ends. They will be very crowded. Every family, mother, father, children, grandparents are all out together doing their shopping.

Ponce, PR Bombader/Fire Station.

We hated to leave the comforts of Boquerón, but we had to move on. It is so easy to become comfortable and attached to the towns that you enjoy and resist going on with your travels. But alas, if we wanted to see it all, we must budget our time. We were beating eastward into the wind and would be doing so for much of the trip along the PR and south coast. We had a short stay and R&R in La Paqura which was our first stop on the south coast.

We sailed along the Southern coast to Salinas, which is a very protected anchorage. It has many facilities. The Marina de Salinas was the best marina at that time. Ah, creature comforts at last! There was a pool, snack bar, laundry, phone booths, and other boater facilities. Remember this was over ten years ago and public phones were a rarity then, especially in island nations.

Each Friday evening was a BBQ for the cruisers to attend and on Monday there was a pot luck hosted by the cruisers on the marina grounds. At last we could stop moving around for a while and spend some relaxing time alone on our boat or with friends. We had several choices of things to do and places to see.

We rented a car to drive around and see all the sights that you cannot get to without land transportation. We toured Ponce, Adjunta, Old San Juan, Palmas del Mar and Fajardo. Ponce, which is on the south coast, a lovely city with beautiful architecture and malls that rival anything in the States.

In July, we bid farewell to our boating friends in Salinas and sailed to Farjardo. The winds were up so we sailed instead to Puerto Pattilla and spent two nights waiting for the winds to die down. We needed to continue eastward to Fajardo and get GRENDEL ready to be hauled and stored for hurricane season which was fast upon us.

Heavy weather Mona passage.

Two nights later at 10:30PM we left our anchorage and sailed all night to Farjardo, which is located in Puerto Rico south of San Juan. We arrived at Puerto del Ray Marina at dawn, which was too early and had to wait for the dock master to arrive and assign us a slip.

Whew! What a relief to be still and anchored up. The long hours at sea, especially at night, are enjoyable but tiring. When we got there, we tied up to a dock, cleaned up the boat and took a quick nap as we waited for the dock master to come and check us in. We then prepared GRENDEL to be hauled as we made arrangements to fly home for the hurricane season.

Frances is a Commodore of the Seven Seas Cruising Association and a member of Sailing Association of Marco Island and AP United States Power Squadron. 

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The islands of the Caribbean may be close together and share a certain amount of similarities, but for the most part they are each quite different from one another.

Fresh vegetable market.

The islands were settled by varying nations and took on many of the customs of their mother countries.  The European influences are mostly English, Spanish, Dutch, and French.  Islands such as St Lucia and Antigua had the influence from the English. Dominica had French; Trinidad was influenced by the East Indian and British and Jamaica by the British and the Spanish. Obviously, Martinique and St. Martin had French influences and St. Marteen was impacted by the Dutch. This was a true melting pot that developed over the years. Of course, let us not forget the natives who were already living on these islands that melded with these newcomers. Thus a whole new world of foods and customs developed.

Guadeloupe spice market.

The African people, who were brought to these islands, came mostly as slaves to work the fields. They too contributed to the customs and foods that they taught the islanders how to prepare. During this time, the Africans introduced okra, pigeon peas, plantains, callaloo, breadfruit and ackee.

The Arawaks, who were a native tribe, are given credit for introducing barbecue to the settlers.  They made grills with native sticks called, “barbacoa” .  They also introduced   to the new settlers corn, yams, peanuts, lima beans and pineapple that all grew wild on the islands.

The greatest selection of fruits and more.

This was not all one sided.  When Columbus arrived in 1493, he too introduced new foods to the natives. He introduced sugarcane which would have a great impact on tropical drinks yet to come. Rum! They discovered that rum could be made from fermented sugarcane juice. To this day, many people should thank Columbus for this discovery.  I know one person in particular who happens to be a Rum or Rhum connoisseur, my husband, Herman!

The Spaniards also introduced new foods to the islanders; coconuts, cilantro, eggplant, onions, and garlic.  The Europeans colonists from Portugal, the Dutch, Danes, British, French, and Swedes contributed among things, oranges, limes, mangos, rice and coffee.

St. Martin beans and rice.

Even the slave trade from West Africa brought okra, pigeon peas, and plantains. Other settlers brought native foods from Puerto Rico, Cuba, Spain, and conch from the Cayman Islands and Callaloo from Tobago and I could go on and on.  The islands are truly a “Garden of Eden.”

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Ackee.

Before we visit the many more islands of the Caribbean, I would like to introduce you to the many exciting and unusual foods and recipes that are popular and different from island to island. Many kinds of fruits, vegetables, grains, meat and fish are common to each island. The differences are in how each country combines and uses these raw and natural resources. Even with a similar culture and many of the same foods, each region prepares them differently. I personally found this aspect of the cultures most fascinating.

For example, Spanish speaking people in Venezuela cook differently from their Spanish speaking cousins in Puerto Rico. Many factors from all the different people of the world, contributed to the variations in the preparation of food. Even if they all spoke the same language, their traditions and languages melded with the people of their new countries. The people in the new countries adapted some of the customs from the newcomers and vice versa, thereby creating new and combined ways of cooking and doing things.

I had to learn almost a whole new vocabulary when talking about unfamiliar foods and ingredients in different island nations as well as South America. One of the most mentioned was Ackee which is a popular food throughout Jamaica. It was first introduced to Jamaicans by Captain Bligh who brought it back from West Africa.

Tostones.

Ackee is poisonous if eaten before it is fully mature. Never open an Ackee pod; it will open itself when it ceases to be deadly. You can buy Ackee sold in cans in West Indian markets. I must be honest: I never tasted it, but my husband did down island and is still very much alive.

Another well known island staple is Breadfruit. The breadfruit is a large green fruit with pebbly green skin and potato-like flesh. It is very versatile and can be baked, grilled, fried or roasted after being stuffed with meat.

Callaloo is a leafy, spinach-like vegetable. It can be made into a soup or cooked like spinach. It is also known as Chinese spinach or Indian kale.

The islands are known for their very hot and spicy foods. Chili Peppers are part of the Capsicum genus and can range from medium to fiery hot. Scotch bonnet peppers are one of the most widely used “hot pepper.” Take my word, they are hot!

Chorizo is a Spanish sausage made with pork, hot peppers, and garlic. Of course, conch is very much on the menu in the Caribbean Islands as it is very versatile and available. However, if you read a previous article of mine on conch, you will know that it is being over used, making conch scarcer.

Empanadas.

Interesting enough to me is that the native people have a huge variety of natural ingredients from which to choose. Goat is very popular in the islands. The story told is that the immigrants from India searched in vain for lamb to prepare their staple of curry. Finding no lambs, they used the next best thing to take their place, goats. It was not too long before curried goat became a Caribbean classic.

One of my favorite finds down island when we were there was plantains! Having sailed down to the islands from Connecticut, I do not remember ever seeing a plantain before. They are in the banana family, but are inedible raw. They are used a lot in Caribbean cooking. As they ripen, they become sweeter. I especially love fried plantains in butter with brown sugar sprinkled on them.

I learned a whole new vocabulary of foods with strange sounding names such as: Soursop, Chorizo, Saltfish, Papaya, Picadillo, Mammy Apple, Conch, Cas­sava, aka Manioc or Yucca.

When you live on your boat and cruise to many different island nations and countries, there are many varied ad­ventures that you can enjoy and experi­ence that are unique to where you are at the time. Each island has its own native foods, language, historical sites, culture, music, beaches, mountains and so on. Some islands are similar such as St. Mar­tin and Martinique since both are French in background. Two other island groups are close in distance, but are miles away in culture, foods and education: Turks and Caicos and Dominican Republic, for example.

Chorizo.

Writing this makes me salivate just thinking about all the new and exciting things I learned to eat and enjoy. I barely scratched the surface of these new, at least to me, and exciting foods to try. Now that we are living here, I certainly get a chance to see, taste and buy some of what I once thought were exotic foods. We sailed a long way from the New England shores which are home to lobsters and cod fish to the lands of pinchos and empanadas!

Frances is a Commodore of the Seven Seas Cruising Association and a member of Sailing Association of Marco Island and AP United States Power Squadron. 

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Grendel at anchor in Escondido Bay.

As much as we wanted to explore more of the Dominican Republic, it was time to move on from the DR and make our way to Puerto Rico. Every morning the trade winds pipe up between 8AM and10AM and subside in the evening from the effects of the land. While in Luperon, the winds blew harder than usual in the harbor with 18-24 knot winds in the harbor for over a week.

Finally, the Offshore Weather Report and our weather fax began to show a downward trend and we decided to make our move and sail directly to Boqueron, Puerto Rico, about a 48 hour sail to windward around the capes that we must pass along the northern Dominican Republic coast through the “dreaded” Mona Passage to get to Puerto Rico.

At first we had a rather pleasant sail tacking our way up the coast. We flew our staysail as we can sail closer to windward in these conditions rather than our big genny. By afternoon we were off Cape Maricos with wind and sea continuing to build and becoming diffused. This is caused by all the water and wind coming undisturbed directly from Africa and crashing head on to these huge capes in order to wash around them. This made for a very uncomfortable ride. We slugged it out hoping by nightfall the conditions would moderate. One cape down, three more to go.

We pressed onward. By night we had to round Cape Frances Viejo. There was a bit of a moderating trend with wind about 18k-19 and smaller seas. We could motorsail now. We could just not make any headway with a big head sea. You take one step forward and are pushed two steps back. This is affectionately known as “The Caribbean Two Step.”

We were doing okay now as night wore on. Once past Cape Frances, we had a quiet time crossing a bay whose name escapes me now. It may have been Escondido Bay. Any way, we were both very tired from a very busy sail, so my husband went below to rest for a few minutes. He slept for two hours. I didn’t sleep at all as I was at the wheel.

Man fishing with bamboo sticks and strings.

Once you are knowledgeable about your instruments and learn to trust them, being the helmsman is not difficult. Soon after the radar was activated, two squalls popped up as green blobs. I woke him up and we were both now making course changes as we watched the radar looking for information about which way to steer to avoid the storm. This works most of the time. However, there are times when a squall is moving too fast for a sailboat to get out of its way.

We continued on to make weigh before daybreak. We finally reached Escondido, a fjord like bay between magnificent mountains. We were tired and decided to pull into Escondido, aka El Valle, which is still a part of Dominican Republic. We had enough for 24 hours. A lay day and some exploring were in order. First we had to get permission from the Comandante as this is not a port of entry and we had officially cleared out of the Dominican Republic bound for Puerto Rico.

The view inside the bay was unlike anything we’ve ever seen. Huge lush mountains, caves with fresh water falling and a crescent shaped beach ringed by a stand of palm trees. Brightly painted dugout canoes rested on the shore. We saw no one, but I knew that somewhere there were many eyes watching us. I expected to hear the beating of some jungle tom-toms. If a cauldron with a fire under it was lit, we were out of there. Pronto! There was no way we wanted to be somebody’s dinner!

We were here alone. Don and Marge on HOBO had not yet arrived. Soon the expected boarding party of three arrived with the Comandante in uniform wearing a sidearm and his assistant wearing an official M of G shirt and an oarsman. By now I mastered a few useful expressions such as “Habla mas depacio” and “Muy bonita.” After proper introductions and a quick look at our papers, the men sat down and made themselves quite comfortable.

Herman with our friends Marge and Don with DR Officials.

We knew that the Comandante wanted a gift. We offered him a bottle of rum. He rejected that! He wanted American whiskey. We had none. Instead they accepted Heineken beer, Granny Smith apples, a package of chocolate covered cookies, some Snack-well fat free fruit pies and a new baseball cap we won in George Town at the Heineken booth.

They just did not want to leave. Finally I said, “No siesta since Luperon.” They got the message and left.

After a good night’s sleep, we went ashore. The Comandante wanted to speak to the woman that spoke Spanish. Ha, that was me! The DR men in general like American women, not because I spoke a few words in Spanish, it was because American women possess the “3 B’s”: blond hair, big boobs, blue passport. Lucky me I had all three!

The Comandante presented us with some freshly picked mangos which we had to eat right away lest we insult him. We also walked along the dirt roads of the village as he proudly told us about his home and country. The only way that I can accurately describe it is: remote, rural, and primitive. A place where time stood still. We were no longer in the Twentieth Century.

One man walked by holding his catch of the day, a bunch of fish caught on homemade hooks and a stick for a pole. He then went to the side of a stream, crouched down on his haunches and began to clean the fish. He looked to me just as the Taino Indians would have looked when Columbus arrived. What an experience!

Frances is a Commodore of the Seven Seas Cruising Association and a member of Sailing Association of Marco Island and AP United States Power Squadron.

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Statue of Columbus.

Once we were settled in, we wanted to tour the town. I needed to refill my larder and my husband needed to refill his rum supply. I set out with a friend, Marge, from another boat to look for a grocery store. At first I was just stunned that we would be going to a grocery store here. “What! Are we really going to buy bread here? Are we going to eat food here?” Boy was I a snob then.  We actually bought fresh baked bread here and ate in a very clean and pleasant restaurant. At first my friend and I could not find the bakery. We were then directed to the hardware store. Lo and behold, we got warm home-made bread at the hardware store.

Once we got some needed fresh vegetables, we set out with our husbands in search of another much needed staple aboard a sailing vessel, Rum! We went off in search of the “Mercado,” a grocery store, and bought a bottle of each kind of rum available. This was necessary since our husbands and friends decided they wanted a rum tasting experiment; a “rum off” contest, to be exact. My husband poured a taste of each kind of rum in a small paper cup and passed them around to all of our guests. To a person, BRUGAL Anejo, Extra Viejo, won hands down. Rums are like wines. There is a very distinct difference in aroma, color, taste, smoothness, etc.

There is so much more I could write Plata, the next town we visited, is a large commercial harbor town with its own places to see. One of the sites my husband and our friends wanted to see here was the Brugal Rum Factory. Of course we had to have a taste test while we were there. Afterwards had a most heartwarming experience.

The mountain top is filled with the usual tourist trap shops with each shop owner vying for your business. One young woman really wanted us to buy something.  She said she had two small children at home and wanted our business. There was really nothing I wanted. I remained firm as it gets to be quite a hassle going into stores. However, I did spend some time talking to her as best I could and looked at the pictures of her children. I guess most people just ignore the shopkeepers or are abrupt. When

School children.

I left to say good-bye, she told me I was a nice lady and handed me a tiny charm with a Larimer stone in it. I refused, telling her that I did not even buy anything. She gave me a hug and told me to keep it and remember her. I was really moved. As we left and got into the tram, she was there. I remembered that I had some unopened face cream samples from the company where my son worked as a sales rep. I reached in and gave her some. Through mime, I told her how to use them. She was genuinely thrilled and then showed it to a young man next to her. I felt a little better now. Anyway, this is just an example of some of the folks we met in the DR.

Off to Santa Domingo where the palace of Christopher Columbus’s oldest son,

Don Diego Colon, El Alcazar de Colon, is located. We took a bus to the Capitol and stayed at an old palace, now a grand hotel, “The Palace Nicholas Ovanda.” Santa Domingo is a grand city with a very rich heritage and beautiful old buildings. We visited so many awe inspiring sights: the oldest cathedral in the Western Hemisphere, Columbus’s Museum and even touched an anchor in a museum which was used by Columbus. The whole city is a living museum. To get around easily and learn more about this historical city, we hired an English speaking driver as our tour guide.

El Al Cazarde de Colon.

While in Santa Domingo, the four of us, Marge and Don on sailing vessel “HOBO,” and Herman and I on the GRENDEL, had a most memorable experience. One early evening, the four of us were walking alongside Alcazar de Colon. My husband, always the curious one, saw a crowd of people in formal attire on the deck outside the palace. We walked closer when a waiter heard us speaking English and ushered us upstairs to a reception. Drinks were being offered to very important guests on the balcony. Soon the speeches began. We knew that this was a very important event. We clapped quietly when the speeches were over. We soon learned the speakers were Jacinto Paynardo, the Vice President of the DR, the mayor of Santo Domingo, the DR Ambassador to the US and other VIP’s along with the crews of GRENDEL and HOBO. We were surprised that no one stopped us or checked to see what was in my ever present tote bag.

I must say that we really did enjoy our three week stay in the Dominican Republic. The country is poor, but you would never know it by their graciousness and friendliness to visitors to their country.

Frances is a Commodore of the Seven Seas Cruising Association and a member of Sailing Association of Marco Island and AP United States Power Squadron.

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As I mentioned in my last article Part I of the Dominican Republic, we arrive too early to enter the harbor as it was not yet daylight. We did do not like to enter an unknown harbor in the dark, especially if we are not sure that the entrance is lighted and buoyed. We slowed GRENDEL down and just milled about waiting for daylight to come. Even though I had no sleep (just cat naps), here

I was defrosting my freezers at 0500. Who said, “Sailors have more fun?

The DR coast was the most magnificent we had ever seen so far. It was just breathtaking! For many miles offshore we experienced another wondrous sensation.

Laundry Day.

The aroma from the flowers and grass wafted through the air and we could smell their scent. Along with this pleasurable sensation was another smell, which although was not pleasant, was welcomed as we knew land could not be far away. It was manure from the livestock.

Morning at last! We marveled at the sights we were now privileged to see as weentered between the two lush mountains. Several small rather poor fishing skiffs with two or three fishermen glided by as the occupants eagerly waved and welcomed us. “Hola. Buenos Dias.” There were navigational aids now which were a welcome sight. However, they may be off station from wind, surge, and lack of maintenance. As we continued slowly into the harbor, Herm suddenly got very excited. Off to our left, well hidden by rocks and vegetation, is a smaller harbor where Pinzon, who was the caption of either the NINA or PINTA, part of Columbus’s fleet hid his boat and was discovered by Columbus. Pinzon took the boat so that he could go off by himself and search for gold and treasures. What a feeling! Here we are “Herman and Fran” on our own little boat retracing the same paths that Columbus and his men took 500 years before. Our emotions ran the gamut from pride in our accomplishment to the wonderment of the history that took place here. It was awesome.

Dominican Republic’s arrival.

The entrance to Luperone Harbor is a sinuous path. As we rounded the last bend, we were thrilled to be in this landlocked, very protected harbor. We were not alone. Several other boats danced on their anchors. Other boaters waved and yelled greetings to us. Suddenly, we were no longer tired even though we had notslept in over 24 hours. The anchorage was a round basin surrounded by magnificent, imposing mountains. We anchored and called the Commandante on the radio on Ch. 16 to announce our arrival and ask for instructions for entry to the anchorage of another country. He replied and told us we needed to take our dinghy ashore to pick up the officials and bring them to our boat for check-in. That was easier said than done as our dinghy was deflated and packed on deck for our last open ocean passage. After having only “cat naps” for the last three days this was the last thing we needed to do. However, you do not mess with the Commandante, so Herm launched the dinghy and brought them aboard to inspect our vessel and sign us in.

Dominican Republic’s Easter Pig Roast.

Once they left, we both took a well needed shower, dressed modestly I may add, as the Dominican is a very poor country. Our adrenalin was now flowing. No need for sleep. It was time that we got to see all that was going on here in the D.R. From our cockpit, we could see several boats which we recognized. We launched the dinghy and set out to visit acquaintences on another boat from up island and find out more about this mysterious country. They filled us in on some necessary how’s and how not’s of life in the DR. I have pages and pages of notes about life in the Dominican Republic, but these sto­ries would take up too much space for this article. Perhaps I’ll save them for another time.

I do not think that any of us could ever be truly prepared for the visual and cultural explosion that was about to take place. First of all the water in the harbor was very dirty and brown in color. We had been used to blue-green clear water in all the harbors we had visited so far. Secondly, the dinghy dock was not a dock at all just a rusty metal ladder mounted vertically against a cement wall adjacent to a slime covered outcropping making it tricky to get out of the dinghy. Trying to get off the dinghy and balance myself at the same time, I splashed some harbor water on my face hitting my mouth. “Oh my gosh, I’m going to die! Since I did not die on the spot, we continued on the dirt road to town.

Dominican Republic’s typical building.

The main street was dirt with cement curbs. Small, brightly colored, thatched roof shacks lined each side of the road. People were all sitting or standing in front of their very poor and humble homes. Loud music blared from every direction; not the same tune by the way. Pathetic, scrawny dogs, were everywhere. Don­keys, pigs, cows, chickens even horses wandered the streets at will. As we passed each shack, the folks looked up at us, smiled and said some form of “hello.” I tried not to stare or react to the poverty that I was seeing. Laundry was hung on trees and barbed wire fencing used to keep live stock secure. In contrast to all this poverty and unsanitary conditions, we were amazed at the children, girls in particular. Their clothes were clean, freshly laundered and ironed, no less. This is a real town. It had not been spoiled by tourists. We felt safe and welcomed.

Frances is a Commodore of the Seven Seas Cruising Association and a member of Sailing Association of Marco Island and AP United States Power Squadron. 

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Azure waters on Grace Bay. Submitted photos

After spending a wonderful, rest­ful, pleasant, exciting time in George Town Exuma in the Baha­mas, the time came when we had to move on. We had to say farewell to some of our sailing friends and companions as we con­tinued southeast toward the islands of the Eastern Caribbean. For us at that time, the transition from the Bahamas to some of the islands of the Eastern Caribbean was rather remarkable. We spent Easter Sunday at a small albeit pleasant island, Rum Cay. Everywhere we stopped so far we were welcomed by the local people who wanted to meet us and invite us into their homes.

Continuing to the southeast we dropped down to Providencials (Provo) at Sapadillo Bay. This is the main town in the Turks and Caicos Island group. This area is so pristine with its beautiful beaches and all white architecture nestled against green blue waterside. We did find that this area was rather upscale and expensive. At that time it was, and still is, a haven for “the rich and famous.” I felt right at home.  After all, we didn’t just fly in for the week­end; it took us months to get here. Travel­ing at 6 mph on a sailboat is not for anyone who is in a hurry.

Everything was white including the sand. You can just imagine how beauti­ful the scenery was with bright blue skies, aqua water and all white buildings. The surrounding waters are rather shallow, so you have to time your entrances and exits according to the tides. Also, be mindful of the wind direction and velocity. While you are there, just bask in the beauty of the is­land, the calmness of the water and feeling of a gentle breeze on your face. There were many times on this voyage that I looked around and asked myself if we were really here. This was one of those times.

To get around the island, we rented a car for two reasons. First we wanted to see the island and at that time there were no fueling facilities available to us. We would have to jerry jug diesel fuel from a town service station to the boat. When we arrived, there was a group of boats that contracted a fuel truck to come to the gov­ernment dock. The government dock was very unstable from the surge making fuel­ing difficult, as well as jeopardizing our hull.

Provo, as it is called, is a very sophis­ticated and upscale town. We rented a car and drove all over from Grace Bay where the large resort hotels and casino are to visit the only Conch Farm in the world. As far as I know now, this farm is no lon­ger active. Banking is a very big business here. The Turks and Caicos are a com­monwealth of Great Britain and a tax free haven for foreign assets. Also, where there are banks there are lawyers. Every other building housed law firms. There was no town center. Everything was spread out. Compared to the islands that we had just visited, these were very grand and upscale islands.

After this grand respite, we had to sail on to our next port of call; the Dominican Republic on the island of Hispaniola. This leg of our journey would take us three days and two nights to get there.

Underway again, the next morning we were making our way across the coral studded, reef strewn banks to Six Hills which is just a rocky outcropping where we would spend the night. We pulled up close to the rocky outcroppings and anchored for the night. Of course, the wind and sea had to be quite calm to do this comfortably. We did this so that the next morning we could head toward Lurperon, Dominican Republic, and arrive in daylight. This area is strewn with coral heads which are really mean looking. With the right light you can safely navigate around them. The initial passage to the DR is rather tension filled as one of us had to be on watch until we reached deep water. Coral heads are everywhere and are dangerous to vessels traveling these waters.

Six Hills was the right choice for us to anchor and be ready for daybreak the next morning. This offered us a prevailing wind and a direct shot (24 hrs) the next morning to Luperon, Dominican Republic.

So far this has been perhaps a bit boring, but hopefully, about to change. Excitement was in the air this morning, May 26th, as we upped anchor and made our way across the rest of the Caicos Banks, clearing the Turks Passage into deeper water which would take us to the Dominican Republic. Turks Passage was a bit rough and choppy as all this deeper water had to “climb the shallower banks.” Once out into the ocean, the seas were long swells and very comfortable and predictable; i.e. up one side, down the other, etc. The wind was E-SE 12-16 K. Fortunately for us, the wind was more E of S and we had one of the best sails we’ve had in a very long time. We left the anchorage at 0800 Friday, May 26th and sailed all day and night. We arrived off the coast of the DR, Luperon, too early to go in, about 0500 hrs Saturday, May 27th. We slowed down the boat and just milled about waiting for daylight before entering the harbor. Even though I had almost no sleep, just catnaps, here I was defrosting my freezers at 0500. Who said, “Sailors have more fun?”

As we slowly made way, we began to smell the verdant aroma of flowers and grass as well as the very strong smell of cattle. It is really a strange sensation to be offshore in the dark and begin to smell the different aromas coming from the land.

As daybreak came, we began to make our entrance into Luperon Harbor, Dominican Republic. As we slowly motored in, I could not believe that we were now in the exact place that The Pinta from Columbus’ fleet had actually anchored and hid among the heavy foliage in 1492! Now we were there in the same spot. What a feeling of exhilaration!

To be continued…

Frances is a Commodore of the Seven Seas Cruising Association and a member of Sailing Association of Marco Island and AP United States Power Squadron.

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Our world has “shrunk” so much in the last century that we can get foods from all over the world. However, to me it is not the same as eating the local “fare du jour” in their own country. In many areas in the Caribbean, the cooking is still simple, using mostly local grown and produced ingredients. As we all can imagine many local dishes are developed from using the natural fruits, vegetables, grains and animals that are indigenous to the area. Also, explorers and settlers to the Bahamas and Caribbean Islands brought with them many fruits and vegetables. They, along with the natives already there, developed recipes using local vegetation as well as cultivating the strange fruits and veggies that the travelers brought. This subject of native fruits, veggies, fish, and meat alone is a fascinating subject to me.

The travelers who came to the islands, opened the door to the local natives when they shared their culture with the locals. Having traveled the whole chain of islands from Bahamas throughout the Leeward and Windward Islands as well as Trinidad and Venezuela, we learned a lot about island foods and preparations. As you might expect, each island had a different “slant” on how to make many of the same foods.

Conch is a main stay throughout the islands.  It was valued for its meat as well as its lovely pink shell. Years ago conch was abundant to all islanders. As the years went by  more and more tourists transited the areas and were introduced to this beautiful  and versatile Mollusk. Conch was harvested for both its beautiful shell as well as the meat. Basically, a conch is a large sea snail. Today, conch is still a mainstay and is on most island menus in the restaurants and markets. There are recipes for conch chowder, conch fritters, conch salad and more. Each is a delight in its own way. Once the meat was removed from the conch, the beautiful pink shells were cleaned and used to make all manner of things, trinkets and even arrows. The shell itself is a natural beauty appreciated by many shell collectors.

Perhaps many of you are familiar with the term, “The Conch Republic,” used in reference to the natives of Key West. That term was coined when many Bahamians began to migrate to the Keys in the 1800’s. Thus these immigrants became commonly known as “Conchs.” Perhaps the most popular uses of conch as a food are cracked conch, conch fritters and conch chowder. Christmas ornaments, jewelry, bowls, and more were then made out of the lovely pink shells. One of the conch’s lasting traditions is as a salute. It has become a tradition in many island areas including Florida Keys as well as Bahamas to blow the “conch horn” at sundown. What the locals do is  saw off the pointy tip of the conch, sand it down till the hole is smooth at the top and at sundown they blow into the hole of the conch to announce sunset. This tradition has spilled over to many boaters and visitors who still carry this tradition on board their vessels.

Many of you cruisers are very familiar with some of the dishes made with conch; others are only familiar with their beautiful shells. I would like to suggest some recipes using conch as its main ingredient such as: Conch Chowder, Cracked Conch, and Conch Salad.

Many local Floridians have their own favorite recipe for making conch dishes. I’ll try to present a basic recipe for making all of the three conch dishes mentioned above. Modify as you see fit.

CONCH CHOWDER:

• 3 or 4 large conchs cleaned and ground in a meat grinder.
• Large can of whole tomatoes diced.
• 2 green peppers chopped.
• 3 onions finely chopped.
• 3 minced garlic cloves.
• 2 potatoes peeled and chopped.
• 2 quarts of water.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Add a little hot sauce if you like it hot.

Sauté the onions, peppers, garlic, and tomatoes. Cook till veggies are soft. Add ground conch and potatoes and simmer. You may have to add a little water to thin it out. Simmer for about one hour or less. For more info check out Linda Stradley and her recipes “What’s Cooking America.”

CRACKED CONCH:

To make a quick and easy conch dish try cracked conch:

• 4 properly cleaned conch by washing the meat in lime and salted water and pound until meat is shredded.
• Beat two eggs, add salt and pepper and dip floured conch in mixture.
• Fry on both sides till golden brown.

In addition to the recipe you can “juice your fried conch up a notch by adding: ½ c. spiced rum, ½ c. orange juice, 1 tablespoon sugar, and tablespoons of unsalted butter. This coating is great for other seafood dishes that are pan fried.

CONCH SALAD:

One pound fresh conch or defrosted conch pounded and diced. Place in ceramic bowl with ½ c. of lime juice and 3 tbs. of coconut milk. Marinate for 30 minutes.  Drain conch. Transfer to a clean bowl with ¼ c. lime juice, 2 tbs. orange juice. Add one diced tomato with seeds removed. Add 2 chopped seeded chilies, i.e. jalapeno and ½ finely chopped seeded Scotch bonnet, (it is hot). Add ½ c. finely chopped red onion & 2 tbs. finely chopped cilantro. Stir well. Line a martini glass with a thinly sliced lettuce leaf and three thin slices of avocado standing upright around glass. Divide conch salad among the glasses and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil.  Garnish with lime wedges. Serve immediately. (Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse).

I would like to continue writing from time to time along the ethnic food lines featured in the islands.  It helps us all to have a more in depth idea of life in the islands. Bon Appetit!

Frances is a Commodore of the Seven Seas Cruising Association and a member of Sailing Association of Marco Island and AP United States Power Squadron.

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Boo Boo Hill. Our plaque with our name and date is hung on the post. Herman. Submitted

In my previous article I alluded to Warderick Wells, which is a land and sea park in the Bahamas and, for me, one of the most pristine waters with wild life species many people have never seen before challenging what we have seen in the Caribbean or South America. Most yachtsmen, who travel the “Thornless Path” as Bruce Van Sant calls it, and have sailed to and visited Warderick Wells, know about the pristine preserve throughout the Exuma chain. We have had the privilege of sailing this Land and Sea Park several time over the years and we have yet to find it to be unspectacular or boring.

Each time as we were approaching Warderick Wells, we picked up a hitchhiker or two of Bananas Quits. These are tiny yellow birds that live and flourish in the area. Sorry, I do not know more about their range, but I do know that they are friendly and insistent about hitching a ride. We have not run into them anywhere else except near Warderick Wells. As we are sailing along, suddenly they appear out of the sky and land on our boat. They seem to quiet down and take rest and sometimes venture inside the boat, for as long as you will have them.

Warderick Wells Grendel on a mooring ball.

When we arrived for the first time to this island group, we could not believe the natural beauty and water color of these islands. The water is “gin clear” and you can see fish swimming around your boat. The park is run by Bahamian Land and Sea Park. It is one of the most beautiful natural areas in not only the Bahamas, but the Caribbean as well.

While we were there, the boats anchored in the harbor planned a get together at the Ranger’s office. We each brought a dish to share and our own drinks. This happened often as we made our way south through the island chain, but none of the other island chains were as pristine as Warderick Wells. Do not miss it if you are traveling south.

Another attraction was that we were able to walk across the island to the Atlantic side and look at the world from another perspective. It was magical.

Because of the protection of the inner harbor, we were able to sit out a sudden storm. Warderick offers other unique features. It is a natural “classroom” for learning about the local flora and fauna, the clarity of the water makes it easy to see and identify the strange creatures that inhabit the waters.

When we were there last moorings were on a first come first served basis. If you cannot make this arrangement, there are moorings on the SE side of the park. There is no anchoring anywhere within the Park.

Exuma Cay and Land and Sea Park is an ecological park. Nothing can be taken from the premises. As you can imagine, there is no fishing, shelling or conching within the park. However, the Osprey, Raptors, Haliaetus, and Fishawks to name a few, are quite happy to provide the necessary ecological balance. There are nature trails that you can take through the island and look for birds, plants and solitude.

Another fun place to see is the “road sign” established there many years ago on the highest hill, called Boo-Boo Hill. It is a place where yachting visitors left a board, hat, or sign with their boat’s name as a reminder of their visit to the park. We had a thick cutting board on which we etched GRENDEL and the date. When we returned a few years later, it was still there.

Established in 1958, Exuma Land and Sea Park is the first of its kind in the world. The Park is an outstanding anchorage with its pristine water and breathtaking views. It is a natural habitat breeding ground for sea birds.

When we visited, the yachties would gather at the rangers’ station and exchange stories. We also had pot luck gatherings on Sunday. It is still the place to gather. We met many cruisers from all over the world. Nowadays, the ranger station is still a place to gather. It is also a place for gathering guide books and island information. It is filled with booklets, stories and information about the natural history of the flora and fauna native to the Bahamas.

The rarest living creatures in the Park are blue-green reef forming algae known as “stomatolites.” These reefs are the oldest living evidence of life on earth. Some of these fossil remains date back 3.5 billion years. In the 1980’s stomatolites were found in the Bahamas off Stocking Island and the Exuma Cay Land and Sea Park. They were estimated to be about 2,000 years old.

Come and spend some time in the Bahamas and see for yourself, all the beauty of land, sea, and sky and meet some of the nicest and most gracious people anywhere.

When you do have to sail to the next port remember: “Take only photographs, Leave only footprints.”

Frances is a Commodore of the Seven Seas Cruising Association and a member of Sailing Association of Marco Island and AP United States Power Squadron.

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