December 11, 2007
Check out the current December issue of Blue Water Sailing. Kristen's debut in the magazine world is on newstands now! Her article: "Leaving Chicken Harbor" is about our trip from George Town, Bahamas to Luperon, Dominican Republic. More articles are on their way so we'll keep you posted.
December 11, 2007
The anchorage at Salinas, Puerto Rico
Before leaving Luperon, Kristen went up the mast to check the rig over from top to bottom. We usually do this before any big passage, and normally Kristen gets to the deck, smiles and says “everything is fine.” Not this time. As Kristen was hanging at the spreaders, she shouted down to Hans: “hey, can you hand me a magnifying glass?” She found some small cracks around the spreader bases. We emailed the photos to a rigger in Annapolis who emailed back and said we could sail, lightly, but needed to get the mast checked out. We motorsailed to our current location, Salinas, on the south coast of Puerto Rico and, with the help of Jill on 53’ Phoenix III, we dropped the mast and called a rigger from Fajardo to pick it up.
Rafted up with Phoenix III to take the mast down.
Whisper without a mast...motoring to the marina to drop the mast and roller-furling off.
The night before the rigger was due to arrive, we met our new best friend, Fred. Fred is a mechanical engineer, Lloyd-certified marine surveyor and currently works as a non-destructive metals technician for gas and oil turbines. He took a look at the cracks and convinced us we could solve the problem ourselves. The next morning, he picked the mast up at the marina, we drove it to his house and we started work. 
Transporting the mast on Fred's van. 
You can see a couple of the small cracks visible in the red dye.
Our work was supervised by the puppies. Fred's wife, Mary, rescues stray dogs and currently had about 10 puppies nipping at our ankles.
We started by testing the cracks and any other suspicious areas with red dye. The cracks showed up…we sanded them and filed them, re-tested them, and they did not appear. It turns out the cracks were just superficial. Wow! We spent a couple happy days doing some regular mast maintenance, under the close supervision of Fred, and last night we rafted back up with Phoenix III and re-stepped the mast. Hurrah! This last week has been pretty stressful…we originally thought we would need to spend anywhere from $500 to $3000 on mast work, or on a new mast, but with the generous help of Fred, we got away with spending $33.
Stepping the mast
This morning we woke up after a night of rain to even more rain. Tropical Storm Olga is currently north of Puerto Rico and we are receiving a lot of rain, rain and more rain. The winds are not too strong in the harbor but we might be in Salinas for at least a few more days while the seas subside.
The southern band of showers associated with Tropical Storm Olga pass through the anchorage this morning.
December 5, 2007
We’re now in the hurricane hole of Puerto Rico, Salinas. We arrived here yesterday evening via Ponce and Isla Caja de Muertos.
We spent 3 nights in Ponce, anchored right next to the waterfront boardwalk, La Guancha. A tourist investment established about 10 years ago, La Guancha is a row of restaurants and bars, each equipped with its own loud sound system. The music started around lunchtime and stayed on until well after midnight. We joined the party on Saturday night but by Sunday afternoon we were ready for some peace and quiet. On Saturday we walked around downtown Ponce, visited the old firehouse and the Massacre Museum. In 1931 a group of Puertorriquenos vying for independence staged a rally in Ponce. The rally was met by the police force of Ponce and 19 people were killed. The Massacre Museum outlines the history of independence movements in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the US, and, similar to Washington, DC, receives economic benefits from the US but has no voting rights in the government. Citizens of PR are split 50/50 on the issue.
After touring the downtown, we spent a couple hours at the art museum which has a large collection of Italian religious works, a gallery of Dutch paintings and a gallery of romantic English paintings. Disappointingly, there is only one small hallway with Puerto Rican art. With History and Culture out of the way, we walked to the mall! Time to surround ourselves with mass-consumerism, and what better time than the first weekend of Advent?! Full-scale Christmas shopping was in progress along with a dance recital, sit on Santa’s lap, and a teeny-bopper fashion show. We topped the day off with a movie and popcorn.
The old firehouse in Ponce.
The central plaza in Ponce.
Ponce gets in the Christmas spirit with Rockettes and the parade of lights on the water.
On Monday morning, we weighed anchors and motored the short 7 miles to Isla Caja de Muertos, a State Park with a crumbling lighthouse, crystal clear water and great snorkeling. Merengue pulled into the anchorage a few hours after us and we caught up on our travels over some sundowners. We were both exhausted after scrubbing the bottom of Whisper, snorkeling and attempting to kite-surf (not enough wind), so we were in bed at Cruiser’s Bedtime, 9PM!
Yesterday, we planned to hike up to the lighthouse with Jim and Wendy, but it turned into a run since we were being chased by Isla Caja de Muertos airborne cavalry division . . . mosquitos! The view from the lighthouse was impressive though and worth the bugbites. We snorkeled around the gorgeous coral reefs on the northeastern side of the island and saw a large variety of coral and fish. 
The view from the lighthouse at Isla Caja de Muertos.
Whisper and Merengue at anchor at Muertos.
Caja de Muertos
The wind seemed calm enough around noon, so we weighed anchor at 1PM and motored to Salinas. Of course, the tradewinds picked up by 2PM and since we didn’t want to raise the main for fear of breaking the mast (there are small, hairline cracks we need to get fixed…), it was a rolly, bouncy ride. It was worth it…we caught two fish, a yellow-tail snapper and a tuna! We met up with friends Yvonne and Carmelle on Taima and Jill on Phoenix III, both from Montreal, and we had a fabulous meal of fish soup, sushi, shrimp and salad. 
Fish #1: yellow-tail snapper.
Kit Kat meets fish #2: tuna
November 30, 2007
It really feels like we’re cruising again! Over the past week, we’ve spent time along the south coast of Puerto Rico; learning how to kite-surf, going fishing & snorkeling and long walks on the beach. Life is good on Whisper!
Houses that are built on the waterfront in Parguera.
The view of Parguera harbor. You can see Whisper: the boat in between the two islands to the left.
We left Cabo Rojo on Saturday morning and motorsailed about 10 miles to the waterside town of La Parguera. Puertoriqueños come here by the boatload on weekends to hang out in the crystal clear water and enjoy the party atmosphere at night. We stayed for 5 days doing the same! We also went snorkeling, fishing (unsuccessfully) and took a full day of kite-surfing lessons. We now know the basics of kite-surfing and are ready to use our own kite which we bought in Cabarete, DR, hopefully with less chance of mortal injury. Thanks to our sponsor, Hans Ericsson Photography, for making our kite-surfing dreams a reality. We hope you like your "Whisper Kite-surfing Expeditions" mug and tote bag. Please remember that your contribution is tax-deductible. Contact your local H&R Block for more details.
Kristen learning how to kite-surf with the help of Luijo.
Hans' turn at learning how to fly the kite. We started the lessons by both flying the kite while standing in shallow water. By the end of the day we both could control the kite and drag our bodies through the water upwind and downwind. Hans even got up on the board twice! Luijo, our instructor, was very impressed with our aptitude. We were just happy not to get hurt...too badly. Hans got a bad scrape on his leg from some coral.
The winds are not good for kite-surfing, but they’re great for traveling east, so we left Parguera and sailed to a spot called “Gilligan’s Island.” It reminded us of Shroud Cay in the Exumas, Bahamas: crystal clear water, white sand, shallow mangrove creeks and palm-tree lined beaches. We met a German named Gerd who lives there and we played Boule on the beach with him last night. On the way to Gilligan’s Island, we caught a little mackerel, our first successful fishing trip on Whisper! We fried it up and had a nice fish and mashed potato dinner. Thanks fishy-fishy!
Hans catches our first fish. Yes, it was small, but the perfect amount for two and very tasty. We think it was a mackerel.
Kit Kat examines the catch. Yes she got a piece.
The beach at "Gilligan's Island."
Hans, dinghy captain, motoring down the mangrove creek to the beach.
Sunset along the beach.
After some basic engine maintenance this morning, we weighed anchor around 9.30 and set sail for Ponce, 20 nautical miles east on the south coast of PR. We arrived around 1.00PM and finally got two anchors set in 30 feet of water nestled among moored boats around 1.30. Yes, cold Medallas were on order! Tomorrow we hope to catch a ride into town to see the art museum, historic district and maybe even catch a movie! We’re pushing to get to Fajardo in a week or so to have work done on the mast. Before leaving Luperon, we found some tiny cracks near the spreaders. They look benign but could mean a demasting. That could ruin a nice day! We’ve been in contact with a rigger so we just need to get there and he should have the job done in no time. Right…?
November 26, 2007
Don't be alarmed. Contrary to her yowls heard across harbors from here to Maryland, Kit Kat received both a Thanksgiving dinner and a reward for crossing the Mona Passage. A whole can of wet cat food at once. Yummy.
November 26, 2007
On Friday morning, fighting off the dolor de la cabeza (headache…), we picked up Sonia and Nono in Boqueron and they joined us for our sail to Cabo Rojo, the southwestern tip of Puerto Rico. We’re really on our way now, towards the Caribbean and this season’s sailing adventures.
There wasn’t much wind, but we were able to sail for a couple hours, although only at 2.5 to 3 knots, not exactly a record-breaking performance! We anchored at Cabo Rojo, a cape with steep, red cliffs and a well-maintained lighthouse from the Spanish years. The lighthouse is part of the Department of Natural Resources and has trails that lead to the lighthouse and a beautiful beach, Playa Salinas. We hiked and swam and had a picnic lunch on the beach. Late in the afternoon, we met Valerie (Nono and Sonia’s daughter), at a restaurant. We said sad goodbyes as the sun set, but we hope to see Valerie, Leo, Gabriel and El Gordo in San Juan in a few weeks.
Nono and Sonia sailing on Whisper.
Cabo Rojo, the southwestern tip of Puerto Rico.
Playa Salinas with the lighthouse in the background.
Sunset over Cabo Rojo.
November 22, 2007
On Tuesday morning, Sonia and Nono, a couple we met at the karaoke bar on Sunday night picked us up in their car for a tour of the west coast of Puerto Rico. We didn’t know what to expect, since we had only met them for an hour, but we all got along great and had wonderful time. We started in Boqueron, in the southwest corner of PR, and by the end of the day, we had traveled up the entire west coast stopping off at small beach towns and scenic vistas. It was great to be able to see this part of the country since we’ll be traveling the opposite way and would have missed it.
Nono, Hans, Sonia and Kristen overlooking the Mona Passage. 
The Rincon lighthouse, on the west coast of PR.
Playa Rincon, a world famous surfing beach. It is even mentioned in the Beach Boys epic "Surfin' Safari"
The church in Hormigueros. The only church built on the top of a hill in Puerto Rico (all others are built on the town squares). It was built by a local farmer who was saved by the Virgin Mary from being gored by a bull. Nono explained to us that people who have prayed for help with physical ailments and who have been cured come to this church and walk up the 78 steps on their knees to show their gratitude to the Virgin Mary.
The 500 year old church in San German
A street in San German at night.
A view of the old square in San German.
Sonia kindly invited us to their house for Thanksgiving dinner. On Thursday, Nono picked us up at 11am Puerto Rican time (add 1 hour). But we didn’t push the panic button, knowing that he would be there at some point. Thanksgiving dinner was a relaxed affair. About 20 family members came over and we did the usual: pre-dinner drinks and conversation, each person around the table gave thanks, eating way too much really good food…turkey, rice with beans, mashed potato salad, avocado, stuffing, gravy, cheesecake and pumpkin pie. Yum. After the meal we all relaxed on the patio with coffee and eventually more Medallas (Puerto Rican beer). By the end of the night we traveled in two cars to bring us back to Boqueron. The men went in Leo’s pick up truck and the women traveled in the jeep. We stopped along the way at San German, the oldest town on the west coast of Puerto Rico. It is well-preserved and you can easily see the Spanish history. Back in Boqueron, Hans took El Gordo and Gabriel out to Whisper for a tour and we drank just a few more Medallas to end the night.
Thanksgiving dinner at Nono and Sonia's house. Thanks! It was great!
Everyone lined up in front of Nono and Sonia's house in Hormigueros.
The "West Side Locos"
It is so lucky that we met Sonia and Nono. Not only did they give us an amazing tour of their part of Puerto Rico, but they made us feel very welcome in their family and we had a great time together.
November 19, 2007
Having arrived in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, on a Saturday we were unable to clear customs and immigration until Monday. So we had two days to explore the industrial town of Mayaguez and meet some of its residents.
Mayaguez is definitely not a tourist destination. There are no palm tree lined beaches, fancy hotels, or gourmet restaurants. Nonetheless, it is one of our favorite places so far on our trip. To say that the people are friendly would be a gross understatement: the fruit vendor who insisted that we sample (for free) all of her fruits; the friendly hellos as we walked down the street; one guy (Andy) who keyed us in on all the local foods in the neighborhood bar; another guy (Angel) who teemed up with Hans in a rocking karaoke rendition of “Come on Feel the Noice”; the surfer dude who wanted to teach us surfing on the beach the next day after a five minute conversation; and, finally, the couple who are meeting us tomorrow in Boqueron in their car to give us a guided tour of the west coast of Puerto Rico just so that they can show us their island. Not to mention the super friendly, helpful and efficient customs officers who checked us all in on Monday morning. So far, we both agree, Puerto Rico has vastly exceeded our expectations. We may have to stay here for a little bit longer than we thought! Especially since rumor has it that the Virgin Islands are expensive and crowded.
Comparing the Dominican courtesy flag (with 5 months of use) to our new Puerto Rican courtesy flag.
Hans looks for some shade under the mainsail while motorsailing south to Bouqeron.
Kristen acts as a preventer as Whisper SAILS (!!!) downwind for a few hours.
November 18, 2007
Ha! You didn’t think we’d ever leave Luperon did you? Well, guess what? This is the crew of Whisper saying ¡Hola! from Mayaguez, Puerto Rico! We arrived at 14.44 on Saturday, November 17, after motor-sailing like mad for 49 hours and 58 minutes non-stop.
Our last view of Luperon harbor.
We left Luperon in the company of six other boats: Merengue, High States, Songbird, Bellagio, Prime Time and Axiom. Except for Merengue, all the other boats were above 40 feet, but we all arrived within two hours of each other. Way to go Merengue and Whisper!
Sunset over Puerto Plata on Thursday night.
We had a tight window to motor-sail the 250 nautical miles, and for a while we thought that we might have to stop halfway in Samana and wait for another window to finish the trip. Luckily, after the first night, Bellagio talked to Chris Parker (the Caribbean weather guru) over their SSB radio and we got a thumbs up to continue eastward. Axiom and Prime Time stopped in Samana, but we met Moon Dancer and Espiritu Libre just north of the Samana Peninsula and they joined our armada to cross the Mona. 
Part of our armada. Left to right: Moon Dancer, Espiritu Libre, High States
Weather wise, a strong cold front had stalled in the Windward Passage (between Cuba and Hispaniola) and killed the easterly trade winds for about 55 hours. When traveling east from Luperon to Puerto Rico, the strategy is to wait for light easterly winds and motor at night when effects from the land cooling faster than the surrounding ocean kill the winds completely. This effect is known as the “night lee.” It is impossible to travel east during the daytime hours under normal tradewind conditions, which are: easterly winds 15-20 knots, with 3-5 foot waves. The stalled cold front, however, allowed us to travel during the daytime, motoring into gentle swells with almost no wind. Good deal!
Kristen and Kit Kat sleeping down below on Friday night. This is where Kit Kat spent the entire trip more or less.
This was by far the longest trip we’ve made on Whisper. Also, we left with some trepidation, since the Mona Passage, the body of water between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, has a nasty reputation for severe thunderstorms, strong currents and confused seas.
After leaving Luperon on Thursday afternoon, we stayed about two miles offshore until passing the Samana peninsula Friday morning where we left the coast and set a straight course for the middle of the Mona Passage. This first third of the trip was uneventful and punctuated with bad jokes over the VHF between the boats traveling together. The night was very clear with no moon and we took turns star gazing on our watches. Once offshore we realized just how far we still had to go and groaned repeatedly. Kit Kat just rolled over on her bunk and went back to sleep. Boris, our trusty 13.5 Beta diesel engine, just kept chugging along.
Sunrise on Friday morning, off Samana.
Kristen taking it easy off of Samana on Friday.
Hans relaxing off of Samana on Friday afternoon.
This little guy landed on Whisper thirteen miles from land after we went through a rainstorm on Friday. He stayed for perhaps half an hour, then took off again. Kit Kat kept her paws off.
All day Friday we saw clouds building and thickening to the east, and while there still was no wind, the threat of thunderstorms made us a little bit antsy. By nightfall, the sky had closed in, and we couldn’t see the moon or any stars. It soon started raining and radar-equipped High States reported rain clouds six miles deep. (Hmmm…. radar seems awfully handy… a good safety feature on a boat… wonder if anyone needs an idea for their Christmas shopping list?) Thankfully, they were just rain clouds with little wind and no lightning. In the middle of the night, we passed through another particularly large squall and got bounced around quite a bit. Kristen had been feeling a bit nauseous already, and the pitching of the boat in the darkness gave her the opportunity to make a sacrifice to mother ocean in the form of her fried potato, onion and cheese dinner. Sucks to be Kristen!
High States passes close to a squall on Friday afternoon.
With Kristen out for the count, it was up to Hans to steer the boat for the rest of the night. What a hero! What a captain! True salt of the sea! Kit Kat as usual refused to help and instead demanded food--also as usual. To be fair, Kit Kat has proven herself to be a true ship’s cat. No complaining from her, and she didn’t throw up like Kristen.
The night continued to be rainy and bumpy, but it finally cleared around 04.30. Kristen stood watch for a couple hours and when the sun rose we had a clear view of Isla Desecheo and the Puerto Rican mainland. Land ho! We had the anchor down in Mayaguez harbor at 14.44 and the cold Presidentes cracked open at 14.46.
Sunrise on Saturday morning, you can just see Isla Desecheo (Puerto Rico) off our bow.
This passage was both the longest and most successful trip we have made on Whisper. We never expected to make it to Puerto Rico in such good time and we were a little nervous about crossing the Mona Passage after reading so many horror stories from other sailors. Also, we were proud that we interpreted the weather correctly and made the decision to keep sailing to Puerto Rico instead of stopping at Samana. The past few times we have sailed at night it has been with nervous anxiety, but we both felt comfortable and at ease at night on this trip. Why was this long passage so much better than all the others? Good weather? Sailing with other boats? No engine problems? No complaints from the feline crew member? Nah. Cold cheese, juice, soda and the celebratory cold beer on arrival made all the difference. Long live the fridge!
Landfall in Puerto Rico!
Two exhausted sailors enjoying some cold Presidente beers.
We’ll now make some short hops along the south coast of Puerto Rico in the mornings to avoid the strong easterly tradewinds during the day. We’ll be sailing again soon, but it feels wonderful to be out of Luperon harbor and back on the move with the Mona Passage behind us. Our spirits have lifted dramatically!
