Havana to Cienfuegos – Not Our Favourite Trip Ever

We have arrived in Cienfuegos after a long trip from Havana, around the western tip of Cuba. We made two stops along the way – one at Cabo San Antonio, the cape at the westernmost point of the island. The second stop we made at Maria la Gorda, just around the corner on the south coast.

We reached Cienfuegos tired and disappointed about the trip – the original plan had been to sail non-stop, but wind on the nose, with pounding waves, near Cabo San Antonio made us alter the plan and look for shelter. We had read in our Cuba sailing guide that there was a small marina just inside the cape. So we decided to go in and take a break, check the weather forecast, sleep, and continue the trip in more favourable conditions.

Arriving at Los Morros

By the time we arrived at the dock of Los Morros, most of us were seasick and tired. Max and I had been on high alert for a couple of hours now, with the waves and the shallow waters near the cape demanding all of our attention. We had both been spooked by what looked like a rock sticking straight up out of water, in an area where our chart plotter did not show any obstacles. A chart plotter is a bit like Google Maps for boats. Our brand of chart plotter (Garmin) is known to not have the most up-to-date info on Cuban waters, so we knew that we have to be cautious and not rely solely on the little computer screen in the cockpit. We have a backup plotter app (Navionics) on Max´s phone, which we use as a supplement while in Cuba because it is supposed to have newer data for these waters: But still… the fact remains that Cuban waters are not as well mapped as other areas. In hindsight, what we saw was probably a piece of driftwood. I guess the mind plays tricks on you when you´re tired and frazzled…

At a Dead End

Los Morros, the “marina” that we were eager to take shelter in, consisted of just a tiny concrete dock. There were two young guys waiting for us as we came along. They helped us with our lines and immediately informed us that nothing here worked: there was no diesel in the pumps, no water in the tanks. Shore power did not work, neither did internet… Oh, and they were not sure whether we would be allowed to set foot on land. They had to check first with El Capitán, who was hours away. So we had to remain on the boat. Oops.

We spent some time hanging around the boat, recovering from our seasickness. The guys returned: we were allowed to get off the boat and El Capitán would come to us to check our paperwork. He did not have a car so he would have to hitch a ride with someone. They had no idea how long that would take.

Feeding the Mosquitoes

We stepped ashore to stretch our legs. There were a few nice looking buildings that used to house the marina facilities – a small restaurant building, bathrooms, an office. Everything was closed and most of the furniture gone. The guys who had assisted us were hanging around, dozing in the shade. We asked them where we we could go for a walk. They pointed down the road and laughed: “There is only one road. Don´t forget your mosquito spray.”

So we headed back to the boat and doused ourselves in Off spray before setting off again. Down the only road. Leading from this dead-end cape into a tangle of mangroves and swamps. After being sufficiently stung by the hungry (and loud) mosquitoes, we had enough and turned back. We tried to get online with our WiFi cards, purchased in Havana. No luck. We asked our new friends whether they could check the wind forecast for us on their phones. They did not have reception either. They said that they had heard that a cold front was coming and that this dock would be a terrible place to be… Oh man!

So we slumped back to the boat. We regretted coming here. If only we had pushed on past the cape! Sometimes boat life really sucks. We gave the kids a movie to watch and went down for a nap. We made dinner. Just as we started to tuck in, El Capitán arrived. He was friendly, and apologized for keeping us waiting. He read over our paperwork and said we were good to stay, or go. He confirmed the cold front forecast and said that it would be a good idea to leave first thing in the morning. Once we rounded the cape, we would be in safer waters. We really did not want to stay here anyway, so yes we would leave first thing in the morning.

On the Move Again

After a restless night, we set off the next day, rounded the cape and arrived in Maria la Gorda without a hitch, late afternoon. There was a small resort on the beach, with internet access! We enjoyed a cold beer, did some updates online and checked the weather forecast while the kids played on the beach. It was a pleasant little place. I really wanted to spend the night and have a good night´s sleep and a proper rest, but after checking the weather forecast and talking to the staff at the resort, we decided to leave again at sunset to stay ahead of this predicted cold front. We would sail through the night to either Cayo Largo or Cienfuegos.

We had a pleasant passage that night and the next day. There was no wind so we motored over a calm, glassy sea. We neared the reef- lined islands of Cayo Largo at around midnight on day two. We really wanted to stop here, but decided against navigating the reefs in the dark, and without a reliable map. So we pushed on and entered the channel of Cienfuegos early this morning. We are now anchored just outside the marina, in a very sheltered bay. Things are looking up again.

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