Chapter 57

It's about 360 nm to Luperon on the north coast of the Dominican Republic steering a direct course to the north of the islands of Culebra and Puerto Rico with a current of up to a knot helping us along. So less than 2 days and no early start needed? That cut no ice with Tracy who had been listening to weather forecasts and being concerned had us cleared with customs and immigration and was ready to cast off at 09:00 on Boxing Day

"I've sorted watches of 4 hours on and 8 off as follows Tracy explained: Venus, Sheila and Mike take 8 to 12, 12 to 4 and 4 to 8 respectively; Daniel, Sam and Jacob do 10 to 2, 2 to 6 and 6 to 10 respectively. That leaves Bruce and I doing 6 hours on and 6 off with me taking 8 to 2 and Bruce 2 to 8. This leg may be hard work as first there will be a lot of shipping to watch out for and second there is a weather front moving down from the american east coast. It isn't a storm but if it reaches us it will give us headwinds and very steep waves stopping us in our tracks so I want to get as far as we can as fast as we can before it gets here."

I don't think Tracy was trying to scare us but the mood was very different to when we left St Maarten and this time with light winds the engines remained on giving us 10 knots through the water so by evening when I began my next watch we were already leaving Puerto Rico and heading across the northern side of the Mona Passage with ships changing course around our position to confuse me. The breeze had remained from the northeast but slowly died to nothing so I furled the headsail to stop it flapping about as we ploughed on into the moonless night. At midnight sharing a hot drink with Sheila who was just coming on watch Tracy commented that the stars had disappeared from the northern sky. Two hours later I woke from a light doze as Bruce took over from Tracy so I put my head on deck to see what was happening.

The breeze was back but this time from the south and Tracy changed course slightly to port. "We're heading for Puerto Santa Barbara," Tracy instructed Bruce. "The course is 286° magnetic and I want to make the best speed we can because although it's from the south now I think by dawn the wind will have veered to the west and be right on the nose. Wake me if you can't hold to the course."

At 07:00 I woke again just as Bruce woke Tracy with the news that he had reduced sail as the wind rose toward 20 knots but he couldn't hold the course any more. I watched as she marked our position on the chart and commented "We've done well and there's only 30 miles to go. Keep hard on the wind until we are heading 340° magnetic then we'll furl the jib and motor direct the last few miles.

There was too much noise for anyone to sleep by now as a true wind of 20 knots gave an apparent wind of 30 knots on deck and short, steep waves started to slam into the underside of the bridge deck between the catamaran's hulls. When I came back on watch at 08:00 I had on my foul weather gear and peeked round the edge of the cabin at the grey wind streaked sea - it looked a lot like the Bristol Channel back home!

We only got one more hour's sailing in but by that time we were in the lee of the large spit of land that sticks out halfway along the northeast coast of the Dominican Republic. Ahead of us I could see beyond the island's lee a freighter on what was to have been our course to Luperon - it had a lot of white water at its bows! Our head sail was furled making our speed drop dramatically as we changed course to the southwest but we were going to get in to a safe harbour.

As we relaxed eating lunch at anchor in the port near Samana (Santa Bárbara de Samaná) it was all so civilised. There had been a slight problem in that for the last few miles we could barely make headway with out twin 130 hp engines against the 30 knot wind but that was in the past. This was a proper port of entry so as soon as Tracy had done the paperwork we could go and explore and what we had seen in the guide book of the town looked interesting.

"Careful!" warned Michael. "This is a beautiful country but the tourist areas are separated from the rest because crime is high. Don't make yourself a target. Boys, don't get into any fights!"

Always practicality has to be put first even in paradise but shore-time in a new country was too inviting to be put off for long even if it was a wet dinghy ride away with the spray from the wind. I'd bought pesos, the local currency, in Cardiff before leaving home so soon after Tracy cleared the paperwork I found a place to make a phonecall to Litara and, at Tracy's suggestion I told her we hoped to be in Luperon on Friday morning - which was the same day my family were flying into nearby Gregorio Luperón airport. After considering timing we agreed that I'd find my own way the 10 miles to their hotel on Saturday if they didn't find me on Friday.

Leaving the phone centre I made my way slowly to the café near the dinghy where we were all meeting in an hour. A padlock had stopped the dinghy being stolen but not from being used as a dive platform by the local children. I didn't stop them as they were doing no harm however they must have sensed they were being watched and rather than leave decided to join me at my café table to be joined by their older brothers and sisters. I was getting nervous until two of the boys started strumming guitars and I understood that they were just kids passing the time as best as they could like anywhere else in the world. I ended up with one of the guitars trying with the other guitarist to play 'Duelling Banjoes' which at least amused the younger children. That's when I heard,

"Hola, Venus!"

I'm not good with names but when the last time you met someone you were running on pure adrenalin in front of a TV camera in Bilbao it helps you to remember… "Aarón?"