15. A passage to Cuba

Tomorrow, two friends and I sail a 42 foot Fontaine Pajot catamaran to Cienfuegos in Cuba. We start out from Rio Dulce, Guatemala and hope , weather permitting, to reach Cuba after 5 days and nights of sailing. The return trip will go via Cayman Islands and the Bay Islands in Honduras.

Unfortunately, the wind is coming from the northeast, which may force us to run along Belize to the tip of Yucatan, Mexico and then cross over to Cabo San Antonio. Cuba.



To give you an idea how mariners inform themselves about marine weather, here are the principal sites of the NOAA. They are updated every hour, so you will automatically get the actual weather.

1. Caribbean forecast:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAOFFNT3.shtml

2. Wind wave chart:
http://weather.noaa.gov/pub/fax/PWEE89.gif

3. Wave direction and period :
http://weather.noaa.gov/pub/fax/PJEI88.gif

4. Satellite image:
http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/east/carb/ir2-l.jpg

We will head for Cienfuegos, the second largest port in Cuba, nicknamed ¨The southern Pearl¨ and situated on a magnificent bay, erstwhile refuge for pirates and corsairs.

By next week we will be sipping Daiquiris in the famous Club Nautico on the waterfront in Cienfuegos, see picture.

And two weeks later we hope to be lounging on one of the beaches in the Bay Islands in Honduras.

Here a picture of me chilling out on the beach of Chachahuate in the Cochino Archipelago.

Now let´s not forget why we are here: THE TRANS AMERICA RIDE!!

The target of the ride is to raise $10.00 for each mile of the ride, which would make a total of around $35,000.00

I you decide to support this ride, you may:

1. Buy miles: Buy one or more miles at $10.00 per mile. There are 3,500 miles to be sold.
2. Sponsor a local event when I am in your area (a ride, a barbecue) for a $200.00 minimum.
3. Become a Student Sponsor at Ak´Tenamit for $30.00 (one month) or $360.00 per year
4. Become a Health Care Partner for $10.00 or $120.00 per year.

All funds should end up in the GUATEMALA TOMORROW FUND in the United States.

If you would like to sponsor a child, become a Health Care partner or simply want to buy one of the 3500 miles of the ride , just go to http://guatfund.org/

tick the box ¨Trans America ride¨and authorize a charge to your credit card.

For more information on ways to donate , see Chapter 5 of this Blog.