Left Luperon in company of 5 other sailboats bound for Boqueron, PR. We left about 6:30pm and sailed the Atlantic coasting the DR to take advantage of the Katabelic winds blowing of the mountains and out to sea. Depth perception is terrible at night sailing near the mountains off to your lee. You think you are near shore but looking at your chart plotter you are well off. One thing about these impoverished islands is that they all have cell service.

We got down to the Eastern tip of DR and decided to go ahead and do the dreaded Mona Passage to PR since we had a weather window. It turned out to be your typical sail (motorsail) with winds mostly 30 degrees off the bow thru large swells. We all got seperated after the first 24Hrs.

My autopilot started slipping and finally quit so had to do the last 30 hrs behind the wheel. Thats when you really wish you had some help. Try reefin g the main in 23k winds at night in rolling seas. Not fun even tethered in. The topping lift also decided to come undone and the boom finished off my bimini. Shredded canvas and isenglass completely obscured me forward vision but couldn't leave the wheel to get it out of the way. And wpuldn't you know it a nice fish was on but couldn't do anything about it. Needless to say he got off.

After about 20hrs I found myself falling asleep behind the wheeln and would jump awake to find myself way off course. For many hours it was just plain grueling. Coming into PR there is a large rock right near a waypoint. It looked ever so close, but alas the chart plotter doesnt lie. I dare not fall asleep now.

Coming into Boqueron harbor Wayne and Pat's boat's engine died so I grabbed a line from them and pulled them into the anchorage. It turned out that everyone who bought fuel in Luperon got a lot more than diesel. Luckily I didn't. Couldn't hail any of the other boats. Found out later that Celtic Rover had to jury rig a rub golberg fuel strainer. Celtic Rover and Highland came in a couple days later having to divert to Mayaquez.

Anyway got Kolebrie safely in then dropped the hook and fell asleep.

This is a college weekend hot spot with music blaring into the wee hours. Called Customs and was told I had to have a $27.50 decal to clear in. Customs was a good 30 mile trip away so I went online and paid for it only to find out I still had to go back to Mayaquez to pay another $27.50 fine for entering without the decal. Clearing into PR was suspossed to be easy...NOT!

Waiting here for a front to clear thru then will start working our way to Gilligan's Island and then Ponce. They have a Sam's club there so it will be time to provision.

Great news! My first cousin, Chris Neal, is flying down to meet me Saturday to cruise with me. I'm really looking forward to his company. He is also bringing a new belt for Mr. auto. It will be great to have his help and to also have a diving partner.