Our trip over to the Spanish Virgin Islands was mostly a motor sail and we were again fighting the trade winds, although our choice of weather window seemed OK and it had lightened up a bit. Out past the end of Puerto Rico mainland, leaving the reefs of Icacos to starboard, and on to the west side of Culebra. We were accompanied on the journey by lots of big brown boobies (it’s a local bird but be careful how you Google this). We were going to stop on one of the beaches on the west coast for the night but as the forecast was for stronger winds the next day we decided to continue round to the protection of Honda Ensenada to drop anchor. As it turned out the winds did pick up quite a bit and we were glad we made that move.

We spent a day at anchor staying on the boat as the wind blew. Honda Ensenada is a very protected lagoon so attracts quite a few boats. Now that the Bahamas are far behind, we are starting to see more ‘foreign’ boats. Up till now it has been 99% American and Canadian, but we are staring to see more European boats. It should not be long before we meet some of the ARC 2018 entries passing north through the islands. We were here almost exactly a year ago doing just that.

Yesterday the winds dropped and we had lunch ashore, a trip to the beach for a swim and then drinks with friends in the evening in the town. We have been travelling in parallel with American/NZ catamaran Ma Petite since Turks and Caicos. It is good to have someone to compare notes with on the Thorny Path.

Today the winds are forecast to drop again and we are heading for the US Virgin Islands, which will be new ground for us.

Today’s photo – Hector the Protector – a cool wooden statue at the entrance to the cut though to Honda Ensenada.

BTW – only 127 nautical miles to go to St Maarten as the brown booby flies.