Image – Yacht Club racing – at times I thought we were the rounding mark!

27th April- PM MAG NET 13.42N 81.24W EAST WINDS 10K
On passage to Jamaica.
Spoke with Miss Molly – their gang were anchored at the south of the large Quito Suento Bank and we would pass them around midnight.
On the evening Pacific Mag Net I spoke with Alison on Sarini – they were now in Isabela Island and she passed our position on to Roger and Sasha – they are sailing well on the passage to the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia.

28th April – The wind had steadily come around to the ESE during the night - so by 6am we had cleared the shallow Quito Suento Bank and made good progress north. On this wind angle we could make the west coast Jamaica – so came around into the wind, tightened the sheets and started to steer a course for Montego Bay.
AM MAG NET 14.46N 81.19W ESE WIND 13-15K
PM MAG NET 15.14N 80.54W SOUTHEAST WINDS UNDER 10

29th April– still on passage to Jamaica.
AM MAG NET 16.14N 89.23W SE WIND 13K.

30th April - loving the now SSE winds to take us through to our waypoint off the west coast of the island. We turned to the east at my change of watch at 2am and we had to motor sail slowly the rest of the way along the eastern shoreline – approx 30 miles. We will need to slowup a bit to be sure we arrived in daylight.
AM MAG NET 17. 24N 79.19W ESE 10
PM MAG NET 17.54N 78.46W SSW 15

1st May - arrived in Montego Bay, Jamaica about 9am. 400 miles – at times a frustrating trip – but thankfully the winds were from the right direction –if light at times, and we had to motorsail a bit.

We made contact with ’Out of the Bag’ on the VHF and they gave us the heads-up on the check-in and Yacht Club anchoring/facilities charges. We went ashore about 10.30am to meet with Customs & Immigration – also here they send a Health Official. This is the first time in all our arrivals to so many islands and countries that this has ever happened. Thankfully there are no charges for Customs and Immigration or port taxes. Each group arrived separately and were very friendly... but slow – the whole process took a few hours – thankfully we were sat under a tree in the shade at the Yacht Club.

After we were officially in, I was requested to go to the Yacht Club office – they asked me to register and then I told them I was NOT paying the $12pp daily charge to be at anchor and use their dingy dock – this experience was not very cruiser friendly.
Whilst we were waiting between officials we chatted with Bill & Gene and 2 American guys who were also waiting to checkout – all very casual and relaxed. Thankfully the American gave me the Yacht Club internet code – so all good as we could connect from where we were anchored.

We went back to the boat for an afternoon nap and then back into the Bar for Happy Hour. It was interesting to see the type of members and visitors that attended in the evening, and we met a few interesting members. The Restaurant at the Yacht Club is a private (and very expensive)operation, so we didn’t stay for the $30pp buffet – home for a canned meatballs and spaghetti dinner before we both totally crashed out – a long, successful and enjoyable 1st day in Jamaica.

2nd April - we met up with Bill and Gene for a trip into Montego Bay town – a bit of touristing and food shopping in the fruit and veg market and supermarket. Unfortunately we were picked up by a friendly local guy and were led into his con – he showed us the way to the market etc and it cost us $10 each couple!!
The veg market had loads of good looking produce; we found a good bakery and a downtown supermarket – but food is generally expensive here. The route taxi at $5 per ride for all 4 or us back to the club was good value.

3rd April - After Sunday breakfast I spent the day getting stuff sorted on the internet from the cockpit whilst watching 4 J22 from the Yacht Club racing past us... a bit close at times! It was a hot and still day, until some far off thunderstorms brewed-up I the afternoon. James BBQ for dinner.

4th April – well, well, well –Prairie Fox, Rudy & Gagi came into MoBay Yacht Club today.... we know them from when we hung-out together 2 seasons in Trinidad – great to be able to catch up with them again.
They have come to meet-up here with the 2 americans Tony and Anne on the large cat here on a mooring – they will all go to Bocos del Toro together from here.
The 2 other Aussie yachts, Blue Dream & Tactical Directions as expecged arrived into MoBay yacht club today, and we all metup in the Yacht Club for Happy Hour drinks. We had never met any of these people – they are friends of Bill & Gene – but we had all talked on the Mag Net.

5th April - The other 3 yachts moved around to the Brouge Sound anchorage – we were more than happy to stay where we are – close enough but far enough away from the yacht club and its facilities and good internet. We enjoyed a good few hours in the morning catching up with Gagi & Rudy. In the late afternoon we walked over to Brouge Sound to the other 3 yachts and all enjoyed an excellent Mahi Mahi BBQ dinner on Tactical Directions. Tony was very proud of his catch and was happy to share it with us all. The evening discussion led to us planning an island adventure together.