Suliere's Blog

We head up the Mangrove lined canal into Duncan Town

Conch shells make a great contribution to any new construction.

Hurricane damaged buildings tell a tale

October 31 2012 Hurricane Sandy hit the island damaging many homes, flooded the school and lifted tons of salt from the salt ponds into the buildings.

Nothing is ever considered past repair in the islands.

The local store, stock depleted.

There arent many cars on the island making the number plates easy to remember!

Take a guess…….

Did you get it right? This is Conch meat hanging out to dry. Once the flesh is dehydrated it can last for ten years.

View from Duncan Town

The Salt Ponds being reestablished after hurricane Sandy washed tons of accumulated salt away.

Marcel talked to us about life on Ragged and clearly outlined his hopes and dreams.

Marcel takes us to school

We are welcomed by the teachers and students and allowed to wonder around before the afternoons lessons began.

The classrooms were cool and calm and interesting.

One paediatrician, one physiotherapist, seven pilots and two technicians. The hopes and dreams of the youngsters of Ragged island.

Doug comes over to dinner – our last and farewell supper in the Jumentos Islands.

A lovely evening reflecting on the ups and downs of our cruising lives.

We arrived at Ragged Island at around 12.30 after a leisurely start and motor cruise and settled in getting to know our anchorage.  Firstly launched Slurpy and attempted to make it to Duncans Town but Slurpy alas broke down.  Minor problem as it transpired that  Paul had closed the valve causing an air lock but at least we could sort that out and we hadn’t drifted to far.   Within seconds of thinking ourselves lucky, a large wave broke on our beam soaking us both. All efforts wasted,  we headed back to Suliere!  I hadn’t wanted to go until tomorrow anyways!

When cruising you are always balancing home life with how long to be away.  My (Lesley) daughter had been having problems since having Spinal surgery lst October but news reached me on this day that something cataclysmic had happened to her fusion and she was now bed bound and highly medicated.  We didn’t skip a heartbeat in deciding that it was time to return home and care for Laura.

And so it was that suddenly were at the end of our trip  when it had almost been the beginning of our new adventure.  Not to worry, Cuba will still be there next year and hopefully my daughter will be fixed up and recovering by then. Anything else is at this stage unthinkable.

A much needed shot of rum at bedtime!