PORT ANTONIO, JAMAICA

January 2, 2012


We've been tacking, tacking and some more tacking.  I'm making 8 mile tacks but the wind is starting to die out but the seas remain in the 8-10' category so I decide to motor sail for awhile.  We have 118 nm to go to Port Antonio and I want to make a daylight entrance.  It's still January 1st.  Ten hrs of motoring and the wind comes back up so it's back to tacking.  On January 2, I make one long 15 mile tack to the West and this sets us up for the Port Antonio Entrance about 30 nm miles away.

At 1430 hrs we enter the beautiful harbor of Port Antonio.  This entrance is spectacular with waves crashing on the reefs, palm trees and just plain simple tropical beauty.  The entrance is wide, easy and well marked.  The "piece de resistance" is the Earl Flynn Marina.  This almost idyllic setting is stunning beautiful.  This was the stomping grounds of the swashbuckler Earl Flynn in the 40's & 50's.  He once said, "Port Antonio is more beautiful that any woman I have ever seen".  He must have been getting senile at that time for there is nothing more tantalizing that a beautiful woman.  Still the Marina is the most beautiful we have ever seen.

Port Antonio is impressive.  The locals are friendly, kind and helpful.  Once again we are back into the Caribbean culture with open market shopping and wondering around the crowded town with all its colorful inhabitants.  Surprisingly, this area is not often frequented by cruise ships.  There are few tourists outside the yachting world that uses it as a stopover for setting up a Wx window for the San Blas Islands, Cartagena or Panama.  Now we have left behind the snow birds that frequent the Bahamas and are truly immersed in a unique Jamaican culture: loving it!  The problem with the Bahamas is that it is so close to the States and has so many Americans visiting that is suffers an identity crisis.  Jamaica has their own: no copying or imitating.  Also, there is an acceptance among the Jamaicans to live peacefully and respect each other.  A lot of this is influenced by the Rastaferians and other offshoot religious groups.  It's like a great salad made up of many different vegetables and spices.
You walk down the street and someone greets you with "respect", "love for humanity", etc.: nice feeling.

While we're sucking up all this beauty, Jamaican music and sunshine, the next big challenge is getting to the San Blas Islands.  During the Winter there is a Semi Permanent Colombian Low that produces gale force winds off the Colombian coast.  The winds blow 25-35 kts with higher gusts and seas can run to 15'.  One has to be patient and wait for a Wx window.  My initial plan is to go around the Eastern end of Jamaica and make a direct shot for El Porvenir in the San Blas islands.  If the Wx forecast is unfavorable, will modify and look for alternatives: Providencia, San Andres, Boca del Toro.  
There is always somewhere to go and wait it out.  Each and every place that is not on the Passage Plan is another opportunity to see something extraordinary.