Haiti

We left Jamaica on 2/17 on what we knew would be a tough passage to Hispanola. The easiest way to sail to the Caribbean from Panama is to go to around the world the other way! Since that was not a part of our plans, we braced ourselves for the notorious trade winds and currents to keep us alert during our 190 mile passage. Suffice to say, it was hell. We felt as if we were a toy boat in a washing machine on steroids. It did not help that the wind forecast was not accurate and we were in a near gale and encountered regular squalls. We decided that only one person should be in the cockpit at any time and the other below deck. So, the person on watch would be strapped into the cockpit just trying to stay upright and the other one was down in a cabin trying to stay in the berth. We then arrived at the beautiful Ile A Vache, a small island off the mainland, after 30 hours of enduring our worst passage. Upon arrival we saw small boats with food and relief items for refugees from the earthquake on their mainland which gave us a whole other perspective on what suffering really is.

We met Peter and Marina Passano from Maine and enjoyed a lovely swim in this beautiful bay. The heat and humidity had not diminished that much from Panama although it is now cool enough to sleep at night. It feels great to jump in the water whenever there is an opportunity to do so.

Ralph had emailed the hotel at Ile A Vache before we left Jamaica to ask if we could bring anything that would help the people who lived there. We knew before we left Jamaica that this area had not suffered physical damage from the earthquake, but we were informed that many refugees had arrived in the islands and that staples such as rice and powered milk would be helpful. So we bought some large bags of each in Jamaica. When we arrived in Ile A Vache, the hotel staff told us our supplies should go to the orphanage run by Sister Fleur from Quebec, Canada. The hotel arranged for us to go to the other side of the island by boat and since Peter and Marina had also brought supplies, we all went together. Also accompanying us were French Canadians who sailed in two large catamarans with wheelchairs, sleeping pads and medical supplies and equipment.

At the orphanage/school, the children wanted your attention. Ralph made friends with a little blind boy who would not let him go. A 4 year old named Nelson made friends with everyone. The little girl right next to me came up and took my hand and showed me around the orphanage. Our interpreter told me her name was Sirena. She is from Port au Prince where her home was destroyed. Her parents are alive but she was sent here to stay with an aunt until it was possible to return to her neighborhood. The little girl next to Sirena just wanted to be in the picture. Once it was taken, they looked at their picture and giggled!

We met other people who had relatives die in the earthquake and over and over people asked for tents as residents of Port au Prince and many of the dislocated at Ile A Vache had to sleep outside. Even a tent with rain and winds seemed a dismal proposition. Relief boats arrived daily and it all looked very chaotic, but one young man we hired to take us through the village said everyone there had food. Every boat that we saw during our stay had items reportedly supplied by the good people of the USA. We walked through the little village and out to several properties that had been operating luxury resorts before the earthquake. They were temporarily closed. I was struck by the incredible natural beauty of this area. Maybe all of nature looks so much better amidst that grinding poverty. I was so impressed by the well built homes in the village, the gardens, the general cleanliness, and the spirit of the people. They have no vehicles, no electricity nor running water and are very poor by our standards, but, they are proud, hard-working people with great spirit. At night, we could hear singing while we watched the glow of fires on land.