The day began with our hunt for the customs and immigration office. In Curacao I guess they don’t believe in signs on buildings for a indication of whats on the inside. Anyway we started by dinghy into a local marina, then found the bus stop and then got onto the bus. The bus ride took about 20 minutes which gave us time to see some of Curacao local life and sights. We got off in Willemstad and found the customs office, cleared and then was given directions to Immigration  We walked down the street, over a floating bridge, then turned left down that street through a gate were the guard was sleeping at his post and arrived at immigration  then checked in with the harbor master as well. After walking around most of Curacao we got a sight seeing tour for $10 per person that brought us all over the island and informed us of many things. For example 60% of the island income is through there oil refining  20% tourism, the rest who knows? The island is pretty wealthy but the prices of food and supplies are cheap. Lots of local markets with spices, food, breads, and crafts. They also have a floating market that has lots of fresh fish and fruits from Venezuela. FYI we are only 45 miles north from Venezuela/South America. After a 3 hours of sight seeing and a stop at the local distillery we had lunch, then headed back to Dragonsbane so we could enjoy Happy Hour with our new French Friends who are Anchored behind us. After checking up on Dragonsbane and seeing that we have not moved with the 30 knot gale we went to happy hour and talked about European and USA politics which was interesting to here a non American opinion of our current situation. Bottom line is that Europe has the same government issues and our problems with the US government is nothing new. The whole world has the same issue and it goes up and down.

All in all it was a great day and the weather was blustery but sunny. Curacao Island is very nice and would recommend it as a good safe place to stop for anybody. Now some pictures!

Sailing into Curacao Island

Curacao Willemstad

Walking through the city streets

The Cafes that lined the canals through out the city

One of the bridges we walked across

The Oil Refinery

This big guy ate french fries from the people eating lunch!

Me Standing next to some Cannons!

Our anchorage!

Thanks,

Jacques

I really like the Island of Bonaire and will defiantly make a scuba vacation trip back. The island also has some of the best snorkeling that I have ever seen and you could spend all week snorkeling from the beachs, then drink beer and cocktails at the many beach bars all over the island. The Dutch speak very good English and love that you are on the island. It was one of the few islands I was not treated like another dumb tourist or annoyed with taxi drivers/store owners trying to get a sale. I really enjoyed getting off the path here and enjoyed all the nature parks. My favorite place was the Grocery Store. I love fine food, wine, cheese, meats, and very strange items. Well the Dutch Super Market  on Bonaire Island is amazing! I wish I had my camera and a few weeks to try everything they offered. I still spent $40 dollars on walnut cheese, chocolate, breads, thin sliced deli meat that just melts in your mouth. Last I enjoyed the prices of the fine restaurants which served up some of the most indescribable burgers and dinners that I have every had. Never thought I could have a better hamburger then in the USA, well I was dead wrong. I had a burgundy  burger that I think was made for god because it tasted so good with rich spices and flavors that I cannot describe

I am now sitting in Curacao Island  with 30 knots winds and it  took 5 hours to sail east from Bonaire Island, I have good internet. I posted some pictures that my dad took well I was out diving. I hope you enjoy.

Wild Goats Everywhere

Wild Buroes

Landscape

More Bonaire Island Landscape

Flamingo

Entrance Road

Cactus_fence

me

Thanks,

Jacques

I spent the day diving off the shores of Bonaire Island and enjoyed a spectacle of schools of fish of ever color you could imagine. I took many videos swimming through schools of fish and kicking my fins through the many coral heads that where covered with bright colored sea life. As I dived I noticed that if you just relaxed in one spot and watched the reef you would start to see many different fish that blended in if you just swam by. I was able to dive between 40 and 60 feet and enjoyed Bonaire Island diving as it is the 3rd best dive site in the world. Tomorrow we will sail to Curacoa Island.

Diving in Bonaire at 50 Feet

I wish I could have post the 2 minute video that I took but I have such bad internet it would take 6 hours. Anyway I took a still and this is what I ended up with. I guess I will have to figure out a better way to shoot pictures underwater.

Thanks,

Jacques

Bonaire Shore

One of the many little Lizards

Another Lizard

See all the red dive flags around the east side of the island. They all can be done from shore and each one has a Bar about 1/4 mile or less from each site

Sailing into Bonaire Island, Its much flatter!

Ok I took lots of pictures but could not capture the Dolphins swimming next to Dragonsbane as we sailed in.

Nice local dinghy being covered in bird poop, LOL

So far I have enjoyed Bonaire Island and I am looking forward to diving the water here tomorrow. I hope to get a few good pictures of the monsters of the deep. Should be diving around 50 feet and the water is very warm.

Thanks,

Jacques

I have made the 455 nautical mile sail to Bonaire Island in 3.5 days and look forward to all her supersizes and wonders that every travels seeks when in a new unknown destination. Upon our arrival my multiple attempts to reach harbor control on VHF 17 radio frequency did not work, so we made landfall in Harbor Village Marina and after consulting a local Dutchmen I was told that the city sleeps from noon to 2pm. We final found the sleeping harbor master and rented a slip for two days at a $1 a foot of Dragonsbne length. Then we walked 30 minutes to customs and immigration and cleared in.

After a few tall Heinekens we walked to Digcell to find out why my cell did not work, with no answer other then it should work and I should email there help desk. Then after that disappointment we went back to Dragonsbane to find out that the inverter that charges our batteries is not working and we spent a few hours trying to reinvent the wheel but did not get the dam thing working. I then tried the password for the internet service furnished by the harbor master and that didn’t work either. So I decided to turn to the RUM!

Dad and I found ourselves at the local marina watering hole knocking back beers with an x-commando from the Netherlands who was the same age as my dad. The conversation was of a multitude of subjects including our idea of sailing to Columbia and we where reinforced with his first hand knowledge and decided that we shall sail to Columbia. Another subject strange that it may be was the swapping of ideas of multi culture differences in war between current and past conflicts. It all boiled down to the fact that we are all cut from the same cloth but we are separated by individual historic tribal beliefs that keep countries torn and countries from uniting to be one. If only we could all set our beliefs aside for the common good of each other the world would be at piece. Not locked and load to blow each other up!

I also learned about a young man that the ex-commando sailed with was hitch hiking around the world. He happened to give him a lift from Europe to Columbia where he dropped him off last year and just heard back from him. He is now in Vancouver Canada hitch hiking his way back to Europe. Although being a very intelligent individual a person could go on an epic adventure with only the cloths on his back, passport and the idea that no matter what the local village says about the next place bad/good or other a person with nothing to show for wealth can see the world with his wits and unwavering courage. People of all nations want to hear tails of the road and other place they dream and with that you find kind hearts with a warm meal. So I asked myself why do I stress over the evils of this world because to go forward into the unknown is met with great eye opening experiences and new beliefs. I shall move forward into the scary world and conquer my fears with disregard to people’s opinions of what the world holds evil or good. I will paint the true picture of what this world has become! I am now understanding that time is best spent experiencing the unknown and not chained to desk or cuffed to debt that capitalist insist is the best and safest way to live forever. I rather die trying to know the truth of this world then just live in it!

For you, Jacques

Once again another great day of sailing with wind in the mid teens and swells averaging 7 feet high. No fish today, but I think that was do to the dolphins swimming behind the boat off and on all day. They are goofy little buggers but shuts down my fishing!

Last night the moon was dipped in sold gold, casting bright light which illuminated the squalls that surrounded us but somehow like threading a needle we past them all without incident. It was very trippy seeing the moonlight casting a gold glow over the decks of Dragonbane. It made all the rigging shadow the decks with strange images dancing around as Dragonsbane yawed back and forth surfing the waves at 8 knots. It could also be because I was listening to Pink Floyd “Dark Side of Moon”? Either way I was floating in a different world at the helm of Dragonsbane!

Thanks,

Jacques

Day two in the Caribbean Sea is much like the last. The swells are starting to grow larger up to 7 feet. The wind is steady at 18 knots and we are cursing between 5.5 to 6.5 knots with the wind at our back with 200 nautical miles under our belt. The nearest spit of land is 95 nautical miles away. Some fun news is that I caught a tuna off the back of Dragonsbane. Looks like I have close to 2 lbs of fresh Tuna to eat.

Last night the moon was so bright I could see the horizon 10 miles off. The star where very bright and the only sound was Dragonsbane rushing through the water. I enjoyed my evening watch and then my morning watch as I sun came up.

Current Position: 13 deg 15.75min North, 63deg 52.56min West

Thanks,

Jacques

We are on your way and the weather is very nice. A few squalls off in the distance but appear to be moving away from us. We are sailing averaging 6 to 7 knots with the wind right at our backs. I was thinking that this would be a pleasant voyage now finally having the wind at our backs but I am wrong. With the wind at our back Dragonsbane pitches from starboard to port in a very un-rhythmic way. If you are sitting on the port side of the boat looking out at the water over the starboard deck the ocean disappears and all you can see is the ski and then back to the ocean view when it pitches. Regardless of the motion on the ocean we are heading in the right direction and make good speed.

Best regards,

Jacques

Current Position 13deg 55.58min North, 61deg 40.06min West

I spent the day finishing up last minute tasks and even enjoyed a paddle boarding for the  work out at the beach. We fueled up our tanks, topped off our water, and checked the oil in the diesel one last time. Our equipment appears to be ready for our 4 day voyage from St. Lucia to Boronia Island  ABC’s. the weather window is looking good calling for 20 to 27 knot winds and the waves are beginning to get smaller from 10 foot to 5 to 7 feet  as we journey out into the blue ocean of motion. I will continue to post on my blog via SSB Radio transmission with GPS coordinates if you would like to see where we are. Once again thank you all for following my journey!

With love,

Jacques

First I have always found it odd when I heard people speaking in a foreign language such as German, French, Italian, and so on in public places through out the United State. I always wondered why they where here and what they where up to. Now that I have been out of the United States for almost 4 months now I am continually surrounded by French, German, Italian, British, South African, and many others. At first I felt like the odd duck on the pond and would wonder what was going through their mined when they looked at me. I always assumed that I looked like a good old boy from the USA and they were smugly looking at me, like I was just another stupid American. But the reality is that they have no more of a clue of who I am or where I am from. My self awareness of my surroundings are becoming more relaxed and almost to the point that being in a bar with 20 different languages filling the air and culture clicks is somewhat normal. Everybody has a respect of each other regardless of country and moves about there business in a very slow and common manner. I personally enjoy the blend of conversation that I can’t understand but listen none the less and can pick up the just of the story by there body language and key words or phases. I am totally emerged into a melting pot of culture and now feel like one of the potatoes in the pot just softening up with all the other nuts out here!

Thanks,

Jacques