All three boats were safely tied to the dock. We were told to stay on the boat until the customs officer boarded us. Two gentlemen in uniform asked permission to board. Their English was not very strong and our Spanish nil so we had to work hard to decipher what they were asking. When the questions were answered and the forms signed we were asked to come to the office. There our photo was taken passport scanned and visa issued. Once back on the boat a doctor boarded the boat. His English was very good. He took our temperatures to make sure we were not bringing in any sickness. He also checked our medical cabinet for narcotic drugs such as morphine. He asked if we had provisioned just before coming. I thought this to be an interesting question, He explained that he wanted to make sure our canned goods were not expired. Once checked in we waited our turn to be assigned a slip. That took about forty minutes. Kathy and Vic were assigned Channel 1 and we were going to be docked on Channel 2. The dock master would meet us at our assigned slip to help us get in. We proceeded to Channel 2, slowly going down the channel to the end. No dock master and no obvious spot to tie up. As we turned around and started back the dock master whistled and said he was heading to our assigned slip and to go very slow so he would arrive before us. I use the term slip when in actuality they are assigned spaces along a cement wall on both sides of the channel. The wind was blowing and the dock master and his helper couldn't agree on whether we should approach the spot bow first or back in. It was a very tight spot between two sailboats. When they realized we didn't have bow thrusters they grabbed a bow and stern line and tried to pull us in as Tom maneuvered the boat. It was actually a bit of a circus. We did get in but not without me having to use my feet to keep our bow pulpit from hitting the one in front of us. There is a ledge about four foot below the water line that juts out from the wall. We used our two large round fenders to keep us away from the wall and the ledge. We were not allowed to hook up our own electric lines. An electrician had to do it for us. They also did not want us to handle the lines. That was their job.
Once they were satisfied with our position the dock master told us to let him know if we needed anything and off he went in his fancy orange golf cart. After they left Tom readjusted the lines the way he wanted them. To excited to sleep we spent some time putting things away and straightening up. We took a walk to Kathy and Vic's boat on Channel One. They are at least a quarter mile from us and lucky for them they were right next to the bath house and a little bar. Once we saw where the bath house was we realized all our showers would be on the boat. Finding them fast asleep we walked back to our boat. We are tied up almost directly across from the resort pool and DJ hut. We enjoyed listening to the Cuban music but wondered whether it would get old through the course of our stay. We also wondered how late the music would last each night.
The waves splashing over the rocky wall across from Channel One. When the winds really kick up the boats on Channel One tie a line across the channel to help keep them off the wall.
Another view of the waves coming up and over. This is what we came through to get into the marina!
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