Admirals Log:
ILE A VACHE
We only stopped off in Ile a Vache overnight on our way to Jamaica as you don't have to go through any checking in or out at all and it is very safe. There is no way we would have stopped off in Haiti as it is far too dangerous but Ile a Vache has always had a good reputation for cruisers.
Really pretty although very poor still. We were impressed that of all the teenage boys and men that paddled out in home made leaky canoes only one of them asked for a free hand out - and that was for some powdered milk for his baby. Which of course we gave him.
All the others came asking if we had any work for them to do. Unfortunately as we were only staying overnight we didn't, but we did go through our cupboards and make a package of spare clothes for the orphanage and gave out paper and colouring pencils to the local children.
The main work on the island seemed to be fishing although all done with sail power - no expensive engines!!
On leaving the next morning, we had been sailing for quite a while off the coast of Haiti when we saw this fisherman paddling miles off shore to try and get his catch!
Haiti is so barren in comparison to Dominican Republic it is hard to believe they are on the same island.
Edward, the local we spent time with in the Bahamas told us it is so barren because God has condemned it because they still practice voodooism and satanic worshiping!! Although a missionary we spoke to who had spent a lot of time there said about 50% were catholic and the rest a mix of religions but that 100% practiced voodoo as well. I think it probably has a lot to do with the fact that the prevailing winds are from the east and dump all their rain on the mountains in DR and leave Haiti at the western end of the island very dry.
We heard of an Australian couple who last year, were forced to call into the western end of Haiti because of very bad weather and were boarded by a group of men who not only stole everything they had on board - including solar panels and sails etc - but beat them so severely that they broke bones and they had to be hospitalised for nearly a week!! We heard this from friends of ours that were on the roster to monitor the SSB that day when they called for help. The attack was put up on the official piracy record website soon afterwards and another cruiser came forward and said the same thing had happened to them in the same region. I can understand stealing when you have nothing but such outright cruelty to a 70 yr old man and a women in her late 60's is appalling!!
The Haitian govt was very apologetic and helped them fly back to Sydney when they were well enough as this is the last thing they want when they are trying to promote tourism. But there was no way we were calling in there!!