Mona Passage

Mona Passage : 17 54N , 068 06W , Spd 13.0 Kts ,Co -200(T)

For anyone desirous of entering the Caribans, there two main passages to go through. The Windward passage, & the Mona Passage. The Windward passage is between Cuba & Haiti, whereas the Mona passage lies between the Dominican Republic & Puerto Rico.

The passage is called Mona because of the Mona Island that guards it. Today was a bright & beautiful day & the visibility was great. If you look at the chart of the Mona Island, you can see that its a circular Island with about a miles radius. Its
great to look at from Google earth & you must try it out sometime.

The pictures along with the chart are of the Isla Monita, a small rock jutting out of the ocean a few miles northwest of the Island (also there on the chart) & the full Mona Island as seen from a distance of about 5 miles.

An interesting thing about British Admilarity (BA) Charts is that the UKHO has decided a few years back to start using the local names of the places in their chart. So, if you dig up an older version of the BA chart, you'll find that "Mona Island" has
made way for the present "Isla De Mona". The scribbling made by the pen on the chart is the permanent corrections that have come over the years & are entered in pen. But the workmanship leaves a lot to be desired, to say the least. On the South west
corner is the correction "Turtles - see note". This note refers to the turtles that visit the Island, and basically asks people such as myself to not disturb them. A great place to dive I'm sure.

The third picture is that of the southwest tip of the Island. I'm not sure if you can make out the chart at the low resolution, but the picture shows you the Punta Arenas cliff & beach. Its in such Islands & beaches that Pirates such as Blackbeard left
their stash of gold. Maybe one of the voyages when the laycan is still off, I might anchor in the bay & get down with a spade!