Hi all,Happy Holidays. As I might have mentioned in the past-I have kinda had it with the up/down round and round part of "cruising". The AICW as charming as it is-the Bahamas in Winter-the keeping a boat in Annapolis for the summer, The cruises to LI Sound-well after a while and many miles--its just so--- Presently, on the St. Johns in Welaka Flordia, and have been doing the planning for a "calm season" April/May crossing -thinking at first Rio Dulce. The which way around Cuba discussion got me plotting distances. The Miami-Jamaica-Rio Dulce run was 1500ish miles, the north side of Cuba route 550ish miles, contrary to a current-some say a 2 day run to Isle Mujeres-some say a hellish 6.. The alternative think is passing the Hurricane season in Puerto Rico. Bahamas, DR then PR say 6/11-Then after 11/11 the West Indies, 750ish miles no big jumps. The Cuba Loop, Bahamas-Ragged Islands Cubas NE, ---Boy that just screams-why not? So-I quess the question is-where is the safest marina for the July-November hang in the DR/PR/USVI world. I have my dog aboard-and the wife likes the conviences of telephone/internet/airports. The dog thing is a limiting factor in coming back to the Washington DC area-so I guess I'll be hanging with the boat. Looking forward to "Adventures in Paradise"-I have the time/money/boat/health-We/I get spoiled with the conviences of urban life in the USA-and this will be a committment of 18 months of travel-maybe more. Kevin Kearney 1966-and not getting younger, steel trawler JOLIE.