The Mona Passage and Puerto Rico

Corey and I decided to leave Luperon at 9pm.  This strategy would give us the calm conditions near Hispaniola at night through to the next morning.  Leaving at night was very hair raising.  While staring at the chart plotter screen in the cockpit and Corey on the bow with a flash light we inched towards the exit following our buddies on Zero to Cruising.  As we approached a critical turn in the channed Mike calls me on the radio, having difficulties, and asked me to take the lead.  I could not see a thing so with ultimate faith in the machine that I burned a hole through with my eyes we threaded out way out into the ocean.  Once there, wind in face, and waves, of course.
     The trip across the top of Hispaniola to the Mona passage was largely uneventful.  Corey and I took turns resting and the wind did lessen in the early morning.  We got a favorable wind at some point, enough to motor with a sail to help a little.  The lights from Puerto Plata outlined the mountains that we slowly passed at 4 knots.  As the sun rose we were rounding the NE corner of the island and that gave us a better wind angle, enough to shut the engine down and sail SE along the coast towards the dreaded Mona Passage.
     Many guide books and other sailors make a big deal about the Mona passage, a 30 mile wide gap between Hispaniola and Puerto Rico in which the wind and current from the Caribbean gets funneled.  I was not taking the warnings lightly but I like the way the boat sails in 20 kts of wind and medium waves.  We were making good progress and I realized that we needed to slow down or build in some time so as not to make a night landing in PR.  There is a large area to avoid off the DR coast called Hourglass Shoal which we were heading towards and I figured that the 6 hour tack around the shoal would give us the time we needed.  The wind built through the afternoon giving us conditions that the boat can steer itself in.  By locking the steering wheel (the helm) in a slight turn and sheeting in the sails very tight, the boat steers itself into the wind just right.
    We relaxed and I read some and once an hour or so I checked our progress towards the shoal.  Tacking north in the middle of the Mona Passage to get around the shoal was not something I was looking forward to but I tried to relax.  I checked the chart plotter a couple hours later and got a very odd feeling.  My angels had intervened once again and the wind had shifted.  This caused the self steering boat to turn with the wind and the boat was actually sailing itself around Hourglass Shoal. The line showing our position on the chart plotter was curving perfectly away from the danger, amazing!  That night the wind built to about 20 kts, but we were pointing right at our destination, Boqueron.  I had lost track of Mike and Rebecca during the night as they were motor sailing to a different town than us, since they are Canadians and have a different check in procedure.  During the night we both happened to be checking on one another at the same time using the SSB radio which worked great.  All was well with Zero to Cruising.
     The sun set for the third time since we left Luperon and the wind was blowing but all was still good.  Corey gave me a needed rest about 4 am.  As I came back on watch I psyfered (figured in Jethro Bodine speak) that we would hit Boqueron at about 5am, not good.  I rolled in most of the jib, lowered the mizzen sail, and put a double reef in the main.  We still  were speeding along at 5 kts so I lowered the main and the boat slowed enough for an 8 am landing.
    A great feeling of accoplishment swept over me as the anchor went down.  I poured a stiff drink and went to sleep.  As I awoke about noon Corey informed me that he had purchased a room for the night at a fancy resort ashore.  He needed some solid civilization after the 55 hour passage, so off we went to the beach and the red roof behind the trees.  Once in the room we showered in hot water and flopped on the beds with a tv remote.  It was a odd feeling.  I realized it was the first hot shower I have had since I left Florida.