Tarpons, Seagulls and Cold Beer

Despite all the very appealing local restaurants we've seen, we really haven't eaten out at all since we arrived in Culebra. Each morning we agree “Let's have dinner out tonight” and every evening, it's “Feel like going in to shore for dinner or shall we just make something aboard and watch a movie?” It's not the budget so much as “what can we get at a restaurant that we feel like eating that I can't make on board?” Reliable internet and cold beer was the answer this evening and we headed in to the Dinghy Dock Restaurant.

The Dinghy Dock does indeed have a dinghy dock allowing us to tie up right at tableside. It couldn't be more convenient. It wasn't too crowded when we arrived and the view was stunning.

We noticed a small school of huge fish hanging out at the dock … about 3' long (1 m), with pronounced scales and a lovely iridescent blue-green color shimmering through the water … tarpon. Evidently they regularly get fed here and hang out in anticipation.

Internet on the boat is sketchy at best. Even with our super-duper antenna, the shore signal is not strong enough and we lose it as often as we have it. So we lugged the laptop to shore with us and figured we'd sip beer, do internet, then have a pleasant dinner. First things first … David ordered two cold beers at the bar.

Someone threw some bread scraps in the water and there was a mad dash and a battle between the tarpon and the local laughing gulls to get their share.

I set up the laptop, we sent some photos and blog posts to Gentry, sipped some cold beer and did a little research, but mostly we just enjoyed the early evening breeze. The place was beginning to fill up, the music got a little louder and the buzz of patrons increased to compensate for the louder music. We could hear fragments of cruisers' conversations … complaining about insurance rates, bemoaning refrigeration problems, comparing harrowing sea stories … not unlike cruiser bars everywhere else in the world.

It appears there was a shortage of wait staff and table service was very, very slow. We looked at the menu. It had reasonable offerings with okay prices, but nothing really appealed to us. We didn't want to just settle for something for sake of eating out. We didn't want any more beer and … well, you guessed it. We left the restaurant, trotted over to Colmado Milka's bought some chicken and salad makings and headed back to the boat for dinner and a movie.

Going out to dinner should be a treat, not a trial. Maybe another time.

To-Do or Not To-Do - Culebra, PR

I only put our location in the title to differentiate it from what seems like hundreds of other anchorage paradises that have to-do lists longer than the time we plan to spend in port and the fact that I probably grouse about this every time. As soon as everything was tidied up from the passage, we sat with our cuppas and our notebooks in the cockpit and figured out our current to-do list. We use our log sheets as the starting point and add to it as we notice or remember things that need doing.

It's amazing that after all the work we did in Trinidad, there should be anything to do here, but our initial list, garnered from the log sheets, provided us with 16 to-do items. Sixteen??? Really?? The next step, after lacing our cuppas with something stronger than caffeine, was determining what had to be done while we were anchored in Culebra and what could be delayed, if necessary. We assigned each item a 1, 2 or 3 in order of priority … a little change-up from our usual As, Bs and Cs. The 1s had to be done; 2s would be good to get done and 3s … well, 3s sometimes get done, sometimes not … but the thought is there.

Just before leaving Trini, we realized we had a leak in the dinghy, so that repair was a #1, as was the jib furler and tightening bolts on the staysail furler. We noticed while on a heel during the passage that sometimes the smell of diesel was strong and David found that the starboard fuel tank inspection hatch was leaking around the gasket … another #1. We also noted some vibration in the prop shaft as we rolled during the passage which seems to indicate that perhaps an engine mount inspection and alignment was probably in order. Yet another #1. He got to work on the dinghy repair post haste and while the hypalon adhesive was drying, he addressed the furler issues. The engine alignment and diesel tank leak are on the agenda for another day.

The #2 list included about seven items once we went through the list again and moved a few #2s to #3s. They're minor, non-safety, non-mission-critical items like the oil pressure gauge isn't working and the prop brake doesn't always seem to stop the prop. There's troubleshooting involved and if parts are required, then both items will go on another list for attention when we can obtain the parts. David mentioned he'll have to find his blog on troubleshooting engine gauges to refresh his memory on the sleuthing process.

On my to-do list is the stainless which didn't get totally done in Trinidad and now needs doing all over again anyway and a deck check/tightening of all stanchion screws and bolts … long overdue. Daily cleaning, cooking and writing take up my time, along with hand laundry, mending and dozens of other little things that all told, seem to take up as much time as many of David's projects, but that don't show or get put down on paper. Then, of course, there's napping (always a #1 on my list).

All in all, though each port is certainly unique, life aboard really doesn't change much. There is always something to be done on a boat and addressing the issues as you find them is prudent, but not always convenient, nor fun, nor in the budget. So here in Culebra, we'll get the #1s addressed and perhaps a few more before heading on to San Juan … where we'll have the opportunity to start yet another to-do list.

Arrival in Culebra, Puerto Rico

We jibed all through the night, waiting till the change of the watches so it didn't disrupt our sleep scheds. The shore lights and loom of St. Croix dimmed as we skirted around its west end and then we could see the hazy lights of Vieques, Culebra and an all-but-glowing, very well-lit St. Thomas. We made our final jibe about 0330. By 0630, we were heading through the well-marked Canal del Este (Eastern Channel) into Ensenada Honda. Remember … red, right, returning. (For you landlubbers … keep the red markers to the right.)

According to Wiki, Isla Culebra (Koo-lay-brah - "Snake Island") is an island-municipality of Puerto Rico. Located approximately 17 miles (27 km) east of the Puerto Rican mainland, Culebra is Puerto Rico's least populous municipality. The island is hilly, lush and green with what appear to be, high-end houses built on the hillsides. We made our way through the reefs, hugging the marked channel, and anchored off the main town of Dewey, aka Culebra, with about 25+ boats as neighbors. The anchorage is large and we found a fine spot without much effort and dropped the hook. Yahoo!

As we've previously noted, we had registered with the US Customs SVRS (Small Vessels Reporting System) before returning to Trinidad. We had filed a “float plan” according to procedure before leaving Trinidad in hopes that this would streamline the check-in process for U.S. Immigration/Customs. All we can say is “Wow!”. First of all, our iPhone worked within 5-6 miles of Culebra (thank you, ATT & sister, Lin). Once anchored, we called Culebra Customs and Border Protection and provided the necessary information. The officer welcomed us back to the USA and said he'd call back within the hour. Good as his word, we received his call, got our clearance number and sha-bang … we were all cleared in. That was it. Nine of Cups is back in American waters after 9 years abroad and her crew is all legal and checked in.

This called for a cuppa and a sit down in the cockpit to celebrate. The breeze was exquisite and the scenery was candy for the eyes. We'd thought we'd go ashore, but after a bit more discussion, we decided to stay aboard for the day, get our chore list together (yes, there's a list … no surprise there!) and perhaps get a head start on what needs to be done. And then, perhaps, a nap somewhere in the mix.

Total mileage for the trip - 520 nm.