Exploring Dewey, Culebra - Puerto Rico

This is our third day here and we haven't managed to get ashore yet. What's up with that? We were tired and we wanted to make sure the anchor was set well … and oh yeah, the dink needed repair. So, those were our excuses on Day 1. Yesterday, it rained all day long. No sense in getting wet, right? And today? Well, we got as far as launching the dink in the early morning calm and puttered away most of the rest of the morning. We decided it was getting a bit ridiculous and headed into shore.

It's always a thrill heading into a new port, but there's much to be said for getting some chores done on the boat right away and/or lazing around a bit before heading to shore. Some folks are off their boats as soon as the anchor drops. Not us … we like taking our time … but three days? Come on now! In our defense, we have gotten several #1 chores completed and we've been taking afternoon dips in the warm, clear waters of Ensenada Honda.

The new dinghy patch was doing its job and the ride to shore was pretty dry. As we approached the shore, certain sights jogged our memories, especially the big, bright orange lift bridge . We'd been here in the Spanish Virgin Islands once before … back in 2002 when we first visited the Caribbean. At that time, the nearby island of Vieques was off-limits to cruisers because of live shelling exercises by the US military. We'd anchored here, but just for an overnight before heading on to St. Thomas, so we'd not explored any of the island. In the beginning, we used to be in a hurry to get to the next place.

We tied up at the town dock, deposited our trash in the bins provided and and walked across the bridge to the Dinghy Dock, a local restaurant and cruiser hang-out. Well, the lift bridge has been newly painted and looks pretty spiffy, but it doesn't lift any more … not sure it did on our last visit either. The cruising guide didn't provide much information about the little town of Dewey, but we figured a cruiser hang-out was the best place to find what we needed. It was. We found an island map, access to fresh water, free wi-fi, directions to two grocery stores and lunch.

After scoping out the two grocery stores which were chock-a-block full with everything you can imagine (yippee), we decided to dinghy under the lift bridge and up the canal that connects the “inside” of Ensenada Honda to the “outside”, i.e. the ferry dock at Bahia Sardinas and the Caribbean Sea. A big rope hangs down from the bridge structure and though it would be hard to access, we wondered if it's used as a rope swing on occasion.

The canal is only about a ½ mile long and it's dotted with little restaurants closer to town and lined with mangroves as it empties into the Caribbean. The ferry terminal for transit to Fajardo on the Puerto Rican mainland is located here and the ferry was getting ready to go.

Hector el Protector was a surprise and a very interesting sculpture that stands sentry at the end of the canal opposite the ferry dock in Bahia Sardinas. Made solely from recycled old pallets, Hector was created by Thomas Dambo, an artist/designer based in Copenhagen, Denmark, as an entry in the 2014 Culebra Es Ley Art Festival. Hector appears to take his job seriously.

There didn't seem to be a reasonable place for a dinghy tie up, so we retraced our course along the canal. I spotted two beautiful green iguanas hanging out on the canal wall. They were wary of our approach and one ran off into the bush, but the other, though keeping a cautious eye on me, allowed a photo. They're actually an invasive species and considered pests. The locals called them “gallina de palo” … tree chickens ... and they're evidently quite tasty.

We tied up the dinghy at the Dinghy Dock and walked back over to the ferry terminal, giving us a different view of Dewey town. The streets are narrow and everything is delightfully Spanish. Signs are in Spanish and the colorful houses add to the Spanish Caribbean feel. People smile as they pass you on the street and say hi or hola. Lovely! There were several little restaurants, shops, outdoor cafes, guest houses and souvenir shops along the route. We popped our heads in and looked around, enjoying the discovery process.

The ferry terminal area is colorful and pleasantly touristy. We read that the ferry fare to Fajardo was “inexpensive”, but that, of course, is a relative term. Is inexpensive $40/pp or $5 or ?? Well, turns out, it's $2.25/pp each way unless you're old farts like us and then it's $1.00! (If you're older than dirt, i.e. 75 or older, then it's free!) We had the urge to board immediately for the 1-1/2 hour ride to Fajardo, just because it was such a bargain. We fought the impulse, but it's on the list of budget entertainment possibilities in the next few days.

We stopped at one of the supermarkets on our return trip. The outside of the Colmado Milka was quite deceiving. Inside was a warren of narrow aisles, well-stocked shelves and little alcoves and annexes that offered about anything we could want in the way of groceries, booze, fresh meats and chicken, etc. We bought dinner ingredients and headed back to the Dinghy Dock to retrieve the dink. Thai peanut chicken with rice and Asian cole slaw are on the dinner menu, if anyone's hungry.

Enough exploring for one day. If it's nice, we're hoping to hike over to Flamenco Beach tomorrow, noted as one of the most beautiful beaches “in the Western Hemisphere”. Let's see if we agree.

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.