ST John

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Puerto Rico and Culebra again.

We drove to San Juan to pick Bruce up from the airport…we got so lost coming back, it was about 11.20pm and we did seem to have strayed into a dodgy end of the sprawling city. We stopped by a police car which was stopping another car; Bruce jumped out and told him we were sooo lost. Very kindly he said follow me, and with the siren and lights on we were escorted across the city to the right road. Every hundred yards, there was a police car with some people spread-eagled across the bonnets, and hands up on the roof. We did find the road to Humanacoa, and finally Palmas del mar. It was good to get back, they came with a golf cart for Bruce’s bag and we were soon on the boat. But the boat was rolling really badly in the marina, and in the night our bow rope snapped and Alan was out there trying to put the boat back, it was sideways on the berth. We had a day by the pool and shopping in the big supermarkets and then left about 7 am the next day. Quite a rough trip to Culebra, but chart plotter working and no whales, so basically ok. We went to beautiful culebrita and had a dive, snorkel and general relax. That night we went to Dewey, had dinner in the dinghy dock, they have had their licence revoked so Alan had to go back to the boat for a bottle of wine. The rain fell in torrents.

Next day, more snorkelling and diving and back to the really lovely anchorage behind the coral reef. A bbq and fishing and looking at the stars. It was fantastic.
Alan and Bruce dived the nearby reef in the morning but there was a lot of current they said.
Alan and I pottered round the mangroves and saw the nose of a manatee. We had seen one in Palmas del mar, right next to the boat, like a giant tongue in the water,

So met Roger and Lucyna and had a drink on their boat, dinner in Suzie’s restaurant., v nice and a meal in the Seaborne restaurant., tricky to find the dock in the dark, in the mangroves, but tied up the dinghy eventually., lovely food and v colonial,.

Today

We came to St John today, another rough trip, wind blowing about 20-25 knots right against us, so the mainsail was for nothing really. Arrived in a rain storm and then it rained and rained, but in-between the squalls Bruce and I took the dinghy to the beach, big swells, we went up to eco place and to the little store. Launching it was a matter of watching the waves, Bruce gave it one big push and gunned the out board, and we were fine.

Now they are fishing laughing and having fun.

Alan and Bruce did a dive and came up with a huge lobster, which we had for tea. Sea calming down now. The big swell is going. We went to the little town of cruz bay, shopping, the square was full of small stalls selling stuff and a band, so quite a good atmosphere. Now in Caneel bay.

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Comments

[Michael]

rhubarb
Hi you two. Avidly following your adventures. Now in St Nic for the next few months, except for a brief visit to England in mid July for grandaughter Louise's marriage in St Ives. Love to all. Michael and Midge XX