Puerto Rico is teeming with cats. And as seems to happen whenever we are in a new place, the most filthy, unhealthy, matted, sad specimen wandering the docks finds Ali. No stray goes unnoticed or unloved with her around. We drove out to the town of Arecibo, one of the … Read More
“Hurricane” Isaias
Hurricane Isaias popped up, coming across the Atlantic as a Tropical Storm and off and on as a Category 1 hurricane. With winds on the way we spent a couple of days getting things ready. Some makeshift chafe protection. These docks are pretty terrible as far as rough edges go. … Read More
San Juan Sunday
Sunday afternoon in Old San Juan is usually a hopping time. The road along the water would be bumper to bumper, Calle San Sebastian’s restaurants and bars would be packed, and the park outside the forts would be pulsing with families flying kites and having picnics. But those were different … Read More
San Juan Social Distancing
When we were cruising over to San Juan I noticed this miles-long stretch of empty beach with a road right behind it. Figuring that we could easily find a spot of sand we could have all to ourselves, we loaded into the rental car and drove out there. Sand dollars … Read More
Mar Chiquita Beach
We drove out to Mar Chiquita beach a week or two earlier and found it overrun with people so we turned right around and left. Figuring, rightly, that we could have the place to ourselves if we came in the morning. So, we loaded up early one morning, and while … Read More
San Juan Summertime
Summer days are quickly melting away. It’s hot in Puerto Rico, but not unbearably so. Nothing a water fight on the dock can’t solve. Afternoons walking around Old Town are enjoyable even if there isn’t much to do. Slowly wandering and hanging out together is pretty much the name of … Read More
Settling In
It’s that time of year again—hurricane season—a time for us to accomplish to-do-list tasks that have been studiously avoided the past six months or so. That goes for the kids as well as us adults. Time to go through the knick-knacks, books, and “collections” to decide what will live to … Read More
Santurce Neighborhood
This is an active yacht club right in downtown San Juan, Puerto Rico, yet somehow we ended up squeezed right in between two boats that have clearly been here since the 2017 hurricanes and did not fare very well. On the plus side, both boat’s bottoms are excellent reef habitats … Read More
Return to PR
After a very enjoyable few weeks in the USVIs we decided it was time to head back to Puerto Rico. Our plan is to hide the boat in the mangroves down in Salinas if a big storm does head our way, but for now we’re going to hang out in … Read More
Magens Bay
After a few weeks we rolled back out of St. John back on over to St. Thomas. North side to Magens Bay. We passed many gazillions of dollars worth of homes along the way. I wonder how many of them just house housekeepers fifty-one weeks a year? Magens is a … Read More
Ram Head
Salt Pond Bay was a beautiful spot on the lightly trafficked south coast of St. John. Right off the boat was the Ram Head hike, easily our favorite on the island. Turks Head Cactus were a favorite topic of conversation all along the hike, with everyone seeing something different in … Read More
Waterlemon Cay
A day in Waterlemon Cay. This is a nice quiet spot with a handful of hikes and another beach all to ourselves. One last day hanging out with friends before they head south and we don’t cross paths again for a few months. This is Waterlemon Cay (no, it’s not … Read More