March 3, 2010
OK, this could be known as the year of major engine and mechanical problems, but in my overly optimistic style, I'll call it the year of tourist trips and a shorter than planned sailing trip.
After Jenny arrived in Ponce, it took another day to finish up some things, and we left to enjoy Isla Caja de Muertos for a day before going to Salinas. It was there that we discovered that the alternator wasn't working, and the engine water pump had a very bad problem. Back in Salinas, it took over a week to deal with these two things. Eventually we took a trip to Culebra, and it turned out that the water pump “repair” was not complete, so the leaking device will still need to be changed out-- again, but probably next year, if a hurricane doesn't destroy the boat first.
But dealing with the water pump and the alternator was a good Puerto Rico experience, and our friend Fred Long was a big help. He knew a good machine shop, and that guy found some tractor parts, and got it back together in less than a week. During that time, we caught up with both old and new friends in Salinas and around.
While we waited for the pump to be rebuilt at the machine shop, we took a day trip to the rainforest for a hike and zip-line tour. Another classic Puerto Rico experience was getting the rental car to go to the tour. The car company was late picking us up at the marina, and we explained that we were in a hurry to meet a schedule, so Sidney said just take the car and go-- no drivers license copy, or signature, or phone number, or nada, just take the car. So we did, and arrived at the meeting place exactly on time, while we waited for the tour group to get there-- 45 minutes later. But the whole tour was a blast, with a nice group of people, a great couple of guys giving the tour, and an outrageous authentic lunch up at the trail-head.
We finally left Salinas on Sunday, February 21, with a 25 mile trip to Puerto Patillas, an open anchorage that is usable in the prevailing easterlies. We had another Puerto Rico experience at a waterfront bar: Asking if there was a grocery store in town, the waiter said what do you need? Onions, mostly, we said. How many? Maybe four. OK, he asked another employee something in Spanish, and she came back with a bag of onions. We said great, how much? Nothing, no problem, they were in the kitchen. We stayed another day and took a hike through an old coconut forest, and left early on Tuesday, as the winds turned south and then southwest, which is unusual, but helped us going east.
Tuesday night we got to Isla Pineros, about 45 miles, and spent the night at a nice spot, but not very good snorkelling. Then we left early on Wednesday for Culebra, about 10 miles. We stayed in a few different places around Culebra, and enjoyed the nice clear water and great snorkelling. Had to leave on Sunday morning, though, and we did the whole 72 miles back to Salinas in less than 12 hours, even though the wind was west of south, which was unusual again, and not in our favor. But we were able to get the boat put away a day or so early, and we took a tourist trip to Ponce, which may be in a final blog.
