Culebra

The last 2 weeks have been great, New Years was awesome and we have loved the people and culture here since. There's a lot to do on a boat depending on the weather there are all sorts of options for anchorages and other islands close by. We went over to Isla Culebrita and the beach is a stunner and very popular place for the local boaters on the weekends with loads of music and beer drinking going on, great fun. Then on the west side of Culebra we went to a couple of different anchorages including Luis Pena island but the weather has to be good, and we finally managed to paint the deck (had paint since Brazil). Then just 10 miles away is Isla De Vieques, we anchored for a couple of nights in Ensanada Honda in the mangroves completely shelterd spot but near the entrance close to the reef for snorkelling. The snorkelling was the best I have seen in Caribbean so far, we saw a decent size shark, turtles, manta ray, sting rays lots of different reef fish and got a couple of Crays.
Puerto Rico is a little different than I expected, it's very American in a lot of ways but still very Latino. Lots of music going on and a very happy friendly bunch of people. They speak Spanish as their main language but most also speak English so it's very handy for me and great to be able to communicate properly unlike the French islands were it's near impossible if you don't speak French. Culebra is quiet with mainly tourists from the main island coming over on the ferry which is just $2.50 and also MANY have their own boats, this was a real shock there is some serious money. Lots of 40+ foot flash flybridge sports fishing new luxury boats and surprisingly a lot of Rivieras imported from Australia as well as there Bertram's with all the bling, bit like going to Rottnest island in west Australia. When they see the Aussie flag it's all smiles and waves and they love having a chat which is really nice.
Julie's going to have a great time there while I'm back at work, no worries about that!
Meanwhile I'm at the airport now after a slight fuck up. Had a 4 am flight from San Juan and after being there all night, checking in but then fell asleep at the gate! Catastrophe!! So instead of going to Boston I ended up in Orlando for 28 hours and now waiting for a flight to Dubai were I will spend another 22 hours!! So basically leave Sunflower Wednesday afternoon and get to perth early Monday morning, think I'm not kicking myself?!

Puerto Rico!

What a spot this place is, we arrived in the afternoon and after checking in with a very friendly customs fella we were good to go, well after a siesta anyway. Great little town here and they put on full on party all for free with a big stage at the waterfront with bands playing salsa and other Latino music to the early hours, everyone dancing and having a ball, it was full on good fun and managed to keep going until 5am which I haven't done for a while;) think I slept till 5pm yesterday though!

BVI's what were we thinking??!

After a fast downwind sail having to hand steer for the 185 miles we  arrived after 31 hours and knackered. It's chaos, charter boats absolutely everywhere so we find a spot drop anchor and decide to clear customs in the morning. We get in there and say we arrived the evening before and he starts, why didn't you announce your arrival on the radio? Ok sorry sir it won't happen again, he keeps on and saying he will fine us $10000 and can confiscate our boat... Ok mate we are sorry won't happen again!!! He keeps on and takes us aside to read aloud the regulations from his big book, an absolute arsehole...keeps on and finally brings us out a declaration to sign basically saying we were idiots and didn't know. Then immigration, well she wasn't much friendlier but all good lets have a couple of beers and forget about it. After a couple it didn't seem to get much better so Julie says lets go....cool lets get outa here! Back to customs less than an hour later and they are like what's wrong???? Not for us this place!! We didn't really meet any friendly locals, I think they are just sick of the thousands of tourists but hey it's there job and what brings them their money right??? I don't know maybe the other islands are different, I hope so anyway. The Brits can keep these islands and the biggest Caribbean New Years party anyway!!

 Back at the boat an Aussie fella came over and said g'day and we went for dinner with him and his Canadian partner and had a really fun night anyway. They had chartered a boat  and were having a ball. They also introduced us to a drink at the help yourself bar called a "Painkiller" yea I need a couple of painkillers thank you this morning I can tell you. So now we are sailing for Puerto Rico to an island  called Culebra to celebrate New Years tonight and hopefully customs will be a bit more friendly and and more our scene:)

Happy New Years to all our family and friends!