Running errands in Culebra

The bridge:  All directions involve the bridge.  You'll find it.  It's big.  "Go across the bridge..."  "Before the bridge..."  "Go under the bridge..."

Part of the fun of cruising is--every island is a new adventure.  We're always happy to explore.  But sometimes, just after we arrive, we're looking for a cheap meal, a grocery store and some internet.  If you like to do the "cruisers scavenger hunt" on your own, then this post is not for you!

They are a little secretive on Culebra about resources.

"In town.  Near the ferry terminal.  You can't miss it."  "Where's the ferry terminal & YES I CAN!"  Welcome to the Caribbean. 

On our boat, El Capitan (mi amor, mi esposa!) turns into a grumpy husband as soon as we hit shore.  The quicker I can get things done, the better.  So here we go... 

FaceBook Culebra Cruisers and Boaters:  Your best resource for up-to-date information is the FB Culebra Cruisers page.  Be sure to read the pinned post at the top for more of the basics. https://www.facebook.com/groups/culebracruisers/

Also, check out our Google Map Year 2 for some more details (I've started adding notes to each pin):  s/v Odin Year 2 (Culebra)

We asked our instructor during our "Learn to Cruise" course, "How do we know where the dinghy dock is?"  "{shrug} You just know.  Maybe it's in the guidebook.  Or you could follow other people."  When we started cruising, we'd normally sit and watch until we saw another cruiser head into town.  Now, we're braver, but it's not always obvious.  We don't want to offend the locals or be annoying tourists.  We've been told there are no private docks in Culebra, whatever that means.  These are the docks we've used & not been chased off.

This is from land, but look for the turquoise roof at the end of the dock.

Dinghy dock access #1:  If you're anchored in the main bay of Ensenada Honda, then The Town Dock will be to your right as you head towards the bridge.  (It is currently available for dinghies but the new power pedestals suggest this is geared towards the power boaters).  Park where there is a board to climb up on, preferably closer to shore.  Use a stern anchor.  It can be busy on weekends or holidays as bigger power boats come in, so take that into consideration.  Trash cans at the end of the dock.

"Meet you at The Dinghy Dock?"

Dinghy dock access #2:  Dinghy Dock Restaurant is across from the Town Dock, next to the bridge (left).  You really can't miss this one!  You can leave your dinghy here while you run into town but don't abuse the privilege.  We try to limit this dock to days we have time to stop for a drink or lunch (or of course, when meeting other cruisers!).  As is customary everywhere, leave a long painter.  It can get busy here!  They have fast internet and sell water for $0.25/gallon (park on the far left side so the hose can reach.  Pay cash at the bar).

The L-shaped (and brightly painted) secret dock

Dinghy dock access #3:  The "secret dinghy dock"or El Batey to the locals.  Use a stern anchor.  Good for Flamenco Beach, holidays when the Town Dock is full (New Years!), the hardware store (ferreteria) and Grocery #3.

Your landmark at the secret dinghy dock

Colmado Milka:  butcher & liquor

Grocery #1:  The favorite grocery on the island is Colmado Milka.  They have a good selection including a butcher & liquor.  It can be busy on weekends & holidays.  OK, pretty much all the time.  It wasn't obvious to us at first, but they do have a tiny dock (platform!) in the canal.  It is closest to the Dinghy Dock Restaurant:  Make a right out of the DDR and go straight (don't cross the bridge).  From the Town Dock, go left, across the bridge and then a quick right.

Superette Mayra:  slightly different selection

Grocery #2:  Superette Mayra is closed for siesta (12:30ish-3:30) & most holidays but has bigger aisles and a slightly different selection (coconut milk, grapefruit juice & Planter's cocktail peanuts!).  We try to swing through here on the way TO lunch.  Closest to the Town Dock:  Go right and in one block it's on your right.

Costa del Sol supermercado:  good prices

Grocery #3:  Costa del Sol is popular with campers heading to Flamenco Beach.  Good prices.  Good liquor selection (the tiny closet left of the refrigerated section).  Lots of junk food!  Mostly likely to be open on a holiday.  Shortest walk is from Dinghy Dock #3

Right from the secret dock.  Veer left at the Ferreteria/airport.  Watch up the hill on your left for the Heineken sign.

Veggie market!  Tues & Friday

Veggie Market:  Check the Culebra Cruisers FB page for up to date info, but the market was Tuesdays & Fridays for us--"mornings until whenever".  Welcome to the Caribbean.  This became a nice "cruiser meet-up" spot.  We frequently met friends here then stopped at PanDeli for cafe con leche.  Closest to the Town Dock & the same street as Zacos Tacos--towards the ferry terminal (see Google Maps link above).

The "laundry dinghy dock"

Laundry:  Upon arriving, Tammy on s/v Dos Libras said, "Hey, want to go do laundry?"  Sure!  We loaded everything into her dinghy and went searching for the "dilapidated dock over there".  We ran aground a few times while trying to consult Google Maps and our Spanish dictionary (what did we do before iPhones...).  Then we waded in, turned right and walked a short distance down the road to the laundromat.  No air conditioning.  No wifi.  But we still had fun (and I met new friends every time I went).  Good times.  We were the popular girls in town because WE KNEW WHERE THE LAUNDROMAT WAS :-)  NOTE:  Since I wrote this, we found ANOTHER secret dock near the laundry.  You'll have to find that one on your own.

La Surana Apartments & Laundromat

Zacos Tacos

Zacos Tacos:  Mandatory stop for cruisers.  Mandatory.  Chickens.  Iguanas.  Medalla on tap.  Good meet-up place.  I recommend their tacos...

"Head towards the ferry dock..." (hint: the same road as Zacos Tacos)

PanDeli:  Cheap breakfast, good wifi, locals line up for their pan de agua.  Excellent cafe con leche.

Library:  A library!  You don't see many of those in the Caribbean!  Internet, nice patio & great selection of books about Puerto Rico.

Internet:  I had luck at the ferry dock, Pandeli or Dinghy Dock Restaurant (the library's was out while I was there).

We are not in Missouri anymore...

Gas station:  This isn't hard to find but it's a fun photo.  You can dinghy over by taking the canal (next to grocery #1, so I tend to run next door while he fuels up).  Leave room for the bigger power boats that come in to the fuel hose up by the car pumps.  Move WAY off to the side (towards the haul out end) if you are going to both leave to do errands.

Ferry (la lancha):  The ferry is also a mystery.  There is no official website for the government run ferry (Correction:  There is.  Es en Espanol).  Beware of tourism websites with varying schedules.  You can't buy tickets online (but apparently you can buy tickets for the next day if you go down to the ticket counter).  What I know is there is a 6:30 am ferry from Culebra to Fajardo (be there by 5:30 am & purchase a round-trip ticket).  I arrange a rental car through Thrifty then call them for a pick-up at the ferry terminal (braver friends than I take the publicos.  Next time).  Stop at Golden Sweet Bakery for breakfast!  Be back by 2:00 pm for the 3:00 ferry.  I see crazy stories on the internet about lines for the ferry, so I avoid weekends & holidays (Thanksgiving through Three Kings weekend--Jan 6--is crazy).

And THAT is how you run errands in Culebra, mi amigos!

Reference:

Dos Libras gets propane http://www.thingswedidtoday.net/2017/01/getting-propane-in-st-thomas.html

Princess Amelia the Cat rides on a ferry

"I need a moment..." in the cockpit after the ferry ride

Amelia the Princess (& lazy-ass navigator who ALWAYS sleeps through her shift) is back to normal.  We had a scare the other day.  She got sick in the evening (isn't that always the way!) and we're on an island with no vet!  As an old lady pushing 20, constipation is normal.  I knew we were on day three without a poo.  Then she started to strain, pace and the famous drag-the-butt-on-everything--the couch, our bed, the salon table!   This had never happened before but I knew it was serious.  We stayed up in shifts overnight with her (she eventually exhausted herself).  We even attempted to give her an enema (you can learn how to do anything on ehow.com!)  

At 5:30 am, after 3 hours sleep, I decided to take her on the 6:30 am ferry to Fajardo.  (The Captain stayed behind with the boat in case I missed the last ferry back).  It was a 1 hr, 30 min ride and I was able to get two vet recommendations from my Women Who Sail FaceBook group including address/phone numbers/email before we docked!  El Capitan wanted me to grab a taxi, but I spotted the Thrifty rental car van & hopped in behind another couple.  "DO YOU HAVE ANY CARS?!"  They gave a last minute walk-in their normal econo rate with directions & I was off.  

Luckily, I knew the area pretty well from our time at the marina and arrived at Dr. Delgado's by 9:00 am. They had received my email & were expecting us.  He was AMAZING (and yes, spoke perfect English.  Many pet & people Dr's get their education in the US but you never know)!  In addition to our reason for coming, he officially diagnosed her arthritis (we'd been getting anti-inflammatory shots every 3 months after another emergency visit in Palm Beach, FL--the week before Thanksgiving and the week we were scheduled to leave for the Bahamas.  It was a hail mary pass by another wonderful vet to alleviate her obvious pain & it worked).  An x-ray showed two compressions & the beginning of spurs, so on top of continuing the shots, he recommended a supplement to help with the joints & a hairball/laxative.  

Mom's treat for her efforts.  Flan!  Yep, I took the ferry into Fajardo, rented a car & navigated.  Alone!

He asked if I had any errands I could do while he gave her an enema ("YES!!!") so I was off to breakfast (left without even having a cup of coffee or brushing my teeth!), grocery store and WalMart.  I returned after lunch & they were trying to coax her into her carrier so I could make the 3:00 ferry back to Culebra (the techs could not have been any gentler, although a little afraid of the hissing psycho she becomes at the vet, even though she only weighs 6 lbs & has no teeth!).  

Not what you want to see as you board a boat.

Upon arriving back at the boat, she wasn't speaking to either of us & didn't want to be touched.   (Feeling violated, I'm sure!). She went for a walk around the cockpit, then in for food & water, then curled up in the cubby behind her food bowl & went to sleep.  I was greeted the next morning by a loving & HUNGRY little girl.  I spoiled that by giving her a bath (Yes, we bath our cat.  No, it's not easy but I grew up in a house with show Persians so I'm a pro--fast & efficient but we did stop for pics...Yes, we used precious fresh water to bath a cat!). 

Saying "Thank you.  I feel better." to Mama the next morning.

"You've got 2 minutes and I'm outta here..."

She usually doesn't sit still for the towel

"Ohey.  What a mess she made!"

AGAIN:  I shared this before & I'll share it again.  Our cat is almost 20.  Friends in Brunswick also had an old cat & their vet demanded NO DRY FOOD which is also what Dr. Delgado demanded.  She was getting both but especially in older cats, it can cause dehydration.  NO DRY FOOD!

A special thank you to all of our cruiser friends who recommended a vet then messaged via FB all day to check on her progress.  I appreciated all your kind words!  It was a long day.

Headed to Culebra, Take 2

(I have no idea why the font size is randomly changing.  I can't fix it.  I'm posting it before I delete the whole dang thing on accident.)

What's that big, white, flappy thing...(yes, that's Culebra off in the distance!)

We see another weather window so we make attempt number two for Culebra.  It turns out to be a nice sail with much smoother water.  Sails can be seen in every direction and texts are flying!  "Where are you now?!"

Three weeks after we landed in Puerto Rico and after a week at a remote anchorage, we finally arrive in Ensanada Honda, Culebra!  (Which means snake in Spanish because of the shape of the island, I hope).  We motorsailed 1/3 of the way then motored the rest. We had a much better ride than our last attempt and got an EXCELLENT spot in 12 ft of water behind S/V Sail Pending.  S/V Dos Libras will be here tomorrow!  The anchorage is not as crowded as last time.  Life is good.  Zacos Tacos & a bushwhacker are in my future.

Mamacitas Restaurant off the canal

We quickly hop in the dinghy to find some dinner. We were only here two days last time, but there is no shortage of restaurants. Lacking motivation, we try a restaurant we haven't been to yet because it's closest. We chose something off the chalkboard and chat with our waitress, Maggie who just moved to the island a week ago. "What in the heck made you move here? We only know it existed because we're on a sailboat?!"

Ahhhhh, the sound of roosters at 5:00 am...while sleeping on our boat in the Caribbean still makes me laugh! They're a special breed here one the island that start well before sunrise and continue throughout the day. Drunk, inbred, roosters.

The theme of this stop is new friends and old friends.  I'm amazed how quickly we run into old friends and make new friends.  Apparently, the time of year and our location means we can sit still while FaceBook friends and friends of friends pass through.  

S/V Dos Libras is my muse every morning, because every #sunrise picture is better with a #sailboat in it!  #nofilter

We stop by Sail Pending, to meet a Women Who Sail FaceBook friend in person.  We tell them about plans for a dinghy drift.  They invite some more friends.  

What's a dinghy drift?  We had no idea.  Tammy on Dos Libras arrives and comes up with the idea.  Apparently, everyone dinghies out into the middle of the bay, ties together & chats until the group drifts towards shore (or in our case, the mangroves).  Then someone starts an outboard and pushes the group back out into the middle.  We'd never heard of it, but quickly helped spread the word.  At the last minute, everyone decides to bring snacks.  Huh?

Tammy of Dos Libras who came up with the idea for a dinghy drift

A rare photo of the crew of Odin courtesy of Dos Libras

There's even a video!
https://www.facebook.com/kristie.weiss/videos/10209767106727391/

White caps in the anchorage...sounds like a song lyric.

A rain shower breaks up the party and that will be the last smooth day in the anchorage.  No more dinghy drifts.  We'd planned on hanging out here for a month, because we've got nothing better to do, but then the Christmas winds arrive.  What are the Christmas winds?  Good question.  In December and January, from the Bahamas on down, high-pressure to the northeast can cause the easterly trade winds to become stronger for a period of several days to two weeks.  This results in sustained 20-30 kts winds which can create some big waves on open water in the process.

We aren't going anywhere!  Our little piece of heaven is actually considered a hurricane hole (although I have yet to find an official definition of what that entails) so it's not a bad place to hang out.  However, 20 kts of wind will make any large enough body of water choppy.  Many of our neighbors are lamenting about being stuck inside.  However, I coaxed El Capitan into the dinghy for a wet ride into town for lunch (apparently, I owed him a cheeseburger so it wasn't hard).

Despite our confidence in our Mantus anchor (and the fact we've been here for a week, which means our anchor should be BURIED) this casual conversation took place:

• Me:  At least we'll run aground before we drag into the mega-sportfish...
• Him:  Yeah, that's good.
• Yeah, we're not right in the head.

And then we went to bed.  This is the least fun part of cruising.  A rolly anchorage.  I'm not whining, just painting a picture:  I'm awoken by the wind howling through our 2 overhead hatches.  Do you close them to  get rid of the whistling and be hot? Or leave them open?  I closed one.  The waves are splashing against the side of the boat.  In our case, they also come between the hulls & if big enough, splash up against our bridge deck--under our bed.  Not constantly--just every few minutes, right as you are falling asleep.  AND THEN, every once in awhile, the boat lurches against it's chain and anchor which is basically like a cup of cold water in my face.  I get up.  I step out into the cockpit to confirm the winds have picked up from 20 to 25 (because that will help me sleep...) and a cursory glance towards the dinghy reveals it is a little farther from the mother ship than usual.  I turn on the flashlight.  The painter is missing and it's hanging by it's security line.   Now I'm wide awake.  EL CAPITAAAAAAAN!  (Because if I'm up, he should be up...).  We dig the painter out of the water & resecure.  He goes back to bed.  Amelia the Cat is awake, so I decide to hang out in the salon with my nocturnal baby--who promptly curls up & goes to sleep.  GRRRRRR.  That was rude!

My favorite Chris Parker-ism (marine meteorologist):  

"Least bad E-bound option".  

Lol. Sign me up!

The Captain does various projects around the boat & sometimes I don't even notice:
"Where did you go?"
"I was working on the {insert boat widget}."
"I didn't know it was broken."
"It's not. I fixed it."

And then there are no pictures to share!

Apparently, at some point, one of the supports for our trampoline broke off & it was repaired with safety wire. (I do not remember this at all!).

So yesterday, El Capitan repaired it with a bent bolt. Hmmmm, you can hardly tell! (Zoom in & you can see bolt threads!)

Companionway:  definition, front door

Taping off then sealant to fix a leak

Project #2:  Several rain showers roll through, reminding me that we had a minor leak at the companionway hatch, when it rained A LOT!  So out he goes with masking tape, a knife, acetone and some sealant.  Another chore done.  Nap time.

Stats:  Total time 3:40, avg speed 5.3 kts (0.5 kt into current), total mileage 17.0 nm.  1/3 motorsail, 2/3 2 engine-motor.

Cheapskates on the Move, Saving Data--Offline Netflix (UPDATE: International availability)

Netflix downloading is HUGE!

As of December 2016, Netflix now allows downloading content for viewing offline.  This is huge for those of us who are occasionally offline for extended periods of time.  (NOTE:  As of Jan 2017, we have T-Mobile.  We are able to stream through our Binge On while in Puerto Rico so we're loading up for the black hole of T-Mobile coverage--USVI!)  UPDATE:  Many cruisers (including us) were under the assumption Netflix didn't work outside the US.  This isn't quite true!  Netflix is worldwide but the selection varies by country.  You may not be able to get your favorite shows, but you may be able to find something new--which is exactly what we're looking for.  It DOESN'T work in the Bahamas (unless you're using a VPN, which I believe, Netflix is on to) which is probably where we all got confused.

Netflix has an excellent help section, but I'll share some screenshots (from my iPhone) to make it easier:  https://help.netflix.com/en/node/54816

First, make sure you have the latest software update that makes downloading possible (see photo above):   App store, & click "Updates" on bottom right.  

Log in, then click at the top left...

Not all shows can be saved offline--try "Available for Download"

When you find something, it will look like this.  Tap on the arrow at the right to download

Saved offline downloads look like this

To play or delete, just tap the blue arrow

Check out the blog, cheapskates-on-move-tv-movies for info on mirroring your iPhone or iPad to the TV.

Cheapskates on the Move, Saving Data--Offline Google Maps

Google Maps without internet

Google Maps with internet

Did you know every time you open the Google Maps app (or any other navigation app) you are using your cellular data?  You probably aren't aware, unless you've tried to use it somewhere without internet access.  For us, saving our cellular data is HUGE since it's our primary source of internet (and expensive).  One way to save money is to download Google Maps for your area.  Here's what I did this morning:

Google Maps has an excellent help section.  Here's a link to their directions but I've provided my less tech-savvy friends with the following screenshots (iPad).  You're welcome.

https://support.google.com/maps/answer/6291838?co=GENIE.Platform%3DiOS&hl=en

First pick a place:  Supposedly, our phones won't work in the US Virgin Islands, so I'll download St. Thomas in case we need to run some errands on the island...

First you need to sign in by clicking over there

Sign into your Google account (same as Gmail, Blogger, YouTube)

Select "Offline areas"

Then click "Custom area"

"Download this area?"  Click "download" at the bottom right.  (It will tell you if the file is too large and then you have to zoom in to select a smaller area).

Then "Name offline area"

Bam!  You're done.  If you are without internet (or turn cellular data off to save data) then the app for that area should still work like normal.  Supposedly, even directions work but I haven't tried it yet.

Marina then onto our secret anchorage

Our house is FLOATING!  Yeah!

We schedule three days at the dock to shake down all the systems.  Toilet, water, electrical, solar, refrigerator, exercise engines, dinghy outboard, etc.  However, Mother Nature makes it a week.  With no good weather window in the five day forecast, El Capitan is reluctant to leave air conditioning & showers behind for an unknown amount of time at an anchorage.

Everyone is trying to get adjusted.  "Who keeps closing the DANG DOOR?!"

I swing by the marina office to see about a weekly rate.  "Hmmmm, you're already getting the weekly rate?..."  "Gracias.  Buenos Dias." as I bolt out of the office.

Quiet Thanksgiving on Odin. Reading, naps, internet & a little tv (brought Modern Family on dvd back with us). A little bored but getting adjusted to the slower life on the boat.  We're watching weather & waiting for an opportunity to get the sails on then scoot out of the marina

One morning I peek out to discover flat calm water.
"QUICK!  GET THE GENOA UP!"  Dragging it out into the cockpit and then up on deck is no small task.  Then it's out of the bag, feed onto the roller furler & furl before the First Mate becomes airborne.   This sucker is HUGE!  No pics.  It's all hands on deck.

Culebra Take #1--it doesn't look so bad.  "Hello, Vieques..."

And then, we think we have a day!  We're optimistic.  We go with the NOAA Offshore forecast (and ignore the Chris Parker forecast that is less optimistic).  It seems like the wind has let up, so we do one more weather check and shove off the dock.  The skies are gray but we don't care.  After all, we only needed to go 20 miles.  It's a 4-hour motor.  We can tough it out!  (Spoiler alert:  Not!)

The first hour isn't bad but I am quickly becoming sea sick.  Disappointed I'd lost my sea legs so quickly, I gut it out.  "These waves on the nose suck."  "Yeah." Chuckle.

At the end of hour two, I reluctantly duck down below to check on the cat who has decided sitting on the table in rough seas was a good idea.  "I think the waves are getting bigger."  "Really?"  "I just saw a 25 knot gust.  We should turn around."  Groan.  "The good news is it will be a short sail back to Pinero!"  We're only halfway to Culebra and our speed has dropped to 3 kts.  But I'm excited to try out the secret anchorage as we execute a 180.  I grab on to something, which is funny because the ride suddenly becomes awesome!  Quieter.  Smooths out.  I exhale the breath I've been holding.  We're flying (from 3 kts to 7+ kts) with the engines at idle.  As we near the coast, the wind abates to less than 10 kts (good to know!) so I quickly start programming in VanSant's coordinates.  Just to make it a little more exciting, one engine quits.  After a full day of "sailing" we are 3 miles from where we started!  (When we arrive in Culebra, this will be the question we are asked most often--"You stopped on the way to Culebra?!  How was it?  We've never been there!")

Bruce Van Sant's "Gentleman's Guide to Passage's South"

We know about Isla Pineros anchorage, because we've read about it in Van Sant's book.  However, we passed by the east coast by on the way to Culebra the first time.  The Captain passed it up for air conditioning on the way from Vieques back to Puerto del Rey.  This time, he was eager to go straight to Culebra.

Pavlidis, Puerto Rico: The East Coast

There's also a blurb in "Island Hopping Digital Guide to Puerto Rico: The East Coast" by Stephen Pavlidis.

Our friends s/v Outta Control confirmed it is a legitimate anchorage and that they've stayed there on their way to haul out at Puerto del Rey.

It doesn't show up on Active Captain, probably because it looks like it's in the Restricted Area.  I attempted to add it, but it's still pending.  I guess it's our little secret.  Shhhhhhhh, don't tell anyone else.

It's surprisingly protected from the trade winds and when tucked into 9 ft of water, there is a tide swing but it's minimal.   It's fun drifting by our anchor!

Our Garmin BlueCharts

Our first sunset over Pineros is spectacular

With nothing but time on my hands, I'm ready to try a Puerto Rican rice & beans recipe, Habichuelas Guisadas in the pressure cooker.

One peaceful, scenic day after another...

A spotted ray drifted by

After a few days of being lazy, we mozy out to put the mainsail back on.  Not an easy task.  I sneak up on deck and he let's me help (except I wander off to take pictures of rays)!

The main goes back on

Before:  UV damaged Dutchman line

After:  New Dutchman line

Just for fun, we also replace the Dutchman lines that help us drop our main sail.  We've snapped them a few times.  They are easy enough to replace but the sun's UV is brutal.

We're a sailboat again!

I love seeing this face peeking around the corner in the morning. "Heeellloooo!  Are you guys awake?  I can hear you in there!  I'm waaiiitinggg...". Everyone is getting back in their rhythm.

Chillin' in the cockpit

Can you see our anchor?  We get a glimpse as we drift by with the current change

We had to replace a phone while in Fajardo.  I suddenly realized, if they have an office here, does Binge On still work?  Um, yes!  We're watching TV!  And then Netflix adds the download feature.  We're all set.

Our anchor reset in the last storm but we're still in deep water

Our only neighbor, getting closer...

I had heard that many of the powerboats from the marina come out on the weekends.  However, we only see one sailboat.  They drop anchor nearby & head for the beach (apparently you can go as far as the beach!).  Later, they disappear in their tiny dinghy as two small squalls passed by.  Not only did their sailboat start dragging, but we could see their hatches are open!  They eventually show back up, hang out some sheets, raise anchor & motor away.

The perfect spot to decompress into our quieter life on the boat.  We'll be back!

Stats:  Total time 4:15, total mileage traveled 18.6, (actual mileage traveled 3.0), average speed 4.4, motored.