The Spanish Virgin Islands

Johnny and I went woke up the next day and caught a bus to Rio Piedras at 6:30am, then we took a Publico (shared taxi) to Fajardo on the advice of a local. Our goal for the day was to get to El Yunque and then return in the evening. Once in Fajardo we began asking around for rides to El Yunque and after about an hour we concluded that there were none affordable to El Yunque. I suggested we at least find a place to stay when we come back since we came all the way here, for $9.50 round trip mind you. He agreed so we went to a library and we happened upon the most helpful librarian and one of the most helpful people I have ever encountered. She spent about an hour with us making phone calls and talking to friends. She found a little old lady two blocks away that would rent us a place for $25 a night on a favor. She apparently used to rent this place but when she began having medical problems she stopped altogether so this was very kind of her. Especially considering the fact that we are two Americans and total strangers. We kept asking around about rides to El Yunque and eventually we discovered that there truly are no rides to El Yunque. You can buy a tour package for $85 but this means your stuck in a big troublesome group and restricted to 9AM to 1PM. Or you can hire a taxi to take you about two miles short of the entrance for $60 but you had better be able to miraculously find a ride afterwards. We planned on repeating our journey the next day and then renting a car upon arrival in Fajardo.

I woke up the next morning at six and saw a light flick on in the kitchen. My room has a window and outside that is a tiny courtyard across from the courtyard is the kitchen so I have a direct view of the whole. I knew it must be Johnny so I threw on my clothes and went to the kitchen. He was gone by the time I stepped in so I went to his room and knocked a few times. No answer, suddenly I heard some voices downstairs and I heard Tina the landlady saying goodbye to someone. So I snatched up my stuff and left my key on the Fourier table. I dashed to the bus terminal and caught the bus to Rio Piedras, the number 1. I didn't see Johnny there so I thought maybe that it was the second bus. I knew I could catch him at the Publico terminal and "worst case" at the flat we rented. When I got to the Publico terminal still no Johnny and this time it was the first van for the day so I realized that it was I who had left him in San Juan not the other way around like I had originally thought. There were two girls dressed for the beach standing by the van and they said they were planning on catching the ferry to Culebra. I said what the hell and went with them. The ticket for the Ferry was $4 round trip and we made it to the terminal with plenty of time to spare.

The ferry ride was an adventure unto itself. The sea was a bit rough that day due to winter winds. The ferry bucked and rolled and we all got drenched in sea water. There were a couple of times where I swore it was gonna capsize, but it never did. Little by little most of the people went below deck to the sealed cabin but those of us remaining were getting our moneys worth. This one guy and I were just laughing hysterically at the massive plumes of water washing over the passengers and the deck. Another dude was really concerned about a capsize and I laughed and pointed at the rows of lifeboats strapped to the bridge and said "That's what those are for." I went below to use the bathroom which was in heinous condition because the toilet water was sloshing out every few seconds. While I was below I saw that most of the passengers were totally sick. One kid I saw earlier was on the floor desperately clutching a paper bag and he had a definite greenish hue to him. I went back topside and enjoyed the remaining fifteen minutes.

Once on Culebra I rented snorkel equipment at $13 for the day and took a Publico to Flamenco beach. Once there I met Owen and his Girlfriend Alista both of whom were from Philly. We all took a hike through the forest and over the mountain to get to the less populated beach on the other side that's renowned for snorkeling. It was a beautiful hike with amazing views of the surrounding islands and a distant view of Puerto Rico's east coast. Once at the beach I stashed my pack and donned my snorkel gear. I swam out to the little buoy (a milk jug strapped to the reef) and began snorkeling.

The approach to the actual reef was sudden and startling. At first all I could see was a shadow and some movement and then the clouds above me blew away and I came closer. The sight made my heart race and I felt an enormous rush of adrenaline as I swam over the reef. There were fish every where and a tiny school of Angel fish began swimming with me. They followed me for a long time as I explored and when I crossed to the ocean side of the reef they parted. I saw a magnificent fish that looked like it had a rainbow painted on the side of it. I was so excited by the whole experience that I swam back to the beach to see if Owen and Alista had began. Alista was having some troubles coping with the idea of swimming out to sea without a life vest or lifeguards but I assured her it was very doable. This was of no comfort and so I gave up and me and Owen walked to the far side of the beach and snorkeled at a spot he was told about. It was an incredibly rocky coast line here and getting in the water proved surprisingly difficult but the cuts and bruises we got were well worth it. At first I split off from Owen. I found a massive drop off and couldn't see the bottom of it so I followed the wall and found massive coral shaped like hands. Each "finger" was about as large as I am (six feet). There were little fish all over these coral and the coral over here was much more alive. Also there was a ton of enormous fan like plants waving in the current. The colors were splendid. I popped up briefly to see how Owen was faring and he was up too. We both agreed that it was well worth the walk and the dangerous conditions. He said he had found a really good section and said I should follow him so off we went. He swam between two narrow formations and I followed briefly loosing sight of him. When I emerged on the other side there were dozens of towers and more even larger fingered glove formations wrapped in the fan like leafs. It was a beautiful sight. We decided a bit after this segment that it was time to head back to catch the Publico to the Ferry terminal. I left before them and took my time eating some delicious tostones, chicken, and beans and rice. I briefly napped at the terminal with a wonderful view of the ocean on a sun warmed bench and the ride back to Fajardo was brief and calm. Once back I was reunited with Johnny and we shared our stories.

The next day was spent mostly for rest and preparation for the next. I bought my ferry tickets a day early as I had read and heard that sometimes lines can form at 6AM. Two whole hours before the ticket office opens. These rushes are unpredictable and so I planned accordingly. I got the tickets and a tasty treat from the deli next store and headed back to the flat. The treat (papas rellenas) was a stuffed potato which is in essence a fried ball of mashed potatoes wrapped around a center of seasoned beef, chicken, pork, shrimp, lobster, conch or really any meat you might want. This particular vendor only had beef available. After my day of preperation I retreated back to the flat and enjoyed a quiet evening.