March 3rd, 2014

Destination? Dewey, Culebra, Puerto Rico, The Caribbean, Tranquil Beaches, Sunny, Warm! Spring Get-A-Way!

The snow continues as I write this post.  An all day snow event.  March has come in like a lion and we are all hoping it will leave like a lamb.

Warmer temperatures, preferably in a Caribbean island would be just the perfect Spring Get-A-Way.  That’s what I am thinking about today.  Culebra is the island I have just in mind to introduce you to, if you do not know it already.

Puerto Rico owns 2 islands:  Vieques and Culebra.  Vieques is now a bit more commercialized.  Culebra is still just like I remember it so many years ago.  Nothing has changed…still that quiet and tranquil atmosphere, with amazing beaches and topography.

There are several ways to get there, including flying from San Juan.  But, the majority of people take the ferry.  Puerto Rico owns the ferries, but a competitor has a private ferry which as of this writing I have a feeling is not going to be doing the trips unless something changes.  The thing is that the private ferry is so much faster than the locally owned ferry.  I will leave it at that.  I experienced them both.

The ferry leaves from the Port of Fajardo.  The local ferry will take almost 2 hours, at $2.25 per person.  You also will find other passengers on the trip….local color with the fighting cock.

For the most part the trip is pretty good.  But, the sea can get a little rough at times.  Don’t worry, the captains are experienced.  Leave the “mainland” and heading east, our ferry left at 5 p.m.  Culebra is 17 miles east of Puerto Rico.

We arrived in Dewey….yes, there is another Dewey, also named after Admiral George Dewey.  This is the center of the island on the west coast.  It is where the ferries arrive and also where the airport is located.

Dewey has a handful of streets…the Culebrenses are friendly and are happy to answer questions.  Culebra is 7 x 5 miles.  The island has cliffs, sandy coral beaches, and mangrove forests.

Culebra has 10 beaches, 4 forests, 8 bays, 4 lagoons and 24 keys.  It also has the Luis Pena Natural Reserve one of the best snorkeling spots in Culebra and just across from the private residence I was so lucky to be staying.

One of those beaches is amazing and if you are in Culebra just for the day…then it is a must.  It is called Flamenco Beach.

When my husband and I used to visit Culebra so many years ago, it was just the beach.  Now, you can find places to eat, like the Puertorican kiosks, shops and even a camping site.

Roosters and hens roam around the island…part of the local color.  Following the path to beach….

Flamenco Beach is ranked among the best beaches in the Caribbean.  It is the only beach in Culebra with lifeguards, showers, bathrooms and changing rooms.

Walking its coastline, you will come face to face with one of the 2 tanks on this beach.  In 1939 the U.S. Navy began to use Culebra as a gunnery and bombing practice site.  This ended in 1975 when the operations moved to the other island…Vieques.  A lot of controversy never to be forgotten.

Near this tank…a great place for snorkeling.

The posts on Culebra do not end here…..lodging is next!  Stay warm!!  Spring is around the corner.