We finally made it. We left Cap Cana on Wednesday with a small weather window, spent a rolly night at Mona Island, and then had a fairly calm motor to Boqueron.  Getting into Mona Island was not for the faint of heart!  There is a small opening between the reefs where you can safely get in.  That opening puts you dangerously close to the reef. We were lined up and then a big wave came and we surfed in.   After the reef, there are a few mooring balls but they are so close to shore.  It was a pretty anchorage, but not for the faint of heart in a northern swell!

When we left the next morning the waves were about 5 feet and coming from all over.  Once we got away from the island though, the seas gradually flattened out, and we had a good trip.  It was late afternoon on Thursday when we arrived at Boqueron, so we called immigration and they told us to come in on Friday.  We called Raul, the cab driver, and he took us to Mayaguez that afternoon to clear customs.  He also gave us some time to shop at the mall for Tristan’s birthday.  What a shock that was!  It was so weird to be in a busy MALL after so much time away.  Dan loves Puerto Rico, the jury is still out for me, as I keep comparing it unfavorably to Dominican Republic, but more on that later.  At the mall, we raced around for 3 hours, and only got to spend 15 minutes in Borders bookstore, which was something Dan and I had been looking forward to for months!!  But Tristan got his birthday present, and a Baskin Robbin Ice Cream Cake, which we carried through the mall for an hour, and then the 30 minute cab ride home.  It was great though, and he was extremely grateful.

That night we ate at Galloways and has luck would have it, they had a book exchange.  We hadn’t brought any of our books in, but the owner told me to take as many as I wanted.  We were very happy. Boqueron is all decked out for the holidays. Today we explored the town some more, looking for some fresh fruit and vegetables.  I was so happy I was able to get some more avacados.  Tonight we will take some pictures of all the lights.  We are leaving tomorrow to head to Caba Rojo, then to Gilligans Island and then Ponce.  We won’t have internet until Ponce.  Yesterday we saw the most beautiful sunset, with the GREEN FLASH!!  First time we have ever seen that.  I hope  to get some pictures of the sunset tonight and put them on the website in Ponce.

  At Mona Island, you have a very narrow space to enter between some fierce looking reefs.

  Mona Island   Boqueron at last

  Looks like we may have a long awaited, although small, weather window for tomorrow!  Tristan’s birthday is coming up and he is dying to get some where he can buy something with the leftover gift cards from last birthday.  We are currently getting the bottomcleaned and the boat washed and waxed for a very cheap fee. The guy, Gustavo is doing an excellent job.  This marina is nice, but the customer service is nothing like Ocean World.  We were so spoiled there.  They really took good care of us.   We miss all our friends there, Roberto, Ramon, Pablo, Saira, Modesto, and Wilfredo, and of course all our friends at the marina restaurant, and Sara and Brooks.  We hope they are doing well!  

Gustavo did such an amazing job on our boat!  He cleaned the bottom and washed, waxed and polished everything!  The stainless steel is beautiful!!  He only charged us $50.00 to clean the bottom and the rest was $80.00.  So well worth it!!!

If you come to Cap Cana please get in touch with him.  He is a very hard worker.

Funny story!  When we came into Cap Cana last week, our portable generator was leaking fuel.  When Dan tried to start it up, it wouldn’t run.  He tried worked on it several times and it didn’t work.  So today, he decided to give it to Gustavo.  It was going to be a tough translation as Gustavo doesn’t speak english.  So I typed into our online Spanish translator, “you can have the generator, but  you will need to fix it.”

While I read the translation, Dan dutifully repeated it to Gustavo and tried to start it to show that it didn’t work.  Well of course, first pull, generator starts right up.  Now Dan is so embarrassed, and the kids and I are laughing our heads off.  How do you translate RENIG to spanish?  Gustavo was fine with it.  I am sure he just thinks we are crazy!  I did wish him Feliz Navidad y Anos prosperos Nuevo.  He gave us a big Dominican smile!

Ok, I think I will just let the pictures speak for themselves.

   Is this cool or what?