We Had A Boat For A Minute

I recently managed to grab two days off island.  Old San Juan is an eater and architectural paradise.  Whatever food you want, you can find it lodged in some wonderful old buildings.  Anyway, flying back to Vieques reminded me of how beautiful our island is.  The recent steady rains have turned Vieques a perfect green. The lush mountainsides that give you your first glimpse of Vieques?  To die for!!!!!  The leaves that died a salt death as Hurricane Earl went past have already begun to rejuvenate.  The only lasting effect are the new potholes that have turned up along the Garcia Road.  Each trip requires a new slalom course.

Our large cargo boat, the Cayo Largo, headed back to St. Thomas for further repairs today.  Hopefully, it will be a short visit to the ferry hospital.  Of course, just yesterday I was thinking how all things have gotten back to normal.  The gas lines are totally nonexistent, there are plenty of fresh vegetables in every store, and there is simply more Medalla than we can drink.  The beaches are crystal clear and the water is beginning to cool.  All things are good.

We are still in the off off season, so the island is pretty quiet.  Several restaurants are still on hiatus for another week or two.  Dan, the new owner of Mar Azul, was shooting for an October 1 opening but has been once again stymied by the paper police.  He is hopeful that the last few things he needs will fall into place within the next two weeks.  We hope so too, since we haven't heard any bad singing in a while. 

Mikey has shut down Duffy's for a few days for cleaning and equipment repair.  We should be back open by the weekend.  Bananas, Lazy Jack's and Belly Buttons are open seven days. Belly Buttons is doing football specials like BBQ ribs every Sunday.   I haven't seen a new posting for what Beverly may be cooking at Lazy Jack's in October.  Hopefully her salmon salad will make an appearance. 

La Reina and Next Course are open north side.  La Reina has specialty nights featuring $2 beers, shots and tacos. There are some rumors afloat that the folks who were running the BBH kitchen will reopen at Crow's Nest in the next little while.  I will confirm or deny that rumor soon. 

The Humane Society raised almost $500 at its first garage sale.  There is another one the Saturday the 2nd.  Turn right at the Mambiche bridge, you will see it up on the left.  If you have never ventured into Mambiche, bring the smallest, skinniest car you own.  The roads are a challenge in that barrio. 

Speaking of challenging, if you recall an earlier blog warning you of the large black bull in residence just outside Esperanza, he now has a friend.  There is a large female cow, nearly as large as the bull.  The upside is that she is white.  The downside is that without a moon you cannot see her either.  Be careful.

TWO EVENTS AT THE FORT::

1.Saturday, October 2 at 7 PM: Opening of exhibit of art by S. Damary
Burgos.
Also, concert with Fernandito Ferrer.
2.Sunday, October 3 at 1:00 PM: Conversation with Puerto Rican ex-political
prisoner Carlos Alberto Torres

Yard Sale Saturdays

Vieques Humane Society will have a yard sale every Saturday, 8:00 am -1:00
pm in Mambiche (Isabel II).
Over the bridge and straight ahead.
La Sociedad de Animales (VHSAR) celebrará un pulguero todos los sábados,
8:00 am - 1:00 pm en Mambiche (Isabell II).   Cruza el puente y sigue
derecho.

jts
"Life is simple. Everything happens for you, not to you. Everything happens
at exactly the right moment, neither too soon nor too late.
You don't have to like it... it's just easier if you do."
— Byron Katie

Youtube Ferry protest video

Here is a link to a video about the ferry protest.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzLin0hRWGc

JC

We have Boats, Gas, and Beer

Last week's protest at the ferry dock managed to keep the Secretary of the Department of Transportation from landing on the island.  Most everyone believes that at least now he knows how we feel when we are unable to get to the main island, or get goods from the main island.  According to one paper, a temporary solution has been an agreement with the Puerto Rico National Guard to provide cargo service to Vieques.  I can tell you that on Friday, there was a passenger boat coming in on the 4:30 run, and it was on time.  I know this because I saw it from the airport while waiting for my flight that was, of course, late.  Anyway, it seems that things are happening for the better.  I can verify this later after I go north side and hopefully buy some vegetables.

Hurricane Igor pasted well north of us, but did make for some bumpy boat and plane rides.  It is amazing how the north coast can be rough and the seas murky while a mere 6 miles away, the south coast is crystal clear.  I spent Sunday afternoon on Blue Beach which was a bit too bouncy for snorkeling, but you could see for miles underwater.  The water temperature seems to be dropping and although September is prime jellyfish season, I have not seen very many.  This does make for much more pleasant floating.

Beverly is offering some dinner specials at Lazy Jack's this month.  Every Wednesday is Italian Night and every Saturday is Thanksgiving Dinner.  Prices are around $10.  Al's is still closed, but the rumor mill has an October 1 reopen date.  I haven't seen much of Dan, the new owner, these last few days, so the rumor is probably true.  Belly Buttons is doing football this season, with the bar open Saturdays for college ball and Sundays for the pros. Craig and Norma put together some food specials to absorb the alcohol.  Last Sunday it was meatloaf or a real Maryland crab cake with homemade mac and cheese. 

The W has been relatively busy.  We see quite a number of the guests coming into Duffy's and they are generally a great crowd.  I hear that there are a number of wedding groups and conferences scheduled for the remainder of the month.  This is super news for all the shops and restaurants. 

While driving around the island, now that there is gas, don't forget to stop at the various food vendors along the roadsides.  Hector's Pincho Stand just past the Green Store in Esperanza is amazing.  I don't know what he marinates the chicken in, but it is good.  Hector is there most every day.  The other must stop is on the weekend nights in front of the Post Office.  This is the place for conch and or octopus salad. 

JC

No Telefono

In case you have been trying to contact anyone in Esperanza by land line telephone, don't bother.  Telephones have been down on the south side for two days now, and repairs are not on the radar.  There are several theories as to why we have no phones.  Most people are going with the fact that the service in Esperanza has not been upgraded since the mid-nineties and therefore is subject to failure.  Sounds good to me.  In the meantime, the Esperanza businesses are not closed, just incommunicado right now.

The protest at the ferry dock scheduled for tomorrow is a bigger thing than anticipated.  Speaker trucks have been going around the island announcing the protest and asking for everyone to get to the dock by 4:30am to stop the off loading of the first boat.  According to the radio, the same protest is planned for Culebra as well.  Of course, Hurricane Igor will begin to cause high seas tonight and tomorrow, which may keep the boats in port anyway.  Igor is supposed to turn northward today and pass 500 miles to our north and east. CROSS YOUR FINGERS!!!!!

Just a quick word on the speakertrucks.  Anyone who has spent anytime on the island has heard them.  They pass through the neighborhoods at very low speeds announcing everything from business specials to funerals to community events.  We do not have a radio station (except the bible one in Esperanza) or a daily local paper that can help get the word out, so speakertrucks were born.  The only thing is, they are so loud as to be incomprehensible in any language.  My neighbors and I try to piece together the Spanish and the English and come up with what's happening.  Usually we have to wait until they are at least two streets away.

Back after the protest and Igor unless the cellphone suffer the same malaise as the landlines.

JC

COCONUTS

To the entire Coconuts family of guests, friends and staff....THANK YOU for an amazing year! 

This past season would not have been possible without ALL of you!

Coconuts is now closed for our annual Summer Holiday

reopening Friday October 15th!

jts

Gaston is Next

Well, Fiona was a wasn't.  She passed far, far away.  The next one, Gaston, has been and now isn't.  He may be again.  If he stays an isn't, he should bring us some rainfall by Tuesday or Wednesday.  Oddly, we could use it.  Earl brought lost of salt water ashore, killing off most of the leaves on the trees along the Malecon, Sun Bay, etc.  Further inland you can see signs of the salt damage in less protected areas.  A local expert told me that lots of water on plant roots will help them flush the salt from their systems.  He said the old trees will survive: we just have to wait till they regenerate. 

The Next Course had to delay their opening until Saturday night.  Just as I said the ferries were running, most of them broke, and only one cargo boat was servicing both Vieques and Culebra.  Needless to say, the food and gas situation was a bit limited.  If you are planning to visit during the next month, my advice is to fly.  While this option is more expensive, it will get you here before your vacation is over.  Truthfully, the cost of the plane is less than a hotel room and meals if the boats are full for a day or two.

Al's Mar Azul is closed for the month of September.  Our AA sponsors are pretty pleased with that.  The new owner's are still working on some paper stuff with Puerto Rico.  (that's surprising, huh?)  Coconuts finished up last night for about six weeks.  La Reina will be open through September and October, along with Conuco. Roy's is open for a blast of java as well.  I have some intel that a formerly famous island chef will be opening a place.  Not a another word until I confirm it, or mostly confirm it. 

Duffy's is open every day, with daily specials when the boats are running.  Bananas is also open every day with happy hour from 3-7pm.  Lazy Jack's and Belly Button are open seven days.  Between those four places there is plenty to do on the Malecon right now.  Every Sunday, there is roasted chicken available across from the fisherman's parking lot.  It is outrageously good.  There never seems to be a lack of chicken here.  Go figure that one.

Let you know if Gaston is or isn't in a few days.

JC

Goodbye Earl, Hello Fiona

Thankfully, Earl passed with relatively little impact.  It was pretty windy and a few gusts hit the 80 mph mark. We were of course, without power for much of Monday and Tuesday.  At 5:30 this morning I got a few drops of water back, until 7:30 when they stopped.  The water issue has nothing to do with the storms, just island life.  Fiona will be passing by us today and tonight.  Her track is further east so the Virgin Islands are under a tropical storm warning, while we are outside the cone.  Whew! 

Duffy's was the only place open on the Malecon on Monday.  Needless to say, it was pretty busy and pretty wet.  We all had a front row view of the kids surfing in Esperanza.  As expected, Coqui Fire Jimmy did not make it out.  Most everyone's liver was pretty well shot from the first going away party, Al's on Saturday and the Hurricane Party on Monday.  We all elected to drink lots of water yesterday in hopes of reversing the damage. (until the 4pm margaritas at La Reina).

In all seriousness, however, people do work together here when there is a threat of a storm.  Before the cell phones went out, calls were flying back and forth with content like, "I just found paper towels and Clorox.  Do you need some?", or "I have an extra gas can I can loan you".  It is times like this that we all feel very fortunate to be living in a community where the first thought is for someone else's needs.

The Next Course is still slated for a Friday opening.  Seas are calm right now, so cargo boats are running.  This means that food will be delivered, which in turn means the restaurants have something to sell.  Be back after Fiona with more.

JC