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a 43" mahi mahi
(dolphin fish) we caught between Anguilla and |Virgin Gorda kept us
supplied with good fish for a dozen meals. |
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A solitary dolphin
escorted us as we approached Puerto Rico. For once the crystal clear
water meant that I could get a half decent photograph. |
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The marina at
Puerto Del Rey on Puerto Rico's East coast has room for 1,000 boats
afloat and more in these drystacks. You just call up and they fish
it out with a fork lift. In the foreground you can see little
electric buggies - they use these to chauffeur you round the marina. |
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Old San Juan,
Puerto Rico's capital, has charming old streets like these that tell
of its Spanish heritage. |
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That's the
governor's mansion at the end. |
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This chapel was
built as an open air chapel; pigeons are now the main attendants -
they are considered lucky here. |
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Puerto Rico boats
"the only rainforest on US territory" at El Yunque where they have
created this fine visitor centre. |
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All the hikes in
the rainforest are paved. The one that led us to this great view was
described as 'challenging' - I think because you had to go up steps! |
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Nearby Vieques was
used for many years for mock battles and bombing practice. This
means it is undeveloped and the beaches are lovely. It's a bit
strange though to find your anchorage overseen by the cannon of
rusting tanks! |
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A rainbow over a
perfect beach in Vieques |
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Christiansted on
St. Croix, which was bought from the Danes by the US along with St.
Thomas and St. John in 1917 to form the US Virgin Islands. It's now perfectly preserved and
retains all the charm of Danish colonial architecture |
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The old fort is
full of cool corridors, but the conscripts didn't like the posting
and there was a mutiny here. |
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Nowadays the
cannon don't have much to look at except the odd Maltese flagged
catamaran... |
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Sunset over
Christiansted harbour |
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It's so spick and
span here you even have to get a permit to stand around for a
bit.... |
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St. Thomas, the
'main' island of the USVIs is completely different from St. Croix,
thanks to the cruise ships which bring thousands of visitors each
day, and are flogged watches, jewellery and booze by the same
outfits which they saw in the last port... |
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A view over the
harbour at Charlotte Amalie |
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Seaplanes have
made something of a comeback here and come and go all day long
between the islands. Curiously, cars drive on the left, a legacy of
the time of Danish rule - though most of the cars are US left hand
drive models. |
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The fine old
Danish built fort at Charlotte Amalie. |
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St. John, just a
few miles from St. Thomas is a world away. No cruise ships and two
thirds national park make it a lovely quiet island full of unspoilt
beaches and undamaged coral. Sadly our broken generator meant that
we only spent a few days here before heading back to St. Maarten and
spare parts. |
