REPORTS FROM THE RIP: Good bye Dominican Republic and headed to the Virgin Islands

On to new adventures. Its always a sad day when we leave a place like Casa De Campo where we have so many close friends. This season was a real hat tipper. Casa De Campo treats the visiting boats better than any marina I know of. We will be back.

Back deck loaded and headed to the Virgin islands

Casa De Campo behind us

We left The Dominican on Monday. We had hoped to make it as far as Palmas Del Mar on the South east end of the island of Puerto Rico. But the seas in Mona Passage slowed us a bit and we only made it as far as Ponce on the SW coast. Upon arrival I did my duties as captain and called Customs and boarder protection. They informed me that they were coming to the boat. I was not very impressed with the lack of proffesionalism we experience with the two officers that came to the boat. They were degrading to us and just seemed to be pissed off at the world. We did nothing wrong and the boarding went well, but those two officers should be ashamed of the way they carried themselves.
On Tuesday We made the short run down to the SE end of the island. We are at Palmas Del Mar marina. It is a very nice high end resort marina.
Upon arrival, We washed the boat and then rented a car. I use to live on this end of Puerto Rico many moons ago. With Tyler as Navigator and my crusty old brain trying hard to remember where things are at, We took a drive up into the rainforest. Holy crap. it was fun. We made 17 wrong turns and 52 different times, we thought we were on the correct road. ( We were lost most of the time.) But we got a great full view of the entire east side of the rainforest El Yunque
The El Yunque rainforest here is spectacular. There are countless water falls and the jungle is breath taking. Let me just say that Tyler and I saw parts of the rain forest on roads that few people have traveled in years. They need to put up Channel markers!!!!!
After our journey into the deep dark rainforest, We went to Sams Club which is right here in the town of Naguabo just outside of the marina. We loaded the boat to the max with waters and such. It was nice to reprovision in an American style store. Wooooohooooo…. We have Half and Half for our coffee again!!!!!!
Today Tyler and I are driving to San Juan to pick up his girlfriend. She will ride with us tomorrow to St Thomas. Our plan is to fish the South Drop along the way to St T.
Again I can not that everyone enough in Casa De Campo for your friendship and hospitality.