Location: Culebra, Spanish Virgin Islands
The crew of Three@Sea greeted 2011 in the colorful, charismatic, Caribbean colony of Culebra. And let me tell you, they know how to throw a
community New Years party. With a total island population of 2400, I’m guessing we shared the streets with most of the islands residents and a few other lucky visitors like ourselves. Particularly striking at this festive gathering was the age range, from newborn babies to great grandmas and grandpas. This was a family community event where everyone turned out with their lawn chairs, coolers on wheels, and a bounty of food; to dance, laugh and celebrate the end of one year and welcome the beginning of another. Heartwarming and festive best describe the evening. The steady beat of a live salsa band provided the rhythm for the evening as grandmas danced with grandsons, fathers supervised firework detonations, moms made sure everyone was fed, friends were arm and arm, and everywhere faces were alight with smiles and laughter.
community New Years party. With a total island population of 2400, I’m guessing we shared the streets with most of the islands residents and a few other lucky visitors like ourselves. Particularly striking at this festive gathering was the age range, from newborn babies to great grandmas and grandpas. This was a family community event where everyone turned out with their lawn chairs, coolers on wheels, and a bounty of food; to dance, laugh and celebrate the end of one year and welcome the beginning of another. Heartwarming and festive best describe the evening. The steady beat of a live salsa band provided the rhythm for the evening as grandmas danced with grandsons, fathers supervised firework detonations, moms made sure everyone was fed, friends were arm and arm, and everywhere faces were alight with smiles and laughter.
The evening was an ideal compilation of what I hope the new year holds for Three@Sea. A new location and culture to celebrate. The warmth of family and friends. A sense of adventure (as we made our way back to the boat on moonless night through the harbor in 20 knot winds). Smiles, laughter and celebration.
When Culebra isn’t throwing a festive New Year’s bash, it’s an extremely relaxed village were locals, cruisers and day tourist from Puerto Rico might be seen hiking the dense tropical forest, sipping “bushwackers” (the islands specialty drink) at Mamacitas while watching iguanas lounge on the seawall, or frolicing at Flamenco Beach considered by many (from Discovery Channel to Beach Bum Paradise) as one of the top beaches in the world. I loved all those things, but for me, I most enjoyed the colors of the buildings. The brightness and playfulness of the buildings spoke volumes about the heart of the people that live here. Viva Culebra!
¡Feliz Año Nuevo! Wishing you and your families, wisdom, love, joy, prosperity and a dash of adventure in this beautiful new year. 🙂
We are very jealous and envious of your adventure………………you ROCK (pun intended…with 20mph winds)!
Your images’ and description make us feel like we are sitting on the poop deck………………bravo!
A and J
OK – now we are really jealous – Hopefully Erin won’t see this anytime soon. So glad you made it. We loved all of Puerto Rico.
Hi Guys,
Culebra sounds like a place we would like to visit. Hope to see you back there some day soon. It would be a much warmer area than our 18 degree morning temperature, thats almost minus 8 degrees celcius. Enjoybergen your stay in Puerto Rico
I loved your article. I am forwarding blog to my youngest daughter. She spent 2 years in the Peace Corp in Belize and this reminds me so much of her village. Keep us posted.
Kathryn, what a pleasure to read your posts now that you are back to cruising. I have missed your articles this past year and with your return to the sea it is as if each of you has come alive again. Each of your posts from the three of you is a delight to read.
The very best to each of you in 2011 and here’s to many, many happy days of cruising ahead.
Sincerely
Roy
North Fort Myers, FL (till March takes us back to Manitoulin)
OK, now it’s time to get over to the south coast of PR. Folks are great and the towns are lovely. You can get there via Vieques, where you’ll be all by yourself in your own perfect anchorage. Just watch out for the unexploded ordinance.
Don’t believe Sheryl, it’s 12 here this morning.
Hello! I live in Culebra and just read about your daughter’s ocean advocacy , then watched the video presentation. Wonderful!! Sure wish I had met you in Culebra; we would have loved to have her visit and present to our schools here. If you come back through Culebra please let me know. And Happy Voyages!
Sincerely, Teresa
Kathryn
I enjoy your post so much. I love hearing about your adventures and discriptions of cites or crossings thank you for keeping up the blog. I look forward to reading about it. It is like being on the boat having fun with the Besemers and seeing the world.
thanx
Vickie
Hi All,
Just catching up with your travels. Loved to see that you were at Narragansett Bay, just a hop away from my home area of Buzzards Bay, right near Cape Cod. And now you’re down in the Caribbean again – must be lovely. It’s finally getting to be Spring in Colorado after a pretty dry winter. Where to next? You are all so awesome and I love keeping up with your amazing life!
Love,
Gene