02/17/2012 CARNIVAL IN PONCE

vejigantes (Photo credit: digitizedchaos)02/17/2012  PONCE, PUERTO RICO

FRIDAY

0 NM TRAVELED

DOCKED AT PONCE YACHT AND FISHING CLUB                                                                     

SUNRISE: 6:53 AM

SUNSET: 6: 29PM

Well, Dan was an extremely busy boy today. Not only did he get the Wirie installed and wired in but he also fabricated the cables and installed the new batteries. Unfortunately, we can’t seem to get the Wirie hooked up but we are learning patience.

THE WIRIE INSTALLED AND, AND , AND--------
MAYBE TOMORROW WE WILL FIGURE IT OUT

We finally made it into downtown tonight for a little street-walking and sightseeing only to find the street blocked off. We just parked our little ride and we stuck our noses in to see just what was happening. As luck would have it (that would be our good luck), it was Ponce’s night for celebrating Carnival with a parade. The little girls were duded up in their fairy princess best for the official Crowning of the Child Queen on this lovely Friday evening while the guys dressed in the traditional Vejigantes (the devil or evilness) costumes. They would go around smacking innocents with their blown cow bladders or inflatable clubs to ward off evil spirits. We chowed-down on the superb street-food while watching the little girls prance, the bands blast and the Vejigantes whack.

LAST YEAR'S QUEEN LEADS THE PARADE

REIGNING ON STAGE

AN UNMASKED VEJIGANTES

02/15/2012 SAILING ON TO PONCE

02/15/2012 PONCE, PUERTO RICO



WEDNESDAY

18 NM TRAVELED

DOCKED AT PONCE YACHT AND FISHING CLUB (PYFC)
http://www.ponceyachtandfishingclub.com/
O/A $1.63 FT. INCLUDING WATER AND POWER

SUNRISE: 6:55 AM

SUNSET: 6:28 PM

Another lovely morning in Paradise! After pulling up the hook we pulled out of our quiet little anchorage, skirted around Gilligan’s Island and headed east.

It didn’t take us long to realize that we were heading back into civilization. The harbor at Guayanilla was littered with an oil refinery, a powerhouse, a trash burning installation, loading and unloading facilities at the monolithic docks and a hillside peppered with storage tanks. Guess this is what it takes to keep us lit and fueled.



THE BUSY PORT OF GUAYANILLA



TANKER TRANSPORTING VALUABLE FUEL

Preparing to enter the Ponce Harbor, we heard S/V Meant To Be requesting permission to approach the PYFC’s fuel dock to take on some energy for their immediate departure for ports further east. We gave them a shout, wished them safe sailing and wished for better timing to meet up again.

THE LIGHTHOUSE AS WE ENTER PONCE

WE WAVED TO MEANT TO BE AS THEY HEADED OUT OF PONCE

PONCE YACHT AND FISHING CLUB

The fuel dock is a bustling place with folk not only taking on fuel and water but resting spot for boats to clear US Customs. We had to idle about, finally dropping our hook, before garnering space at the dock to take on fuel.

Speaking of Customs and Immigration, Dan observed the captain of an anchored sailing vessel in a verbal tussle with our government representatives. It appears this Frenchman chose to ignore the more than generous U.S. regulations and had been in the country for several days before finally calling to check in. After being told to remain in his boat until the officials arrived, he came to shore and dumped his trash. After so blatantly ignoring the rules and directions given by the officials, he was told to return to his vessel, gather all pertinent documentation, make arrangements to get to the Customs and Immigration Office in Ponce and be prepared to pay a $1,000.00 fine or surrender his boat to be impounded. So much easier to just follow the rules!

BAD BOAT!  BAD, BAD BOAT!!!!!