Puerto Rico's
South Coast
Sailing in Puerto Rico presented a new challenge for us. Our first time on the ocean in our new home started out on the SW coast of PR. Talk about an adventure! Thankfully, the Southern coast is filled with anchorages adjacent to cities to explore! I will say each adventure must have something to overcome right? With the destination of the USVI, our intro to sailing in the Caribbean was heading to weather AGAINST the infamous trade winds.
Locations
La Parguera is an idyllic town in the southwest of Puerto Rico and our first major stop. Although technically moored outside of Cayo Carocles, it was quite the hot spot. Cayo Carocles is a small island and a locals favorite party spot. Well known for the crystal clear waters, and fantastic snorkeling, it’s easy to see why it is so well loved. You won’t find beaches to lounge on here, the island is made up of mangroves which provide the perfect environment for adolescent fish to flourish. In addition, there is La Parguera Nature Reserve which hosts one of the three bioluminescent bays in Puerto Rico. While not the brightest, if you find yourself in the area it is a must see.
But what about the city? Well, La Parguera was once a quaint fishing village, now offers many reasons to visit this fantastic town. Other than the Nature Reserve, the malecón (boardwalk) has fantastic restaurants and bars that should not be missed.
Ponce is the second most populated city in Puerto RIco and is also known as the “Pearl of the South.” Due to its historical importance, another nickname is the “museum city” and for good reason. Situated in central Southern Puerto Rico, the anchorage is located adjacent to Club Náutico de Ponce. Sadly, when Hurricane Maria came through, it devastated the boardwalk and unfortunately is still not open. But there is still much more to see!
Plaza Las Delicias is the main plaza in Ponce. Many notable attractions are located in or around the plaza. Fuente de Los Leones, or the Fountain of the Lions was purchased from the World’s Fair in 1939 from New York. The Cathedral Our Lady of Guadalupe or the Ponce Cathedral has history dating back to 1670. Built in the neoclassical style, it’s really is quite beautiful. Finally, Parque de Bombas (Imaged) is quoted by some to be “the most recognizable building on the island.” The historic fire station was premiered as the main pavilion for the 1882 Exhibition Trade Fair. In 1990, the once active fire station was turned into a museum of firefighting. After visiting these gorgeous sites, you HAVE to stop by the famous King’s Cream. A celebrated ice cream shop, named “Caribbean’s best” will not disappoint!
There is much more to see in Ponce which sadly we didn’t have the time to do. Hacienda Buena Vista Coffee Plantation is one of the best representations of a historic coffee plantation. It is a drive out of the city and it seems they have just opened up tours again!
A visit to Puerto Rico is not complete with rum! Castillo Serrallés is a beautiful mansion which was once owned by the owners of the Puerto Rican Don Q Distillery. It is now a museum and testament to the sugar cane and rum industry that once dominated this island.
This town brings seafood to the main stage and eating is what you do here! The anchorage is quite protected as it’s surrounded by mangroves. Different from the waters of Cayo Caracoles, the waters surrounding the city of Salinas are quite fertile. What does that mean? Upon returning to our boat after a delicious dinner, we found H.O.M.E.S. covered in insects! BLEH! But after awakening, we were greeted by not only dolphins in the harbor but manatees! Every cloud has a silver lining.
Salinas is where Ruta Gastronómica del Mojo Isleño or the Gastronomic Route of Mojo Isleño is located. The tomato based sauce of mojo isleño is best served with seafood and the restaurants on the gastronomic route each have their own “take” on this legendary sauce.
We were only here for a couple days so we weren’t able to give this town a fair shake. But we were able to visit the reputed restaurant of El Dorado. This is also where we first tried the traditional dish of Puerto Rico, mofongo! Made up of mashed plantains into the shape of a bowl and filled with a protein, in our case shrimp, it was quite tasty!
This town tends to go unnoticed by visitors to this fair isle, which is a real shame. Made up of rolling green hills, it is known as the “emerald of the south.” But part of the appeal of this town is not just its mountains but its beaches as well! It was here my cousin, Kristian joined us for a little respite.
After dinghying into town we explored the natural reserve of punta del viento. After a few hours of exploration, we worked up quite an appetite. We found an outdoor eatery with fantastic food! We even made a couple friends out of some sweet doggies!
We decided to explore more of Patillas and picked up more puppy pals along our trek! We saw some remnants of a beautiful home abandoned after hurricane damage.
This wrapped up our tour via H.O.M.E.S. of the southern coast of Puerto Rico. We found each town/city has their own claim to fame, from underwater beauty to a long and vivid history. We would love to go back and explore each area fully but sadly, as every sailor knows, the weather drives our schedule!
One Response