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Exhibit: Puerto Rico Trip

On his recent trip to the Carribean, Sam Santangello visited several islands, and shares a taste of his adventure with us here.

On the island of Culebra, 15nm east of Puerto Rico, Sam enjoys the sights on Flamingo Beach.  Isla de Culebra is a small island with no industry... unless you count the two restaurants and about a dozen bars.  Populated more by sun-seekers of European origin than by natives, this splendid island offers a nice camping area, complete with cooking and shower facilities, just above Flamingo Beach where you can camp free of charge. 

The approach by air to Culebra's airport makes the arrival memorable.  You must enter through a V in the the mountains (off to the left of the photo below) just before turning final for Runway 13... lots of fun in hot humid weather!  But this does save taking a 1.5-hour ferry ride from the main island of Puerto Rico. 

Another small island, known as La Mona, this time to the west of Puerto Rico, had even fewer people... 

Described as a cross between Gilligan's Island and the Flintstones, La Mona is a ten mile sqaure protected island nature preserve, unspoiled since the time of Columbus.  Its spectacular beaches and prehistoric caves are inhabited by wild pigs and goats left by the early Eurpopean explorers to multiply as a food supply for their journeys.  The only people who stay on La Mona are police guarding it and biologists doing research there.  La Mona has some wonderful wildlife, including iguanas that are six feet long!

Above you see Sam's Mooney N415SJ on the island of Vieques, along with a couple of his friends from Puerto Rico who joined him on his excursions.  The man on the left is Joeito Hernandez (he was one of the police officers in the cave photo on La Mona, above), and the man on the right is Cheito Toro.  In the photo to the right, Cheito Toro, who is one of the "town fathers" in El Combate, shows off a set of shark's teeth, which Sam brought back with him.  El Combate, a town in the southwest corner of Puerto Rico, is a place where Puerto Ricans go to relax but not tourists, and was Sam's "home base" for his adventures.  Below is a tank left over from World War II rusting on the beach on Culebra.

Thanks to Sam for sharing these pictures with us.  It looks like it was quite a trip!