The Spanish Virgins

Lynn & Mike ..around the world
Mike Drinkrow & Lynn v/d Hoven
Fri 20 Mar 2009 18:38
18:19.15N 65:13.68W    Culebrita, Spanish Virgin Islands
 
From St Thomas we have headed west to the Spanish Virgin Islands. These islands, which include Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra and a few smaller islands, were settled by the Spanish in the 1500's. They were then independent for one year (1897) before being invaded by and ceded to, the Americans the following year.  The people have American citizenship although most people have still have Spanish as their first language.  
 
Isla de Culebra only 5 by 11 km, has a large protected inlet called Ensenada Honda (Spanish for 'deep cove') where we anchored to check in. This involved a walk down to the local airstrip to see Homeland Security (Customs, Immigration and Agricultural inspection - all in one) On the way we encountered another iguana  trying to get through a fence (remember Le Saintes). Again Mike picked it up by the tail and was about to hoist it over, when the tail came off! Well, a large piece of it anyway. The iguana ran away while its discarded tail piece (about 20cm) wriggled and thrashed for a good few minutes. It was quite gross!
 
Once formalities were completed we sailed over to a beautiful uninhabited islet called Culebrita. This was the perfect spot - white beach, palm trees, clear blue water, lots of reef life and turtles bobbing around.  We did some snorkelling, spotted more conch and lots of rays, and took a walk on the beach. The sand here is like soft powder.
 
 
Today we will sail over to a marina in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, where we will be leaving Indigo to go home for three weeks.