South Coast Puerto Rico

South Coast Puerto Rico

Monday 24th - Wednesday 26th February 2025

“Passages South: The Thornless Path to Windward” by Bruce van Sant is a legendary cruising guide that is well known to many sailors. It outlines how to make it down through the islands from Florida to the Eastern Caribbean via what is known as the “Thorny Path”, using the night-time land breezes to offset the relentless trade winds from the east. In the book (we have the 10th edition), the author recounts meeting an Australian around-the-world sailor who said that the south coast of Puerto Rico was the roughest water that he had encountered thus far. We are starting to realize why!

Over the past week or so we have had some delightful down-wind sails, such as the leg from Isla Caja de Meurtos to Gilligan’s Island (20 nm), but we have also had some really rough sections. In particular, when we left Gilligan’s Island we expected a short (10 nm) and easy motor sail along to La Parguera. What we encountered were large, steep waves that had us hanging on for dear life. The two full water jerry cans, tied on at the back of the boat behind the cockpit, were sliding and fighting to break loose of their tethers. Waves from the stern quarter were rolling the boat badly and also catching the edge of the dinghy, that we had mistakenly left tied up on the davits. All told it was a short but harrowing passage! We aren’t sure why conditions were so bad - the winds have been consistently solid at 15-20 knots most days - this seemed no different. There were squalls in the area, but at the anchorage before we departed they mostly just delivered rain without strong winds. Maybe it was different offshore. I think part of the issue is that coastal waters are shallow for miles out and swells roll in from the open water and steepen up as the depth decreases. Thankfully the anchorages have been excellent, and in the case of Gilligan’s Island and La Parguera they were being mangrove covered reefs, which blocked out all the swell. 

We were the only boat anchored off Gilligan’s Island and had fun watching two guys windsurfing in the bay. On of them came over to say hello, tied up his windsurfer and came aboard for 15 minutes to chat. Gerd originally came from Germany, but moved to Seattle in the late seventies. He was a computer scientist, but is now retired and spends winters with his wife down in Puerto Rico. He was clearly an excellent windsurfer and does give lessons - impressive for a man who is now 80 years old!

At La Parguera, once the rainy weather had passed, we took the dinghy over to some mangrove covered barrier islands where locals like to tie up their boats and party. It’s actually pretty cool - there’s no actual beach, but once tied up to a mooring you can jump in and stand on the sand in about 3-4ft. There are some pretty large tarpon swimming around! We brought snorkel and masks and swam over to the sand bar between islands. Unlike most people we had not brought our beers and boom box with us.

Today we set out with some trepidation on the last leg along the south coast. It turned out to be a pretty good sail and as we round Cabo Rojo (which we had visited by land) and turned north along the west coast of Puerto Rico we were making almost 8 knots with just the Genoa. We pulled into Boqueron just before noon and are now preparing for our passage over to the Dominican Republic.

Mike

18 00.964 N, 67 10.664 W

Windsurfing near Gilligan's Island

Gerd comes over to say hello

Gerd preparing to do a water start

Local party-spot near La Parguera - shallow water, behind mangrove covered barrier islands,  and lots of big tarpon!

Gloria, happy to have survived yet another adventure!

Passing Cabo Rojo on the south-west corner of Puerto Rico, sailing ~ down-wind in 15-20 knots of breeze and ~ 4 ft seas

Once in the flat waters off the west coast we flew along at ~ 8 knots with just the genoa