The current weather in Culebra

New Topic  |  Go to Top  |  Go to Topic  |  Search  |  Log In

Newer Topic  |  Older Topic

Noise in section E, crowds, Culebrita trip

Author: chuck (---.bstnma.fios.verizon.net) Date:   07-02-08 20:41 I'm intending to camp at Flamenco with my 16-year-old daughter for about 4 days in early August. We were at Flamenco just for a day-trip in February & it was awesome, thanks in part to you folks (I was the Is-there-any-shade guy). Now, once again, my list of questions is longer than our proposed visit, but I'll lay 'em out: 1. I know the beach (& campground) are crowded on the weekends; is it relatively peaceful during the week? 2. If we're there on a Friday night, is there a decent chance Section E will be quiet enough by 11 or so that we'll get to sleep? (It would be at the end of the stay - I've read the rooster postings - so we'd be at the tuckered stage.) 3. I have a condition called (really) "restless legs syndrome" (I'm opening up the joke floodgates, I know) that's greatly excerbated at night by the heat & keeps me from sleeping, so if we have to bail on the camping after a couple days, am I correct in assuming we'd find someplace just to crash without a reservation? 4. I've found names of guides that will take us to Culebrita for a day trip, but do any of you have a particular recommendation, yourselves incuded? . . . . 2,356. Not a Culebra question, but I'm thinking about Debbie & the other experienced divers out there: would you have a recommendation for an outfit that would be good for a newly-certified (PADI only) diver to take to Mona or (more likely) Desecheo? That's all - for today! As ever, thanks for your help and good humor. I promise I won't tell anyone what a great place Culebra is.

Reply To This Message

Re: Noise in section E, crowds, Culebrita trip

Author: Debbie (---.sip.asm.bellsouth.net) Date:   07-02-08 21:13 1. Yes, especially in August 3. Yes, especially in August (fairly quiet month for tourists 2,356. I've never been diving elsewhere in Puerto Rico, so I can't make any personal recommendations, but I hear that Mona Island is a pretty advanced dive. Are you sure you're experienced enough? My online friends at scubadiving.com seem to recommend http://tainodivers.com/ and http://www.westdiverspr.com/html/mainpage.html Happy Diving! Debbie

Reply To This Message

Re: Noise in section E, crowds, Culebrita trip

Author: Mort (---.tampabay.res.rr.com) Date:   07-03-08 09:18 I love it when posters use their Culebra indian names. It's good to hear from you, Is-there-any-shade. My given indian name is Can-you-take-a-llama-on-the-ferry. Here are my answers, for what they're worth: 1. During the week is always more peaceful than the weekends because locals from PR tend to come on the weekends. Unless there's a holiday, of course. That being said, August would fall in the upper half of the year, crowd-wise. Sept/Oct/Nov/earlyDec are all less crowded. Just like anywhere else. And early August really isn't much different than late July, philosophically speaking. 2. Almost always, loud people desist by 11. They can make life uncomfortable up until then. It's not common, but all it takes is one group, right? There's less of that in Section E than the other sections because it's more remote. But Fri and Sat nights are definitely more likely than other nights. So as I always say, "Bring earplugs and a sense of humor." There are no roosters at Flamenco, fortunately. 3. During high-vacation periods, you can't count on finding lodging at the last second. But I really don't think you should give up on Flamenco no matter what. It's an experience you'll never forget. You can always stay in motels at home (or anywhere else). 4. Culebrita is nice and all, but don't underestimate Carlos Rosario and some of the other beaches on Culebra. They are gorgeous and remote, and Carlos Rosario has far better snorkeling than Culebrita. I'd recommend spending the money on a car for a couple days if you want to explore some of the "remote" beaches. 17. 79. 118. 334. 607. 845. 1,032. All of these are illegal, and frankly, Is-there-any-shade, I'm a bit shocked that you'd ever consider them. As for the rest of your 2,356 questions, the answer is "Maybe, under some circumstances".

Reply To This Message

Re: Noise in section E, crowds, Culebrita trip

Author: chuck (---.bstnma.fios.verizon.net) Date:   07-03-08 09:20 Debbie, thank you. Is the drop-off in crowds in August so great that it's not very crowded even on the weekends? (Hard to quantify, I know.) Regarding Mona, thanks for the heads-up. I had heard the same thing, anecdotely, that's why I need a reliable dive shop to advise, and why Desecheo is more likely. p.s. Regarding your underwater photos (you and Diving Debbie are one & the same, right?), they are truly excellent. I was wondering what you usually use for equipment, and if most of them are from Culebra? I know you've compared them unfavorably to others you've seen, but you don't do it full time and get paid! (Do you really play a doctor on TV?) Thank you again for your reply.

Reply To This Message

Re: Noise in section E, crowds, Culebrita trip

Author: Mort (---.tampabay.res.rr.com) Date:   07-03-08 10:03 Chuck, you posted your last post at pretty much the same time as mine. I just want to make sure that you didn't miss it!

Reply To This Message

Re: Noise in section E, crowds, Culebrita trip

Author: chuck (---.bstnma.fios.verizon.net) Date:   07-03-08 10:30 Oh, man, thank you, Can-you-take-a-llama-on-the-ferry :-D (My wife actually was recounting yesterday how she saw someone transporting a llama (we live in an area where there are a few farms that raise them) in some sort of vehicle where the llama was sticking its head out a window, causing a few double-takes. They must have been heading for a ferry for some empirical data on your namesake question.) 1. & 2. O.k., thanks for this... so maybe we'll need to stick with our original plan of avoiding Culebra on the weekends, which is driving the rest of our itinerary in a somewhat inconvenient way...although, now as I'm thinking of it, all of this maybe applies only to Flamenco, so that raises the question: 26,342. ("1. & 2. begat 26,342. 26,342 and 26,349 begat...") Would we, with a car or scooter, be able to find a beach almost as beautiful as Flamenco that is quiet? I have been to Carlos Rosario, and it is indeed beautiful. (I'll try to figure out how to upload photos - there's one I like a lot.) Then, as long as we can put up with the campground rowdiness in the evening, maybe we'll be okay, i.e., not have to totally avoid the weekend on Culebra. What do y'all think? 3. I think you're right, I can put up with little sleep for a few days. If it's just not working at all...then we'll just have to see about the lodging thing. It'll be more empirical data for the world to digest. 4. Thanks, didn't know this about Culebrita, though I think 16-year-old-daughter had requested this sidetrip for its even-smaller-island beach seclusion & the tidal pools. Again: is there much crowd spill-over on weekends? . . . . 6.02x10^23. Just wondering: do many of you regular contributors live on Culebra? Thanks for your help!!!

Reply To This Message

Re: Noise in section E, crowds, Culebrita trip

Author: Mort (---.tampabay.res.rr.com) Date:   07-03-08 13:24 If you can avoid Flamenco on weekends, it's better. But remember that Flamenco at its worst is better than almost any other place in the world at its best! Zoni and Resaca are extremely quiet at all times. Culebrita is "crowded" on holidays and sometimes on weekends. The high price of gas has greatly reduced the "crowds", though. Most of the "crowds" come in on speed boats from PR. But that's WAY expensive these days. (I put crowds in quotes because it's all relative... I've been to Culebrita when we were the only ones there and I've been there when there were 30-40 boats. Still far better than, say, St. Thomas.) If your daughter really wants to go there, you should. It can be a memorable thing to do. As far as the campground goes, from the looks of it, you have a great attitude. You don't have to worry about all-night rowdiness if it's not a holiday. If you can stomach an hour or two of revelers on a Friday night, you'll be okay. It's extremely rare to have problems after 11.

Reply To This Message

Re: Noise in section E, crowds, Culebrita trip

Author: chuck (---.bstnma.fios.verizon.net) Date:   07-03-08 15:23 Thanks again, Can-you-take-a-llama-on-the-ferry. As far as beaches go, I've heard that the one around the bend from Flamenco is also very nice - from some photos, looks like it has a wider & whiter-sand beach than many others on the island, too. 30-40 boats at Culebrita? Were they planning a blockade? Headed for Cuba & took a wrong turn. Good to have a number, though, actually - "crowded " is such a relative term. We'll see how it plays out. In other words, "Maybe, under some circumstances."

Reply To This Message

Re: Noise in section E, crowds, Culebrita trip

Author: Mort (---.tampabay.res.rr.com) Date:   07-03-08 16:00 It's a local custom in PR to tether their boats side to side in one big line, and people walk from boat to boat to socialize. And they play loud music. It's very festive, but probably not the getaway that you are hoping for. When I saw 30 boats, they were all tethered together right up near the beach. But that was a holiday weekend in mid-January (not a major one). I don't think you have much to worry about in August, especially with gas prices being so high now. It costs hundreds of dollars to take a boat from PR to Culebrita and back. Is-there-any-shade, I think it's officially time for you to relax about all this. Trust your instincts and let go of your concerns. You're doing the right thing, going to the right place, and you're going to have a right ol' time. Please post when you return and let us know how it went!

Reply To This Message

Re: Noise in section E, crowds, Culebrita trip

Author: Debbie (---.sip.asm.bellsouth.net) Date:   07-03-08 17:09 Is-there-any-shade, Yes, I am one and the same as Diving Debbie. Thanks for the compliments. I have used a variety of u/w cameras, and I am currently using an Olympus 770SW in an Olympus housing with an Ikelite DS-125 strobe. As I've done the majority of my dives in Culebra now (how'd that happen?), most of my shots are from Culebra. Others are from Grand Cayman, Belize, Roatan, NC and FL. Enjoy your trip. We're hoping to get back there soon as well. Happy Diving! Debbie

Reply To This Message

Re: Noise in section E, crowds, Culebrita trip

Author: chuck (---.bstnma.fios.verizon.net) Date:   07-04-08 09:12 Thanks to both of you. I get back around 8/20, will report back then. Happy summer, where ever you are.

Reply To This Message

Threaded View

Newer Topic  |  Older Topic