- Updates from the Islands -

- - Vieques (PR) - -

| home | tools | pleas for help | QHWRN | guide | climatology | archive

- - - 2008 Hurricane Season - - -

- Home again...
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Mon, 4 May 2009 09:36:52 -0400
We returned yesterday from a spectacular carnival finale in St. Thomas.  It was such fun and I am still humming the tunes.  We had sunny skies for our entire trip.   Despite the application of copious amounts of sunscreen I still managed a slight sunburn.  But I guess that is what you get when you stand outside in the hot sun watching the parade for 6 hours!  Despite the sunburn we had a really wonderful time.  The costumes were spectacular and the music kept us dancing.  I really hope the girl that was leading the "Tea Party" group is ok.  They had tea cups attached to their dancing sticks and I don't think that she was drinking tea!!!  She danced and swerved everywhere.  I still cannot get over the "Rising Stars" and their double decker in triplicate performance.  We chased them down the street just to hear more!steel drum music.  What a great kids program and a truly incredible performance.  I would go back again just to see them.  Thank you so much St. Thomas for a really wonderful time and the cold Carib beer.  Quick question for all you folks out there...  The Carib I was drinking was imported from Puerto Rico...  Why can't we buy it here?
 
Things are quiet here in Vieques.  We had a little rain last night and this week is looking so wet.  My newly planted gingers and palms will love the moisture.  Bring on the rain but not too fast.  We don't want flash flooding on main island.
 
Just a quick note...  My husband was sitting on the porch early in the morning and heard a buzzing sound.  He thought we must have a bee hive somewhere.  He looked around to no avail and then he discovered the source...  The Quenepo tree is in bloom.  The tree was covered with honey bees.  So that means that we should have a prolific quenepa season.  I see days of sweeping quenepas ahead of me.  
 
Off to do a few chores.  The restaurant re-opens on Wednesday after our spring break.  Vacation is almost over. =(  But we do look forward to seeing everyone!
 
Take care,
K  

- Rain
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Sun, 26 Apr 2009 11:56:29 -0400
Good Morning,
 
It finally rained!  Yesterday it rained on and off.  I woke to the rain and fell asleep to it.  The plants are so happy!  Around 10:30 last night it really poured.  I stood in the doorway of the restaurant and watched as sheets of rain fell.  Across the street folks were dancing salsa as rivers of rain poured off the top of the tent.  It was a fun sight.  My baby lobster claw heliconia are starting to bloom and the walking iris are sending out their sunshine yellow flowers everyday. 
 
It is really windy and there are whitecaps out past the Cayo.  Hopefully it won't dry everything out too quickly.  The forecast is for more scattered showers through Wednesday.  I look forward to a rainy week.  We are taking the week off and closing the restaurant starting tomorrow for our annual Spring Break.  It is a welcome break and if it does rain a lot I have plenty of indoor projects to keep me busy.  
 
Keep doing the rain dance.  Our horses are looking for green grass and the plants need more water!
 
Have a great one,
K   

- Warming up!
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Tue, 21 Apr 2009 11:11:31 -0400
Good Morning All!
 
Sorry for the disappearing act...  We lost power last week and it knocked my modem out.  Thank goodness for the great Hughes Net guy who fixed it for me today.  The power went out because another power pole was hit by a car.  It plunged the Malecon (and the restaurant) into darkness for about an hour.  We fired up the generator and added candles to the dining room.  It was so pretty and our visitors thought they were in on a great adventure.  Thankfully the power came up and we could turn the fans on.  It was a little toasty with out them!
 
We need rain...  We received a little on my birthday (Friday).  Scott said that mother nature gave me the gift of half full rain barrels.  It was so nice to wake up to the sound of raindrops!   We received another shower this morning.  Please, oh please send a little more.  My plants are thirsty.
 
The breeze is back and we are hoping for another shower.  But it is getting warmer.  Almost time to remove the blankets from the beds! 
 
Have a great one!

- Easter
  • From: "Kate Cole" <kate at katecoledesign.com>
  • Date: Sat, 11 Apr 2009 13:00:05 -0400
Well the sun is shining and we are starting to feel a touch of heat.  Just a reminder of what summer will bring!
 
It is Easter weekend here and the island is packed.  We have many friends visiting from the States but we have tons of friends visiting from main island.  It is one great big party!  The beaches are full of folks sunning themselves and camping. There are boats are moored off shore tied together that look like floating guesthouses.   All around us we hear music, the slap of dominos and laughter!  The stores were closed yesterday except for the Colomados and they were packed!  Mambos had a line of 15 people just to check out and for those of you in the know that is one tiny store!  Ice and gas are the hot commodities!  And of course cold beer.
 
Last night I watched the folks dancing across the street.  Oh, I wish I could salsa like that!  But the best were the gentlemen that were playing a variety of percussion instruments in time to the music.  They had gourds, drums, cans, bells and of course the table.  And they had rhythm!     
 
Off to water the plants as usual.  We might have rain tomorrow but it doesn't look too promising.
 
Happy Easter!
 
Kate

- Beautiful!
  • From: "Kate Cole" <kate at katecoledesign.com>
  • Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 11:39:43 -0400
It is another beautiful day here on Vieques.  The sun is shining and the sky is blue, blue, blue!  The past week or so it has started to warm up.  A nice change from the cold days we had here this winter.  You can feel spring (or our version of it!).  All the trees are preparing for summer.  The mango trees seem to be working overtime to get ready for the summer fruit season.  I can't wait!  Some trees are already starting to produce fruit!
 
The garden is a little dry but that is to be expected.  Time to water again and I am so thankful for my cisterns.  The orchids are truly spectacular right now.  Nearly all of them are blooming and they are divine! 
 
Next week is our last big week of the season.  It also means that we will have the Easter Parade!  I look forward to this special parade. 
 
Take care all,
Kate

Attachment: Orchid 2009 025.jpg
Description: JPEG image

Attachment: Orchid 2009 024.jpg
Description: JPEG image

Attachment: Orchid 2009 022.jpg
Description: JPEG image


- Rainy
  • From: "Kate Cole" <kate at katecoledesign.com>
  • Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:16:24 -0400
Well, well... I haven't been keeping to close of an eye on the weather and woke up to showers this morning.  It is great and still raining.  Yesterday I went to the beach and just relaxed but felt guilty about not watering the plants.  Well mother nature took care of that for me!
 
The weather overall has been sunny with a day of showers each week.  I like this weather pattern and so do our visitors!  Keep in mind if you are visiting that the roads to Secret and Red Beaches are closed.  They are working hard to improve all the roads inside the Garcia Gate. 
 
Off to work.  I just heard Elizabeth ride by with her morning horse ride. That means it is 11:00 and time to get to it.  
 
Kate 

- Windy...
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 11:01:39 -0400
The winds are really blowing!  I woke up this morning and thought I really need an electric blanket...  Then I realized I am not in NC but beautiful Vieques. Then my brain starts thinking "Why is it so cold?"  And I realized that we are on morning three of cloudy skies and strong breezes.  Thank goodness the Labradors were huddled together and I was thankful for their warmth.
 
Our visitors that are visiting the island are so disappointed by the weather.  We really do apologize for the wind and the rain but our horses need the grass that grows after the rain and our plants need water.  This really is unusual for three days of clouds.  But it could be a great time to take up body surfing at Navio!  Learn to scuba dive!  Take a drive through the bunkers and count all the baby Ceiba trees.  Pick a section of the highway and pick up trash.  Make a craft out of all the seashells you have gathered.  Read that book that you brought with you.  Or buy some mixers and practice making drinks with our local rum.  All sorts of different ideas.  As one of our great customers said last night "A cloudy day at the beach is still better than a day at the office!"  So true!     
 
Have a great one!  the sun is just peeking out from behind the clouds...  don't forget the sunscreen!
 
Kate

- Windy
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2009 13:13:14 -0400
The wind continues here in Vieques.  The skies are sunny but the plants are so dry!  Watering is on my list of daily activates.  Looks like a chance of rain today and later this week.  I sure hope we receive a little bit! 
 
We have seen a couple of cruise ships stop by to visit the bio-bay.  They look so pretty in the Esperanza bay at night.  The lights make it so very festive!  The passengers catch a shuttle to the fishermen's pier and then load into the Island Adventures bus for a trip to the bay.  They always come back with a smile!  It is great to see!
 
Speaking of the Bioluminescent Bay...  Don't forget to turn off your lights tonight at 10:00 for 10 minutes.  The Vieques Conservation group is asking that all residents turn off their lights but are requesting that the folks that live within sight of the bio bay turn off theirs.  It should make the stars sparkle and the bay glow even more!  
 
Don't forget tonight we will be able to see the the green comet.  The closet pass is around 10:43PM!
 
Have a good one,
Kate

- No rain so far
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:20:15 -0400
Sunny skies and a light breeze prevail here in Vieques.  It looks like a storm swept across the far eastern tip of the island this morning.  It probably did not affect folks on the beach but I bet the bomb boys are a little wet his morning!  Sorry guys!
 
We had heavy showers earlier this week.  Enough to fill the rain barrels and water my newly planted palms.  Yippee!  Also the newly planted Thai Basil sent up new growth and is a lovely green.  The orchids are putting on a spectacular show...  All types are blooming- Vanda, Oncidium and Phals.  The colors are fantastic. 
 
Looks like rain this weekend.  I guess I'll feed the plants today with my stashed water and let the barrels fill again.  Sorry to all the folks that just arrived on the island but we love a little rain now and then.  On the up side we have tons of great places on the Malecon for a beverage when the weather runs you indoors.  
 
Have a great weekend! 
 
Kate

- It is warm!
  • From: "Kate Cole" <kate at katecoledesign.com>
  • Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2009 11:13:19 -0400
Good Morning All!
 
It has been warm and humid.  Unusual for us this time of year.  It feels like the beginning of June!  And we have received a couple of downpours in the last couple of days.  Of course they started when I had to go to town to take care of weekly business.  It was pouring in Esperanza, stopped raining at the top of the hill mid-island and when I parked in Isabel the heavens opened up.  Thank goodness for rain jackets and Havianas.  The water in the street was up to my ankles in some sections.  Typical drainage for town. 
 
We had a bit of entertainment the other day.  One of our local friends ran into the restaurant with a potato launcher.  We were in the middle of our pre-dinner meeting.  Well the boys in the kitchen found out about the launcher and right after our meeting with the chefs all of the staff, kitchen and front of the house, walked out front into the late afternoon sunshine for a demonstration.  Well this was quite a sight as a everyone was wearing black and white (some with aprons on) and eagerly looked at our local friend with a great sense of anticipation.  Other locals gathered to look and laugh at us for our excitement over potatoes! The owner of the launcher quickly assembled the it (Aquanet hairspray and potatoes) and with a loud WHUMP! ... the potato flew several hundred yards and landed safely in the water. It was too funny and so silly!  To think entertainment used to be the ballet or the theatre and now a potato launching exhibition is just as fun.  Ah the simple life!
 
Last night the girls had a book of poems at the bar.  They read them out loud as we were cleaning up for the evening.  Ah the contrasts in life... from potatoes to poetry!
 
Kate  

- Good Morning!
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 11:35:38 -0400
We have partly cloudy skies here today and intermittent showers.  The light soft rain is doing the plants a world of good!  It is breezy and warm.  We went to a beach party on Monday to celebrate the birthday of one of our co-workers.  It was beautiful and hot but with the breeze it was chilly in the water!  Not that a bit of chill will stop my swimming Labrador.  I swear he is heading for Cayo Fuerra from Esperanza Beach.  He claims he wants to start a Vieques Swim team.
 
Things are returning to a normal pace around the island. Our visitors are still here but not quite as many as the week of Christmas.  It is nice to have a little break and get to know some of the folks in our restaurant.
 
Today is the swearing in ceremony for our new Mayor.  I have to head to town to run errands but can only imagine that there will not be a parking spot!  Perhaps I will get to see the festivities while I am there!
 
Have a good one,
Kate

- Good Morning!
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2008 11:03:06 -0400
It is bright and sunny here on the last day of 2008.  The winds have stopped for now and our visitors are really happy about that.  (No more sand blowing into cold beach beverages!)  But winds mean great waves at Navio and I have been hearing from our diners that the body surfing is great.  Rumor has it that two days ago there were small waves at Media Luna!  Imagine that!
 
We actually got a chance to go for a hike with vesting friends on Monday.  We hiked the Playa Grande ruins and up the new road to the hill above Green Beach.  The view as usual was spectacular!  All is still very green here as we have small showers nightly.  The terrestrial wild orchids have finished blooming and are putting out pods and the creeping fig has taken off again where they removed it to build the road.  Nice to see nature reclaiming its space. 
 
Tonight is a big night here in Esperanza.  We have lots of folks joining us for dinner this evening to celebrate the turning of the new year.  No big party this year (the rumors are rampant as to why) but perhaps that will give us a moment just to gaze at the lovely stars and spend a couple of moments with friends and loved ones.  A late night to be sure but a day off tomorrow!  Whopeee!
 
Happy New Year to one and all!  Warmest wishes for a healthy and happy new year!  It should be an exciting one.  Come on down for a visit it is warm and sunny!
 
Warmest regards,
Kate

- Holiday Fun
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:29:36 -0400
It is another pretty breezy, pretty day here in Vieques.  Sunshine, fluffy clouds and warm!  We are receiving all sorts of snow reports from up North.  Come on down and escape the cold.  The only snow we have seen was in the form of confetti from the Christmas parades! 
 
Last night was the Annual Trova party in Isabel.  Lots of bands, dancing and fun.  A great time was had by all as we boogied under the stars in the plaza. We had dancers on stilts and with masks on for entertainment.  Then the horn section came out into the crowd we were surrounded by lovely sounds.    We really enjoyed the Christmas carols in Spanish and I was able to sing along to one!  With a little side step boogie and lots of smiles we celebrated with my favorite party of the year.  I don't think I will forget the fabulous saxophone player.  What talent!  His music is still playing in my head.
 
Happy Holidays!
 
K

- Brrrrrrr...
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Fri, 19 Dec 2008 11:14:15 -0400
We live in the tropics and I know our blood must be thinner than when we were in the States but...  It is cold at night!  I am calling it double blanket cold with an improvised turban made out of a beach sarong to keep the heat trapped on my head.  I know this sounds ridiculous but with the constant breeze and the intermittent rain it is chilly!  Night before last we had a terrific rain storm hit Esperanza right before dinner service.  Sheets of rain poured down and the temperature went down too.  I wore long sleeves and pants to dinner and Tina (our bartender) wished she had on a warmer outfit.  I can hear the chuckles of laughter from all of my friends in the States...  " How cold is cold?" they are asking.  And I respond "68 degrees!  Stop laughing up there!  This is a serious problem down here!".  Anyway I am eying this cute pair of three quarter length red gloves on the Anthropologie website.  Very Audrey Hepburn but it might be overkill for the Caribbean.
 
The other news and weather from here...  Cloudy skies with sun this morning and passing showers.  Looks like we might have this weather for a day or two.  But don't worry is is still beautiful Vieques!  We are looking forward to all of our friends that are coming down for Christmas!  I heard the planes, ferries and car rentals are full starting tomorrow.  Tomorrow night is the big party in town.  It is my favorite party of the year.  So much good will and all of the families are out to dance the night away and see friends. 
 
Come on down and see us!  Happy Holidays! 
 
K

- Holidays
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2008 10:25:33 -0400
Sunshine prevails at the moment.  We had rain last night and early this morning.  Quick passing showers that drop a lot of rain all at once and then move on.  Our friend Elizabeth was commenting on the lack of rain last week and hope this off and on rain will make the grass grow.  Lots of grass means food for her many horses.  So grow grass, grow!
 
Last night our end of the Malecon was hopping.  We had live music across the street!  It was great to hear some blues and fun to watch our customers tapping their toes to the music that they recognized.
 
Today is a fun day.  We have the opening of Lulu's show at the Trust.  She created wonderful plates and bowls that are hand painted with our local fish. On some she adds really wonderful contrasting, geometric patterns.  She has great talent!  Also it is Open House Day at the Trust.  Come on down to the Malecon for a visit.  See old friends and make new ones!
 
I am off to work for a little while and then to a Christmas party on the beach.  Then to the Trust!
 
Take care,
Kate   

- Christmas
  • From: "Kate Cole" <kate at katecoledesign.com>
  • Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:36:40 -0400
It was another beautiful day yesterday.  Sunny, breezy and blue skies.  The light down here is just incredible.  We had to take a break from reviewing the dinner specials in the restaurant just to look at the breadfruit tree in the back yard that was glowing from the late afternoon sun!  It is bliss when you see something beautiful and unexpected.
 
Last night we were treated to a bit of Christmas cheer.  The Vieques Municipal Band and all of the school children put on a Christmas parade on the Malecon.  The band headed the parade with traditional Christmas carols.  We hummed along and called out Felicidades!  Next came the little stars and wrapped packages.  These little kids were too cute!  The aluminum foil stars walked by holding hands.  These little ones were not only shining from their aluminum foil stars, their faces were shining as well.  Then came the little kids gift wrapped in boxes with great big bows on their heads.  Oh the cuteness!  We were also treated to a Noah's Arc complete with lions, tigers and bears... oh my!  It was simply the cutest sight as the kids called out Merry Christmas and Felicidades and we called out and waved back.  They gave us little bags of candy to spread the holiday cheer.  Santa brought up the rear on his own float to top off the parade. What a wonderful way to start the festivities!  A special thanks to all of the kids that brightened our evening!
 
The wind and cool temperatures continue at night.  All the fans are off and the blankets are on the bed.  We had a great rain storm around 6:00 this morning.  It poured the rain and we pulled the blanket up to our chins and listened.  Everyone is happy!
 
Take care and look for the little stars.  They were simply the cutest little ones ever!
 
Kate 

- Break out the quilts!
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2008 13:04:25 -0400
WOW!  It was cold last night!  We closed the restaurant to a small rain shower and headed home.  Then breeze picked up and the rain continued.  I woke up in the middle of the night to a COLD breeze!  Time to keep the quilt on the bed.  This morning I reached for my daytime uniform of shorts and a tank top and added a sweatshirt.  I know, I know it is really cold in the States and I sound ridiculous to those of you dealing with frost and snow.  But our daytime high is forecasted for only 79 degrees and the low will be 73 degrees.  That is chilly to those of us with thin blood due to tropical living.
 
Hopefully we will get a little more rain.  They are predicting fast moving showers.  One might start now as the sun disappeared behind a cloud just a couple of mixtures ago.
 
Have a great day!
Kate

- Cloudy...
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2008 10:48:37 -0400
It is cloudy here this morning.  It looks like we had a little rain last night as the porches are all wet.   But obviously it was not enough rain because my plants are still dry.  So it is off to water the plants this afternoon.
 
We went to the main island yesterday to do a little shopping.  Sunny skies prevailed over there with the occasional deluge of rain.  Thank goodness we were tucked inside different stores knocking items off our lists each time it poured.  Looks and sounds like the Christmas season over there.  Parking lots were packed and long lines at the check out were the rule of the day.  But it was fun and we succeeded in taking over half the items off our list.  Not bad! 
 
The ferry ride back was too funny.  We are now referring to the upstairs seating area on the cargo ferry as the "Lido Deck".  Cool beverages and funny conversation entertained us all the way home.  The huge swells rocked the boat back and forth.   Every couple of minutes the spray would crash over us.  The screams after each drenching were hysterical.  One particularly large spray took out or friend Jen in the back.  Thank goodness she was still there when the air cleared.  We need our Yoga instructor and the girls in the island would miss her beautiful jewelry!  It was nice to arrive home in little Vieques.  Early to bed and late to rise was the schedule for last night.  18 hour days really wipe me out!
 
Take care and have a great Tuesday!
 
Kate

- Good Morning!
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Sat, 29 Nov 2008 10:08:17 -0400
Hi everybody from beautiful, sunny Vieques!
 
We had a couple of little rain showers last night that gave my plants a quick drink of water and topped off my rain barrels.  It is always nice to have a little extra water stashed for my growing plants.  It looks like another chamber of commerce day here.  If you aren't here yet come on down for a visit!  We would love to see you!
 
Finally we are back in the swing of the restaurant business.  We have had so much fun seeing friends from last year and making new ones.  Congratulations again to all of the newly weds that shared their special evening with us and to all of the couples that just got engaged and are planning their weddings in Vieques.  We love sharing your special occasions!  And again we send a toast to you for many years of happiness.
 
If you are on island and have a minute go and visit the Historical Trust in Esperanza.  Mark Martin is taking care of a baby hawksbill turtle that one of the fishermen brought in.  She is charming!  As soon as DNRA finds a nest that is hatching she will be set free with a new family.  So stop by and say hi to Mark and the turtle.  The Trust looks great and they are planting a new garden!  Anthony has great plans and I can't wait to see it grow!
 
Also the Vieques Humane Society is going to auction off our young, desirable bachelors this spring as a fund raiser!  Ladies save your $$$ to bid on the great guys!  We have talked our Sous Chef at El Quenepo into participating...  He is a cutie and we all know he can cook!  And don't forget our handsome Adam from Duffy's.
 
Thant's the quickie update from Vieques...  Come down soon and join the fun!
 
K

- Hi!
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:08:34 -0400
It was chilly and windy last night here on Vieques.  I know, I know everyone in the States is saying 70 degrees that is toasty.  However for me it is really cold!  I threw on jeans and a long sleeve shirt for dinner.  
 
We have family in town and enjoyed a day off together.  Today it is back to work...  The restaurant is open and we are having a lot of fun seeing our friends from last season!  If you get a chance stop by and say hi!  Hugs and smiles are free!
 
The water looks glorious and Chipper and Dave from Nansea Charters said the diving is great!  Hopefully we will get out there soon to enjoy the water.
 
So from sunny, glorious Vieques we hope to see you soon!
 
Kate 

- Perfect
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:30:07 -0400
Another perfect day here on Vieques.  Sun, big fluffy clouds and just the perfect temperature.  Talked to some folks in the States and they said there were flurries in NC a couple of days ago.  I don't miss the snow but would love some pictures.
 
We have finally opened El Quenepo and are so excited to see everyone!  We can't wait until next week when folks arrive for the Thanksgiving holidays. We will be closed for the the actual "Turkey Day" to spend time with friends and family.  I love Thanksgiving!  So those of you that are trapped in the cold up North think about perfect weather, a really green island, fat horses and cold drinks.  Ahh... I love Vieques! 
 
Warmest regards,
Kate  

- A little cloudy...
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:12:28 -0400
The clouds are creeping around us today.  I just came back from main island (a quick trip that turned into an overnight trip from he*l).  Last night when I boarded the ferry it started to sprinkle and then we had a full on deluge all the way to Fajardo.  The rain stopped as I arrived (problems did not).  But like all difficult (read, could not get any worse) situations we made the best of it.  It was clear for the rest of the night on main island.  Hope we see a little rain here.  The plants could use a drink.
 
Quick question and if anyone know the answer please email me:
We are having major gas delivery problems to Vieques.  The gas stations keep running out of gas (I had to wait in line for four hours on Monday).  I noticed the delivery trucks are from a different company.  But.... here is the question...  Why when they load the gas trucks on the cargo ferry (which they did at 4:00AM this morning) can they have no passengers?  If you have a car you are allowed on the ferry only if you stay in the car and only the driver may ride. No passengers.
 
I know, I know people are out there shaking their heads at me and saying "Don't ask why,  you will only drive yourself crazy if you ask why at the rules".  But this one I have to know.  So far this week I have spent 10 hours in gas related situations and it is on my mind.
 
Take care and have a great day! 
 
K

- Sunny Day
  • From: "Kate Cole" <kate at katecoledesign.com>
  • Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2008 11:50:39 -0400
The sun is out and the bay in Esperanza is flat.  No breeze and a 50% chance of rain.  We would love a little rain for the plants!
 
At last the elections are over here.  We had two parades this weekend, one for each party.  Our very "scientific" (ha, ha) exit polls indicated that whoever had the larger parade would win. As it was impossible to count all of the cars, trucks, people, scooters, etc. we based it on time. One was 40 minutes and the other 45 minutes.  With all of the music, car horns, and cheering it made for a noisy weekend!  But it was fun to watch the passion for politics that the parades produced.  On the flip side of the coin I am thankful that we will not have to hear the high decibel jingles for another 4 years.  Both parties songs are stuck in my head.  I can actually sing them and understand them in Spanish.  (Please do not ask me to sing, I am not talented in that department.)
 
Last night I worried that I wouldn't know until today who won.  I should not have worried.  As I prepared to go to bed I heard the winning jingle playing in the hills.  The speaker trucks moved closer and closer to the Malecon and the winning party parade was on!  With the jingle at high decibels, with car horns and sirens blaring they partied down the Malecon!   That is how elections are announced to those of us without TV on our little island!
 
Attached is a cartoon from today's Puerto Rico Daily Sun.  It is the best 50 cents I have spent in a long time for the laugh it produced!
 
Have a great one!
 
K
 
    

Attachment: Cartoon.jpg
Description: JPEG image


- Back at Last
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2008 10:07:56 -0400
We are back on our little island after a trip to main island and a fabulous sailing trip to St. John and Jost Van Dyke.  Perfect weather, fabulous company and cold beverages made the trip exceptional.  Now after all of the playing it is time to clean the garden and finish some projects around the house.  Vacation is almost over.  Only 2 weeks left!  Then we will greet our friends in the restaurant and taste the new menu!  I am looking forward to seeing everyone!
 
Woke up this morning to light rain...  The plants are loving the moisture.  Now the sun is out and the temp is comfortable.  Happy Halloween to all!
 
Kate

- Good Afternoon!
  • From: "Kate Cole" <kate at katecoledesign.com>
  • Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2008 11:58:28 -0400
Things are sunny and warm here in Vieques.  We cleaned up the leaves from the storm in the backyard.  Looks nice and pretty.  Since the porches were empty (all of the furniture and plants were still inside) we decided to pressure wash the porches.  They look great and as of yesterday all outdoor living areas have returned to normal.
 
Before we put all of the plants back on the porch the hummingbirds were flying around looking for nectar.  They kept buzzing the front corner of the porch where normally there are lots of flowers.  To their astonishment and dismay food was not available.  This morning however their world returned to normal and they found food in the regular location. 
 
The iguanas are in full force.  I saw the two younger ones in the back yard.  They still have not learned the rules that they are welcome to walk through the tress but not on the ground.  I didn't see the one iguana that we refer to as "big daddy" until late afternoon.  He decided that invitations are not required on the upstairs porch and moved to a sunny spot on the railing. (See attached).  The dogs were loosing their minds! 
 
So it is another beautiful day in paradise!  Off to enjoy it!
 
Kate
 
 
" Big Daddy" moving in!

Attachment: of=50,590,442
Description: Binary data

Attachment: of=50,590,442
Description: Binary data


- Gone
  • From: "Kate Cole" <kate at katecoledesign.com>
  • Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:41:43 -0400
Like a friend on mine just emailed me I would rather prepare and get nothing that clean up the mess after a storm.  We only had rain (not too heavy) and a little bit of wind.  Thank goodness.  I hope all of the other islands fared as well. 
 
Currently the sun is out and the waves are down.  Off to put everything back where it was. 
 
Take care,
Kate

- Rain
  • From: "Kate Cole" <kate at katecoledesign.com>
  • Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:15:15 -0400
Medium rain and a light wind.  We feel lucky so far. 
 
I feel really bad for the newscasters that have to sit parked in a car across the street at the foot of the fisherman's pier.  I guess they have a long night ahead of them.  I stopped by to say hello and offered them a drink.  I guess no Medalla while on the job.  But I did point out my porch lights to let them know if they need anything come on up.  Poor guys.  At least they have a nice rental car.
 
Time to put the pups to bed.  The little one is exhausted.  He did not even get a nap today.  He had simply to many humans to supervise. And horrors I will have to shut the door.  No more fresh air. 
 
Stay safe St. Croix.  That is a well defined eye on radar.
 
Kate

- Quiet
  • From: "Kate Cole" <kate at katecoledesign.com>
  • Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:33:24 -0400
All is quiet.  Just a little, light rain and lots of big waves.  The wind is barely starting to blow.  All is quiet.  Off to enjoy a movie.  Will keep you posted.
 
Kate

- Hi!
  • From: "Kate Cole" <kate at katecoledesign.com>
  • Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:38:39 -0400
My husband just walked down the Malecon.  He heard from many residents that family and friends in the states are reading this and calling in a panic.  Please do not panic.  At the request of those residents that he spoke to on the Malecon they want me to write the  "We (residents of Vieques) are fine".  We miss everyone one up there and will call you when it is over.
 
Take care,
Kate  

- Photos
  • From: "Kate Cole" <kate at katecoledesign.com>
  • Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:40:58 -0400
Enjoy!
 
 
Cayo Fuerra, Vieques, PR- Southside- Monday
 
Running the boats to safety on Monday.
 
Shuttered Malecon- 12:00PM Wednesday
 
West toward Coconut Beach (from the Malecon)- 3:00PM Wednesday
 
The stairs in Front of Duffy's- Malecon 3:00PM Wednesday
 
Cayo Fuerra 3:00PM Wednesday

Attachment: of=50,590,442
Description: Binary data

Attachment: of=50,332,442
Description: Binary data

Attachment: of=50,332,442
Description: Binary data

Attachment: of=50,332,442
Description: Binary data

Attachment: of=50,590,442
Description: Binary data

Attachment: of=50,590,442
Description: Binary data


- Update
  • From: "Kate Cole" <kate at katecoledesign.com>
  • Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 13:47:24 -0400
Hello everyone,
 
Now that we have all of  the details that we know of taken care of I can write.  We are boarded up and all the plants and furniture are removed from the second story patio.  No small feat!  The guest bedroom is currently referred to as the jungle room.  It is funny to see a room chock-a-block full of plants.  At least they will not become projectiles and the blooming orchids are safe.  The dogs are not happy that we are disturbing their happy porch and home.  Lots of unhappy tummies and hanging close to Mom and Dad. Thanks to everyone that offered to help us board up.  It is so wonderful to know that we have folks looking out for us!  Don't forget that we will help you!
 
The Malecon is shut down.  All businesses are closed today.  The surf has really picked up.  There are white caps all through the bay with really large waves.  It is nice to know that storm surge isn't like it the states.  We have deep water right past the cayo.  The fisherman's pier is already falling apart.  Boards pop off every time a wave smacks under it.  Waves are crashing up the stairs on the Malecon in front of Duffy's.  Currently it is raining a little bit.  Lots of locals driving by just to see the wave action (it is very impressive!).  Every car that drives by I can tell you their name.  It is almost like a parade. A really weird parade. But everyone is calling out to their friends and neighbors to make sure everyone else is ok. Which is another reason I moved to the Vieques.  I actually know my community.  And we stick together! 
 
Rumor has it Isabel II is boarding up and they have moved all the boats from that side.  A local news station was over there filming (they just left the Malecon).  Also rumor has it that Al's is till open if you need a libation.  (We are well stocked with Medalla and wine).  I don't know about the businesses over there but maybe Karen will let us know.  
 
So be prepared, be safe and spend a hurricane evening with those you love.  We will send updates power permitting. 
 
All the best,
Kate
 
  

- Much to do...
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 08:31:34 -0400
The seas are picking up in Vieques but right now we just have a slight drizzle.  Yesterday we were hit by a strong squall around 5:00PM.  Then the power went out for a little while.
 
Things are closed up on the Malecon.  We are boarded up and they strapping La Nasa down.
 
Off to take care of the loose ends.  will try to write more later!
 
Take care and be safe!
 
Kate

- Major Storm
  • From: "Karen" <knotimpaired at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:25:47 -0400

We are getting killed with rain, lightning and thunder.

 

Pray for us.


- Moon...
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2008 23:50:19 -0400
There is a bit of moon peeing out at the moment.  She is silvery behind the clouds.  What a wonderful veil she wears.  Seas seem to be building the slightest bit.  The waves are just barely splashing on the fishermen's pier.  No wind.  I hope it stays this calm.  The malecon is shuttered and quiet.  It seems to be a typical Monday night. 
 
We will keep you posted from Vieques.  Stay safe and try to stay dry...
 
Sweet dreams,
Kate

- Tropical Depression 15
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:24:57 -0400
Good Morning,
 
The power is back on and I have a fresh cup of coffee.  Life is good but damp, really damp. Rain started yesterday at 5:00PM.  Huge gust of wind and a torrential downpour.   Of course I had not finished repotting some plants but I just remember poco y poco (little by little).  So that project will continue another day.
 
Around 2:00AM we were woken not by thunder or lightening but the sound of reggeton.  Really loud reggeton.  I guess for some people 2:00AM on a really, rainy night is the perfect time for a dance party on the Malecon.  My husband got up and closed the shutters to shut out the noise.  Of course that makes it hot in our little house so I wake up at 3:50 AM to see if they have left.  They had not but the music was lower.  As I am wandering around the front porch the power went out.  I worked my way inside and found the flashlight and the cell phone to see what time it was, 4:02AM.  Now the rain is really picking up and I am wide awake.  So is the entire rest of the household when our 10 month old puppy fell off the bed. So after we checked on him (he is fine, just really confused) we watched the trees blowing and the rain coming down.  But mostly we listened to the sound of the rain because it was so dark.  It really is a wonderful sound.
 
Woke up at 9:30 to heavy rain.  It must have blown hard.  I had to close all the shutters to keep the rain out of the house.  Still no power.  So, what do you do when it is dark inside and raining outside?  Put on your rain jacket and clean out the gutters.  After sweeping up quenepas the gods must have smiled at my persistence on cleaning up those little missiles of love and turned the power on.  Fabulous!
 
All joking aside be safe.   Stay inside (and dry) and spend some time with your family and loved ones.  It is the perfect opportunity.
 
Kate
 
PS-  If anybody feels like walking in the rain I have a 10 month old crazy Labrador that needs a walk.   
 

- Rain
  • From: "Kate Cole" <kate at katecoledesign.com>
  • Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2008 13:25:27 -0400
Woke up to another beautiful day with a great breeze.  I thought that the rain was supposed to start earlier but I enjoyed the view of the bay.  People were out early with a couple of tourists milling around.  The bay had small waves.  Then at 12:20 I looked up to see a black cloud looming on the horizon. There were white caps in the bay and the wind had picked up.  I raced downstairs to tie the screens on my freshly cleaned rain barrels.  The wind really picked up and then huge drops fell from the sky.  Thank goodness for the panna trees they provided a break from the now pounding rain.  I finally tied all the screens and raced into the back door of the restaurant kitchen.  My husband stood there laughing at me and said the neighbors are going to think I am crazy.  I looked at him and said " I am." 
 
Back out into the rain I went to check or newly dug ditch down the side yard.  Unfortunately the road in front of the restaurant is higher than the gutter system (I use the word system loosely).  And the "system" has a huge crack in it right between Quenepo and Blue Carib.  So, of course every time it rains the water from all of the gutters and the street causes a river to wash straight down the driveway, hang a sharp left and flood the flower beds, before it gouges a gully in the garden path and runs into the mangrove.  Now we are playing water traffic cop.  We raised the beds, built a small wall and a trench to send the water straight back to the mangrove.  So far so good but I think the next couple of days will let us know if all of that digging was in vain or if it is going to work.
 
Of course as I stand out there watching the water flow what do I see...  a plastic grocery bag floating in the water.  I have already admitted I am crazy but I am going to loose my mind over these bags.  They are everywhere... Blowing, floating, sinking, hanging from trees and NOT in a trashcan. Last night I stopped twice to pick them up off the road.  So I have decided that I will never use another one of those things again.  (When I was in Africa they were everywhere, great big piles right next to the railroad tracks.  It was so sad because they do not biodegrade).  Please don't accept one of those bags. Carry a basket, a canvas bag, put your purchase in your purse or carry the items in your hands.  It will really help!  And this year at the restaurant these bags will not exist.  Bring your own if you have to have one.  Or better yet take your doggy bag or to go food in your hand.  The sauce will not spill that way!  Sorry to digress but they are really unsightly.
 
Have a happy, happy rainy day.  I am going to clean out our only closet. 
 
Kate   

- Calm
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 09:51:40 -0400
Yesterday was hot, hot, hot!  We went to Coqui Fire for dinner (Jimmy does a great job!) and everyone was talking about how lethargic they were.  Too hot for home improvement projects! So I spent the day in town running errands, seeing friends, and checking the mail.  Then a big nap.  Not a bad way to spend the day!  Last night we had a drizzle that started at 10:00PM.  I didn't think that we would get much rain but then at 2:00AM it really started to come down.  Enough to refill the rain barrels that I emptied last week to water the plants.  Happiness!
 
The bay here in Esperanza is flat.  It looks like a lake.  My husband was joking with Pooch from next door that maybe he should go bass fishing!  It is reflecting the puffy clouds in the sky.  
 
So what do you do on a perfect day in Vieques?  Go to the beach.  And we are off!
 
Have a wonderful day!
K

- Thanks for hope
  • From: "Karen" <knotimpaired at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Fri, 3 Oct 2008 22:12:20 -0400

MJ, you do us all in the islands a justice of telling us every day events and you eloquently master it.

 

 


- Ahhhh....
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Fri, 3 Oct 2008 10:55:37 -0400
It is simply the prettiest day!  Blue skies, occasional fluffy white clouds and a breeze.  Time to be outdoors (and unfortunately do chores!).  But with this weather who can complain about sitting on the porch water sealing the railing!
 
There is a little buzz in Esperanza this morning.  I went to get milk and saw that Bellybuttons was open for breakfast, both Duffy's and Bananas had housekeepers scrubbing away before opening, and the cleaners were sweeping the Malecon.  I passed Chris and Barbara heading out to their boat Marauder to give her a fall cleaning.  Tradewinds opens tonight for dinner after their summer vacation. We are so happy to have them open again!  Things are starting to hum, the faintest bit as we move toward season.  That hum will get a little louder each week as we move toward Christmas. I think this means that I only have a month left of vacation.  Yikes!  I think I am spoiled to have such a long vacation anyway.
 
Have a wonderful sunny day!
 
K

- Another beautiful day in Paradise and important VAL information
  • From: "Karen" <knotimpaired at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2008 14:31:40 -0400

 

As Kate said it has been Chamber of Commerce weather day here on the island for the past 3-4 days. We have been pre-occupied saying goodbyes to friends that are permanently leaving the island, Casey our master cabinet maker from Esperanza has left us for the blaring sun of Nevada and Chuck and Gaeta have sold their home in Monte Santo and have returned back to New Hampshire with promises of future visits (maybe by boat next time J)

 

But another reason for this update is concerning Vieques Air Link also known down here as VAL. VAL has STOPPED allowing dogs, cats and chickens on the flights. This is important for everyone returning to their homes this season to know in advance. You may call the reservations office at 787-741-8331 and they will confirm it but when you ask why they refer you to Francisco Cruz, the Director of Operations at 787-741-3266. I tried a few times today and they say he will not be in until tomorrow. This also messes with the efforts of flying dogs and cats off island to connect to the US Mainland for adoptions.

 

Pass the word along so somebody does not get caught off guard making last minute reservations with their pets and also hope and pray VAL changes their policies back.

 


- Good Morning!
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2008 10:07:35 -0400
All is sunny and quiet on the south side of Vieques.  The bay is nice and flat and the sun is shining.  It is funny to notice how the light is changing.  It is starting to look like fall in a very tropical way.  The light is much more golden and less intense than during the summer months.  
 
We are off to shovel topsoil.  We had two dump truck deliveries and have already spread one.  Only one to go.  If you are in Esperanza today, stop by and throw a shovel full or even two!  We can provide a cold beverages!
 
Have a great Wednesday!
Kate

- Beautiful Day
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:08:36 -0400
What a beautiful day!  Blue skies, strong breeze and sun!  The bay is a little choppy and the waves are louder than usual.  Hopefully we will have a sunny day all day.  Last night we had a storm pour down the rain for about 30 minutes and then it disappeared.
 
The mangrove behind our property is full of water.  Inky, dark water.   Yesterday we cleaned the back yard to a chorus of frogs and the buzz of mosquitoes.  It was wonderful to be outside and not trapped in the house.  We forget until we have a series of rainy days how often we are outside, in the garden, on the front patio, or eating dinner on the side porch.  Not to mention trips across the street to the beach!  Even our friend the gray headed iguana decided to come out of his hiding place and take a stroll through the flower beds.  I am not sure who was more surprised me or him when we bumped into each other.  He promptly ran straight to the mangrove across the water.  The old man can really move.  Even the small lizards had a heyday yesterday.  I watched on pounce on a tarantula and munch away!
 
The hummingbirds are in the tree next to the window.  I am headed out to watch their show!
 
Have a great one,
 
Kate

- Thank the lord it is over (at least for now)
  • From: "Karen" <knotimpaired at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:46:35 -0400

 

Well everyone, the reason you have not received the final update on Invest 93 is that the island has been without DSL since yesterday morning a little after 6. I did a random sampling of friends that do have it and they are all still without.

 

Ironically on the 15th I ordered a Sprint aircard and although it was supposed to be overnighted  by UPS it did not arrive until this morning since VAL stopped flying on Friday and did not resume until late yesterday. But it works great. It is a wonderful backup since we have no clue how long the DSL will be down. DSL has be acting erratically for a few weeks now, well before Invest 93 so I am not sure what’s up. MJ was told they we replacing old cables but with PR Telephone they could well be telling people that chickens fell from the sky and crushed the cables and that is why we have so many chickens running around the island. They will say anything.

 

Yesterday we received 1.85” in what seems like minutes for a total of 7.75” for Invest 93 and a total for the month of 15.55”.

 

It has been clear, hot and humid. It is wonderful to see sun again!


- Sunshine!
  • From: "Kate Cole" <kate at katecoledesign.com>
  • Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2008 10:01:05 -0400
Last night we went to bed with the sound of rain bouncing off the shutters on the west side of the house.  I was certain that we were going to have yet another another day of rain today. Then we woke up to SUNSHINE!  It is so exciting.  I opened all the the windows and doors to get the damp out of the house.  I missed the sun!  The dogs are ready to go as well.  I have my can of OFF ready to stop the swarms of mosquitoes.  I am headed outside to play in the yard, pot up a couple of plants and enjoy the sun. 
 
Sunny days are here again!
K

- Cold!
  • From: "Kate Cole" <kate at katecoledesign.com>
  • Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:42:49 -0400
Good Afternoon,
 
We woke up this morning to a really cold wind blowing through the house!  It was so cold I got up and grabbed a blanket.  Then the rain started blowing in the south facing windows.  Damp and chilly is a strange way to start the morning in the Caribbean!  The dogs joined us up on the bed as we watched the storm. Finally I got up and looked at the satellite thinking today would be a great day to clean up the leaves and the mess.  After a quick chat with the hubby we decided to let it dry out a little bit before we started raking and sweeping.  Now I think it was a wise choice.  The little bit of sun that we had this afternoon has turned into clouds again.  They look like rain one more time!
 
At least the dogs got to go for a swim.  Hopefully that means the little one will take a snooze on the floor instead of driving us all crazy to play.
 
Take care,
Kate

- Well I let my guard down :(
  • From: "Karen" <knotimpaired at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:50:48 -0400

Once it cleared today I rejoiced and went outside to put everything back in place, clean the patio, polished the teak bar, rewashed all of the outdoor towels,  etc, etc.

 

Then I just looked at the radar and at the same time heard thunder. I told Lee he could forget finishing getting the leaves out of the pool. He might as well wait until the end of this.

 

We are not done folks! As long as we have DSL I will continue to post weather conditions, i.e. rainfall amounts, winds, etc.

 

Stay dry everyone.


- What a weekend!
  • From: "Karen" <knotimpaired at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:01:30 -0400

Amen, our DSL is back.

 

Our radar was just up for a minute but then crashed again but Vieques seems to just be on the fringe now which is great news for us.

 

This has just be a rain event for us, very little wind, thunder and lightning in Isabel Segunda.

 

Sat. we received, .51"

Sun. we received, 3.82"

Today so far, 1.57"

Total for Invest93, 5.90"

Total for the month of Sept. 13.58"

 

Tio is mending well, thanks to Linda loving care!

 

I think it is time for us to get a Sprint card. The DSL has been going in and out far too much lately.

 

Hope everyone fared well here but let us not forget the season is far from over!

 

 


- Rain
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2008 10:45:50 -0400
Good Morning,
 
Well 93L has arrived.  Last night around 1:00AM I saw the lighting in the distance.  It quickly moved in and we had a good light show with thunder.  The rain continued most of the night alternating between heavy downpour and slight sprinkles.  Right now it is drizzling and the breeze is quite nice.  The sea is choppy and we have waves crashing up against the fishermen's pier.  Looks like a great rainy day to sit and relax. 
 
On a very happy note the orchids are responding to all of the additional moisture.  They are sending out lots of new growth and many shoots for new flowers.  On a sad note my Labrador puppy is disappointed as the seas are too rough for a swim today.  He doesn't realize that he has an exceptional life for a lab...  He could be back in North Carolina in a fenced in back yard and a 30 minute drive to the river for a swim!  Come to think of it life is exceptional for all of us blessed to live in the Caribbean.  We are spoiled by nature and the beautiful local people of the islands.
 
Happy Sunday!
Kate
 
 

- Sunshine for now...
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2008 12:39:12 -0400
It is a sunny and breezy for the beach clean up day here in Esperanza.  The beach looks so wonderful without trash and they even cleaned up the tree limbs.  If only they would take that old oil tank away.  The beach would be perfect!  Trash is always an issue.  Perhaps if they put trashcans out there in the parking lot it would help.  We keep our trashcans near the street and people are using them.  If there is a can nearby then the trash wouldn't end up on the ground.  But as we say here "poco y poco".  Little by little.  Change doesn't happen over night. 
 
We are looking forward to the rain that is heading our way.  The plants could use it.  Also we have new movies to watch and a rainy day is the perfect time to sit on the sofa and relax.  
 
Have a great Saturday!
Kate 

- Good Morning
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:02:07 -0400
Things are sunny in Vieques this morning with a nice breeze and big fluffy clouds.  A picture perfect day so far.  However weather must be moving in because the fishermen have moved their boats out of the bay in Esperanza.  This is usually a great indicator of weather moving in.  We could use the rain for the plants but I really dread any help (moisture) to the mosquito population.  How easy it is to forget about those flying monsters in January.  
 
Have a great one,
      

- Personal update, no new weather to report
  • From: "Karen" <knotimpaired at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:06:28 -0400

#1. Yeah!! MJ is back in Culebra

 

#2. Our current Mayor who is running for re-election is offering new washers, dryers, and fridges in exchange for votes. Isn’t this illegal? (told to us by a local friend whose daughter was offered a washer)

 

#3. I cannot wait for this election to be over, the speaker trucks are driving me crazy!

 

4. Tio Roberto goes in for his 2nd surgery Thursday and is expected to be in the hospital for 3-4 days this time. Keep Tio and Linda in your thoughts.


- Morning storms, minor earthquake
  • From: "Karen" <knotimpaired at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2008 19:15:32 -0400
Since I am not there I will be brief.
 
Lee called and said that they was quite a bit of thunder and lightening starting before daybreak. All in all Isabel Segunda received .87" of rain this morning for a total for the month of 7.32" which is amazing since we have not had any depressions, storms, etc.
 
There also was a minor earthquake 95 miles NNE of the island a bit ago that registered 2.8.
 
 

- Sunshine at last
  • From: "Kate Cole" <kate at katecoledesign.com>
  • Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 10:40:05 -0400
It is so nice to see the sun and dry out a little bit.  It just rained and rained and yes, it rained a little more yesterday.  Karen mentioned the storm on the other side of the island.  We experienced much the same here.  At 3:30 in the afternoon I was up on a ladder in the bedroom painting and a bolt of lighting hit so close I could feel the electricity in the air.  Outside of the noise the sensation was unreal!  I have no idea where it hit or how close it was to us as I decided that a run down the street to ask was a dumb idea.  There was too much lightening, thunder and rain.  Now today I get to clean up (again).  All the drains are clogged and once again the quenepas have fallen.  Chores, chores but at least everyone is ok.
 
On a funny note we were at Duffy's a couple of nights ago and a big political rally pulled up right in front of us.  Amidst the ear popping music played at a volume I am sure they heard in Isabel were great dancers and funny political ditties.  In the midst of a political dance session one of our locals arrived with his pet baby pig.  They cut through the dancing laughing crowd and provided a funny sight to all of us watching.  I can only imagine the politicians in the states bringing in baby pigs and dancing salsa.  Maybe they should consider it?....
 
Off to clean!  Have a great one!
 
K

- Oh what a day!!!
  • From: "Karen" <knotimpaired at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 05:19:28 -0400

Geez, yesterday will be remembered here for a long time. The lightning and thunder were already awake when we were headed out at 6 a.m. to take our Coqui dog to the beach for his morning run. We managed to walk the pier briefly before seeing the storms coming our way and we had a quick stop at Morales for Coqui food so we cut it short and headed there. Just as we got back to the house it started to rain. Most of the remainder of the morning we could hear thunder but we managed to dodge the bullet until 3:03 p.m. and then it just literally poured for under a hour. Because we are at the end of a paved road at the bottom of the north side of the island most of the water decides to come down the road, into our drive, then come into our patio and pool area which has a 2’ concrete wall/bench around it. Even though the deck is sloped to drain and we have drain areas every 8’ or so they kept clogging with leaves. The width from the wall to our door is about 20’ so when it was a few inches from the door I decided it was time to take action.

 

Armed in foul weather gear and with a dowel rod to open the drains and a broom, I spent about 10 minutes trying to sweep the water off the deck and down the center stairs that lead to our banana garden. I gave up. It was a no win situation. The lightning was so bad and consistent it was far too dangerous to continue. All we could think of was Jeanne, when we got 33” in a day and a half and we were praying it was not going to be a repeat. The storm, along with constant thunder and lightning literally sat above Isabel Segunda for 55 minutes, hard rain. The radar indicated we were going to get a break for a bit and get hit again but after that all we had was light rain and it apparently slid to our east towards St Thomas. Culebra must have also gotten hammered but I have not heard anything from over there yet. Amazingly we did not lose power.

 

All in all we received 3.07” for the day, 2.91” for the hour between 3-4.

 

We have lived here now for 4 ½ years and other than Jeanne, yesterday will be another weather day we will remember for years to come.

 

I am off to our condo on the big island until Sunday so there we will not be reporting from the north side of the island till next week. Kate from the south end of the island can keep you up to date and if anything needs reporting from PR I will let you know. As always for minute by minute weather for Isabel Segunda you can go to our online weather station at www.playacofi.com/weather.

 

For streaming music from the 50’s thru 80’s to listen to while riding these storms out (or anytime for that matter) visit our website www.tropicalglen.com.


- Mini Report
  • From: "Karen" <knotimpaired at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2008 16:23:40 -0400

Since 3:03 pm we have received 2.80” of rain and we have more coming in.

 

I will give a final tally later or you can follow our weather at our personal weather station www.playacofi.com/weather.

 

So far we have not lost power which is amazing! DSL we have been losing on and off.


- Rainy Morning
  • From: "Kate Cole" <kate at katecoledesign.com>
  • Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2008 09:31:11 -0400
The rain continues here in Esperanza.  We woke up this morning at 8:15 to booming thunder and driving rain.  We haven't heard a thunderstorm that loud since we moved here two years ago.  It was a pleasure to watch and listen.  The dogs didn't have a problem with it and stayed in bed.  Silly little kids!
 
Yesterday it rained on and off.  Occasionally I had to close the shutters because the wind was driving the rain into the windows.  The wind also kicked up the bay.  We only have one boat left in the bay. A little red sailboat owned by a local.  All the other boats are safely tucked away.  I assume no one wants any more surprises like last Wednesday.   
 
Now we have calm still water in the bay and dark skies.  The plants are happy, the cisterns are full, and the dogs are driving me crazy for exercise.  They will have to wait until the next long break in the rain.  On the annoying side of life the mosquitoes are unreal!  The mangrove behind the restaurant is now totally full of water and is the local mosquito breeding spot.  I need to buy stock in bug spray.  
 
We hope all of our friends up island are starting to recover from Ike.  Our prayers are with those that have and will be affected by the storm.
 
Kate

- Hot and Humid, very little rain in Isabel Segunda
  • From: "Karen" <knotimpaired at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2008 18:17:04 -0400

Attached is a photo I took this morning from the pier looking towards Isabel Segunda. The rain was on the east side of the island and to the left of the land would be St. Thomas if it was clear and sunny.

 

Most of the day we have heard boomers, one HUGE one at about 10:45 directly above Isabel Segunda but we have received little rain here at the house on the north coast.

 

We did not go down to Esperanza today so do not know how they fared, wind, rain, etc. Since our weather is coming from the south they probably had greater wind than we did. Keep in mind that the wind from the north coast and the south coast is completely different due to a ridge that runs the center (east/west) of the island. Our wind was about 5 knots today, no sun but very hot and humid.

 

Josephine still lingers out there as a wave but does not appear to be doing much but it is wise to keep an eye out for her just the same.

 

Lee heard on TV this morning it could be December before parts of the Turks and Caicos restore power. Our hearts and prayers go out to them.

Attachment: Storms over Vieques 014.JPG
Description: JPEG image


- Dugout canoe that washed in with Hanna
  • From: "Karen" <knotimpaired at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 15:06:03 -0400

Since Hanna has left life is back to normal and the weather has been great. Last night apparently a strong cell came over the island around 1ish but I slept through it. Lee woke up and came down to shut a few of the hurricane shutters as a precaution for heavy rain but our weather system reported we only received .04”.

 

Four boats rode out Hanna down in Esperanza and as noted in a previous post 1 sank. This morning one local fishing boat and a visiting sailboat were all that were there so apparently all of the others were taken into shallower bays for protection. But all in all, Ike did not want to visit us.

 

I am not sure what is going on with Josephine but the Google Earth is tracking her as “Tropical Wave Josephine” and showing her moving west right now in our direction. Another wait and see for us.

 

Attached is a photo of a dugout canoe that was washed ashore by Hanna on a south beach. The colors are blue and green so there is some speculation it may have originally floated up towards our island from Trinidad, sank at some point and Hanna decided to bring her up. I wanted to bring her home to use in the garden but Lee overruled me on that. Overall it was probably about 15’. I would love to hear others theories or if anyone recognizes the style and which island it may be from. I am absolutely clueless how old it may be.

 

Enjoy the day everyone, keep a eye on Josephine but I think she will eventually be a fish storm.

 

Check out our websites www.tropicalglen.com  for those that enjoy oldies music and www.countryroutes.net for those who enjoy country.

 

Attachment: Dugout Canoe 014.JPG
Description: JPEG image


- Vieques report on Hannah
  • From: "Karen" <knotimpaired at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2008 09:26:38 -0400

Yesterday was quite a day. The morning started out with tropical squally weather and as from my last report you can see we lost power which lasted about 3.5 hours. This report starts off from there.

 

Around 1, friends of ours Nancy and Chipper from Nansea Charters called us from their cell to ask if we had the generator running and could we give them a marine and radar update. They were on the south side of the island in Esperanza and said it was blowing like mad and swells were barreling in. They were debating whether to move the boat to another location. Mind you, here at the house on the north side we had winds of about 3 knots.

 

We stayed on the phone with them for about 45 minutes when they had decided it was time to get out of there and move the boat to a shallow bay to the east. After that we decided to drive over and see what all the fuss was about. Oh what a fuss it was. Everyone was scrambling to get their boats out. The smaller fishing boats were lifted out and tied to trees. A few of the larger ones were not so lucky (photos below). The wind was blowing at what I would describe as a constant 25-30, others thought gusts were as high as 45. Crowds had gathered to watch.

 

One friends 27’ cabin cruiser was one of the unlucky ones. It broke free of its mooring and landed on the beach, thankfully not the rocks. One sailboat stayed on its mooring but as you can see from the photos, it sank on its mooring.

 

At about 5 we had a HUGE cell come over the island, one of the worst I had seen since we have been here 5 years now. It slammed us from the SW and we were not prepared at all because it had happened so fast. We shut our shutters on that side of the house, the 3rd time we have ever had to do that.

 

Shortly after we received a cell call from a friend who was unlucky enough to be on the cargo ferry as the cell came through. She said she was trying to look out the windows and all she could see was crashing waves. She had no idea how close to Vieques they were and the boat was rocking like crazy. To sum it up she was not very happy at the time. (they had cancelled the passenger ferry)

 

After the cell went past we lost our internet connection, not the DSL,  until about 10 last night but we received a call not too long ago from a friend in Bravos that said his was still out.

 

This morning we drove around the island ride to look at the damage. This is from our observations and from eyewitness accounts of the few we have talked to. I am sure there was much more damage we are unaware of.

 

Other than the 2 boats previously mentioned the only odd thing while driving 200 west was that we noticed a Four Star DC3 cargo plane sitting at the airport which was a first for us. We can only assume it came in due to the weather. Pilon Road had many small branches down but they had been cleared from the roadway. Playa Grande still has huge swells coming in and has about 5’ of beach erosion at the jetty of the lagoon. Reports are that Hector’s By The Sea had 4 large trees down on his property. A large Flamboyan tree next to Tradewinds fell and blocked the Malecon but it has since been cut up and the road is open. Sun Bay lost a huge tree and they were there this morning cutting it up. Our friend from the cargo boat called from her home in Bravos after she returned to report large trees near her home blocking the road and the police were cutting it up with chainsaws.

 

They good news is the sun is now out, the schools are open as well as both gas stations and Morales is fully stocked with vegetables (hint, hint).

 

Now we just have to see what Ike brings our way since Hanna was a complete surprise.

Attachment: Cruiser Thursday.JPG
Description: JPEG image

Attachment: Sailboat Thursday.JPG
Description: JPEG image

Attachment: Prepping cruiser.JPG
Description: JPEG image

Attachment: Sailboat Wednesday.JPG
Description: JPEG image


- Surprise!
  • From: "Kate Cole" <kate at katecoledesign.com>
  • Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2008 13:12:50 -0400
Went to sleep last night thinking today would be a regular work day and then this morning I woke up and heard the waves.  All of the fishing and pleasure boats were still moored in the bay and the sea is huge.  The power went out and I headed to the beach to find the fishermen struggling to take their boats to safety.  One of the large sailboats broke off the mooring and seemed destined to hit another moored boat.  Hector, one of the local kids, rescued the boat before it hit the other boat and took it to sea.  Way to go Hector!!!  Right after a huge squall came through with lots of rain and wind.  We have leaves and water in the restaurant but no damage.  The power is staring to fail again.  I'll write more later.  Everyone is ok but terribly surprised!
 
Kate

- Power outage on island
  • From: "Karen" <knotimpaired at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2008 11:03:11 -0400

About a half hour ago while outside taking advantage of the lull of Hanna and removing some older basil plants and with the intention of planting some new basil starts and tomato plants I heard the substation transformer popping.

 

Of course power went out. Lee went to the PO and said crews were starting to gather at the substation next to Chu Garcia’s on 200.

 

I was not going to do a update until later on the amount of rainfall since the feeder bands started arriving yesterday so since we are on generator I will indeed wait until all of the squalls have passed for a final update.


- Light rain
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008 12:09:07 -0400
All is quiet here in Vieques.  We have a little bit of light rain right now which I hope the plants enjoy.  Last night the wind was from the southwest and was really blowing.  We actually turned down the ceiling fans in the restaurant. The breeze was fabulous and the customers all loved it! Particularly the table at in front next to the window.  They had large, red Flamboyan flowers floating in and landing on the table.  We had many visitors from the States and main island in for dinner last night.  It is great to see that the storms are not keeping them away for the last holiday weekend of summer.  Tonight is our last night of service for the 2007-2008 season.  We are looking forward to the break and making the garden grow!
To all of our friends in Gustavs path... take care and go for shelter.  And of course be safe.
Kate
 
 

- What a imediate threat that never happened
  • From: "Karen" <knotimpaired at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2008 21:26:21 -0400

Hi everyone,

 

My new computer is now up after about a week and Lee and I  watched at about 3:45 this afternoon a wild system coming in from the rain forest our way.

 

We had very dark clouds, winds, but not more than about 10 knots and thought by the looks we would be losing Dish and going to Netflix. We lost no services, rain did not even register so it really did not give us the hopeful rain we wished for.

 

I am grateful we have a new person to the south Kate, since the north coast does have much different weather from the north, although we are only 4 miles apart.

 

For those here that know Tio Roberto, he has his first surgery yesterday, they took the major tumor out and will go back in soon, in a few weeks to remove the rest. Last I heard from his wife, Linda,  he was still in ICU, but Linda has not called to let me know the update. We are hoping he may come home in the next few days.

 

 

Which makes me ask you to think about your friends and neighbor. How well do you know them? We know many by their first names because we live on a small island and think as them as family. If we had to notify a family member of those, could you? We should not pry, but gently ask.

 

We think we may get a bit of Hannah, north shore winds and rain but let us keep in mind, this has been very mild for us and we have skirted everything so far. When you live on our island or any island they always say this will be the year.

 

So, as I always say, once again keep your fingers crossed this is “not the year we will get it” and pray for Tio and Linda.

 

I am glad my computer is back and as always our weather system can be found on at www.playacofi.com.

 

Karen

 

 

 

 

 

 


- Breeze and waves
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:36:41 -0400
Well it looks might we might get a passing shower in Vieques but so far no rain clouds.  Last night it was dark and cloudy at 5:00 and we could see showers out past Cayo Fuera but none for us.  At least we have a slight breeze from the southwest right now.  And there will be no skipping stones to the Cayo today.  The sea is choppy.
 
I was surprised this afternoon when I read Jeff's blog and saw the 2 invests instead of one.  I suppose I only wanted to see one.  With all of the action out there make sure to stock up on the essentials.  Don't forget pet food!  It is frequently the last thing to arrive after a storm hits.  
 
As for the quenepas I have given up.  My 9 month old lab ate one and had to have surgery to have it removed.  He is back home today and resting.  Thank goodness for Andrea our vet.  She is the best!  I have barricaded that side of the porch so no more snacks for the pup. 
 
Stay prepared!  Our prayers are with the folks up island.  Be safe.
 
Kate

- Hot, hot, hot
  • From: "El Quenepo Reservations" <reservations at elquenepovieques.com>
  • Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:38:24 -0400
It is hot!  No breeze and it is humid.  With storms all around we are lucky at this time not to have one bearing down on us.  Hopefully the thunder I hear in the distance means a little bit of rain. The storm is off to the west so that usually means a no go for rain here.  But the boats are all facing inland in the Esperanza bay when they should be facing the east.  And the bay is flat, flat, flat.  I think I could skip a stone to the cayo.  My plants are parched on the patio.  If we don't get rain I will have to grab to hose and use some of our rain water.  That's why we collect it!  As usual I just finished sweeping up the quenepas.  Does anyone know how to make them fall all at the same time?
 
Take care and stay safe.  Our prayers are with those in the stormy regions.
 
Kate

- Morning Sunshine
  • From: "Kate Cole" <kate at katecoledesign.com>
  • Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:52:18 -0400
Last night around 8:00PM the wind picked up on the Maelcon and sent the quenepas flying from the trees.  We saw the lighting and my husband said be prepared to run inside... rain is coming.  However we did not receive any rain from storm but had a great lighting show in the east.  And it blew the mosquitoes away temporarily.  The mangrove behind us is full of water and is a mosquito breeding ground!  At one point yesterday I thought they were going to pick me up and carry me away.  We are hoping for a little more rain to water the plants and fill the rain barrels.  It is not looking good today unless we get a surprise thunderstorm.  I'm off to sweep up the quenepas on the porch.  This time of year this chore never ends.
 
Stay safe and prepared.
Kate

- If you think you may be in control, think again.
  • From: "Karen" <knotimpaired at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:20:59 -0400
Just over 4 hours ago while Lee and I had just finished breakfast we heard a loud crack. Not like thunder, just distinct enough to know something major had happened. We heard no car so we knew it was not a accident.
 
I was the first out the door and saw my neighbor running back towards her house. I screamed at Lee to come find out what was happening. He was already heading for the generator. I ran up the hill and was totally shocked. Our trash truck knocked down the power line and it was laying on top of it. I yelled if everyone was ok and they said no, call the police. The driver needed help getting out.
 
I ran back home and literally had trouble calling 911. My hands shook so bad I dropped my cell and ran in to use the house phone.
 
While we all think we can handle emergencies, let me tell you, maybe we can not. Let us not think we can be capable to handle a emergency. I learned a lesson this morning, tough person that I think I am, I froze and could not think right. It makes me wonder if we have a storm out here, how would I really handle it.
 
I have found out that the whole island is out of power because of this and I am not sure about Culebra since it receives power thru us.
 
Lee walked up the road a bit ago and we have about 14 men scratching their heads trying to figure this out. The garbage truck is gone, the driver shaken but ok. We happen to live at the bottom of the road so we cannot leave.
 
We are waiting for the gas to run out of the generator and let it cool down for about 20 minutes but for all of you on the island, do not expect this to be back up soon.
 
Moral to this? Hug the one you love.
 
By the way, whatever happened to our municipal generator? Maybe we need to address this situation.
 
Attached is a photo.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Attachment: DSCF5139.JPG
Description: JPEG image


- Rain, Rain, Rain
  • From: "Karen" <knotimpaired at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2008 07:23:06 -0400
I woke up minutes ago to hear our generator running and then the phone started to ring. Do we have power our friend Tom asked. Nope, we did not. He was trying to decide whether it was worth hooking his generator up to make coffee or maybe he was hinting he wanted to come over and have some of ours. But during the call the power came back on so he is now a happy camper. Apparently the power went out at about 5 a.m.
 
The storm came through after midnight and my husband and Tom both said it was a dozy when it came through. Very loud and tons of lightening. Me? I slept through it all. It must have been that white russian I had at Al's Mar Azul that did me in. Who knows...
 
We have had over 3" of rain here at the house and as far as I can tell the only thing damaged is a papaya tree about 20' fell over on the pump house for the pool but until the rain stops it will stay where it is.
 
Other than that, the island is quite.

- Manatees at play
  • From: "Karen" <knotimpaired at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Sun, 10 Aug 2008 18:35:34 -0400
We have just returned from a few days on the big island to find out we have a new invest, 92L. San Juan NWS says it will be here on thursday and will probably be a big rain event but they are not mentioning winds yet. We will have to monitor this close.
 
The big island was hot, hot, and HOT! We went down to Playa Naguabo and had lunch on the Malecon which was delicious. What a gem of a fishing village but I foresee change for that area if Roosevelt Roads does go international (aero). This area is so unspoiled I know someone will have to go in and ruin it.
 
Both yesterday and today we watched the manatees from our balcony. We were not sure if it was a mom and baby but after downloading them they both appear to be the same size so we have decided they may be a happy couple. Pic attached.
 
Around 1 we headed north on 53 from Humacao and ran into a rainstorm that was so heavy that people were using their hazard lights. That reminded me too much of I-95 and why we moved to Vieques. Crazy northern drivers!
 
Yesterday while looking out from the condo towards the ferry dock I noticed our new boat, the Cayo Largo. When asked, Kathy (one of our finest ferry captains) said the boat would be coming over tomorrow for the opening ceremony. I guess this ends all speculation about which island is getting the boat, Culebra or us. But when you live here you have to understand everything is subject to change and normally does. pic attached.
 
It is nice to be home but I am not looking forward to 92L if it brings wind. Keep a eye out for our weather at www.playacofi.com. Remember our house is just west of Isabel Segunda so this reflects our weather on the north coast, not on the hills.
 

Attachment: New Ferry Cayo Largo.JPG
Description: JPEG image

Attachment: Manatees at play.JPG
Description: JPEG image


- July - Plenty of festivals and holidays, but no rain
  • From: "Karen" <knotimpaired at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2008 05:11:29 -0400
As this month ends, the July 2008 rain total may go down in the history books for the least amount of rain recorded. We have only received .67" for the entire month and the weak tropical wave coming in is not forecast to bring any moisture until the early morning of tomorrow, the 1st. I am posting this July recap early since I will be off island tonight but for current info you can always go to our website www.playacofi.com for the current weather conditions.
 
Since installing our Weatherhawk system on July 2nd, 2004 the July rainfall totals are as follows.
 
2004        2.99"
2005        4.88"
2006        4.58"
2007        3.78"
2008          .67"
 
For the record, Weather.com states that our average rainfall for July is 4.38".
 
The drought we are experiencing is hitting us hard. The barrios of Monte Carmelo and Borinquen have been without water for almost a week as have some of the barrios in the higher elevations but from what we have been told is that the water company is doing rotations rationing the water in barrios for periods of 1 week so they should get their water back soon then some other section will be shut down. Everything is brown, it resembles January, certainly not July.
 
One thing July does bring us though is Festivals, Flower Shows and weekly monday holidays here in Puerto Rico. We had our Patron Saint Festival the 16th thru the early morning hours of the 21st. The music played until after 4:00 a.m. every morning. Since we are not known to stay out late we decided to do the opposite than most this year. We woke up at 2 in the morning, made our coffee and went down to watch the dancing and music till about 4 but at least we were bright eyed, not dead on our feet which many of the dancers by that time looked. That is one thing I have to say for the residents here in Vieques, they have the stamina to stay up and party and dance all night. They did not want Patronales to end!
 
Last weekend was attended the St. James Festival in Loiza which was by far our favorite of the year. The Aibonita Flower Show was an orchid collectors dream (we tend to kill ours so we shy away from them).
 
All in all since there has been no weather to report for the month of July other than drought, drought, drought we have been busy visiting various areas of PR and enjoying the fair weather until hurricane season decides to bless us with some tropical moisture. Attached are a few photos taken this month.
 
For those that enjoy free streaming music from the 50's thru the 80's visit www.tropicalglen.com or if country is more your style try www.countryroutes.net.
 
 

Attachment: Loiza Masks.JPG
Description: JPEG image

Attachment: Saint Santiago.JPG
Description: JPEG image

Attachment: sunrise in Fajardo.JPG
Description: JPEG image

Attachment: Bob Marley Tribute Band 330 am monday morning.JPG
Description: JPEG image

Attachment: Patronales Princess.JPG
Description: JPEG image


- Vieques
  • From: "Karen" <knotimpaired at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2008 08:49:57 -0400
For those of you thinking about taking the ferry in the next few days.
 
 
AMZ730-082230-
 /O.EXB.TJSJ.SC.Y.0159.080709T0600Z-080709T1200Z/
 CARIB WATERS FROM PUNTA VIENTO TO CABO SAN JUAN S TO 17N AND E TO
 64W INCLUDING THE CARIB WATERS OF CULEBRA VIEQUES AND THE U.S.
 VIRGIN ISLANDS-
 443 AM AST TUE JUL 8 2008
 
 SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION
 

 TODAY
 EAST NORTHEAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 4 TO 6 FEET IN
 EAST NORTHEAST SWELLS. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS IN THE MORNING.
 SCATTERED SHOWERS.

 TONIGHT
 EAST NORTHEAST WINDS 11 TO 16 KNOTS. SEAS 5 TO 7 FEET IN
 EAST NORTHEAST SWELLS. SCATTERED SHOWERS.

 WEDNESDAY
 EAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS. SEAS 5 TO 7 FEET IN EAST
 NORTHEAST SWELLS. ISOLATED SHOWERS.

 WEDNESDAY NIGHT
 EAST WINDS 8 TO 13 KNOTS. SEAS 5 TO 6 FEET IN
 EAST NORTHEAST SWELLS. SCATTERED SHOWERS.

 THURSDAY
 EAST WINDS 9 TO 14 KNOTS. SEAS 5 TO 6 FEET. SCATTERED
 SHOWERS.

- Vieques
  • From: "Karen" <knotimpaired at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2008 16:54:09 -0400
I should thank someone above that this holiday weekend is over. Well maybe for most but I think today is a PR holiday.
 
Short of getting lost trying to find the Aibonita Flower Show the weekend was a great success if one were smart to stay inside, which is what I chose to do.
 
Vieques and Culebra had record ferry numbers for the weekend. Vieques had 1,300 and Culebra had 1,600 visitors. Fajardo was dry until I was just about to leave saturday on the afternoon ferry and the clouds opened up. Visibility was down to about 1/8th of a mile for a little over 10 minutes. I am beginning to realize that when it rains in Fajardo, it pours.
 
I spent the 4th watching boats leaving the Fajardo marinas on their way to Culebra, Icacos, Palominos and all of the smaller islands. The 4th did not have a drop of rain so I am sure there were many happy campers out there. At 9:30 pm the Conquistador had a fireworks show that happened to be right off our balcony (25th floor). Attached is a few photos of the 4th in Fajardo.
 
Since returning we have had short showers periodically but nothing to write home about. We still need to water which can take forever when you have an acre to deal with. Maybe next year instead of buying plants at the Aibonito show I will invest in plastic flowers from Walmart that do not need watering (smile).
 
It seems that Bertha is going to head to the north of us and not even a high seas or wind threat. Yippee, we managed to dodge that bullet, let's hope our luck holds out.
 
Enjoys the rest of the week. The Vieques forecast is 50% rain for tomorrow into early wednesday then dropping to 20% again for the rest of the week.
 

Attachment: green pink and white.JPG
Description: JPEG image

Attachment: boats heading out 4th.JPG
Description: JPEG image


- Vieques
  • From: "Karen" <knotimpaired at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Wed, 2 Jul 2008 06:10:22 -0400
About an hour ago our tin roof started dancing to the tune of rain. Yeah!!  Enough so we do not need to water today. Only if we were so lucky every day. Our family left yesterday after a weeks visit and the weather stayed dry but the seas were up most of the week, 5-7' so we had to cancel our scuba charter with Nan-Sea Charters and snorkel at green beach instead :(
 
We are off to our condo in Puerto Rico for the weekend to attend the Aibonito Flower Show. For those that are not familiar with it it is the largest tropical flower show in the Caribbean and should not be missed. It runs until the 8th. We will not only be posting Vieques weather this season but also PR weather while there as the season progresses. We hope the rain predicted does not dampen anyone's 4th of July activities. Stay safe and enjoy the weekend.
 
Everyone should keep a eye out for Invest 92L but most predictions I am seeing calls for it to take a turn to the north. This is the latest from the SJ National Weather Service discussion.
 
Note: Although the discussion below calls for the possibility of rain for thursday and friday the local NWS forecast for Vieques calls for 20% chance until friday night when it changes to 40% until saturday night when it drops back down to 20%.
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
418 AM AST WED JUL 2 2008


.DISCUSSION...
ATLANTIC ANTICYCLONE WILL BEGIN TO PROPAGATE AND REPOSITION
ITSELF SLOWLY EASTWARD OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.
THIS WILL BE EVIDENT BY THE GRADUAL 700-850 MB WIND SHIFT FROM
EAST TO SOUTHEAST BY THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS OUT OF THIS DIRECTION
WILL SLIGHTLY INCREASE THE TEMPERATURE ALONG THE NORTHERN COAST OF
PUERTO RICO DUE TO A DOWNSLOPE EFFECT AS WELL AS SHIFT THE DIURNAL
PRECIPITATION BULLSEYE FROM THE WESTERN INTERIOR TO THE
NORTHWESTERN INTERIOR FOR WEDNESDAY.

MULTIPLE WAVES ALONG THE ITCZ IN THE TROPICAL ATLANTIC CAN BE SEEN
VIA LATEST SATELLITE IMAGERY THIS MORNING. WHILE THE LARGEST AND
MOST IMPRESSIVE TROPICAL WAVE WITH TWO DISTINCT EASTERN AND
WESTERN VORT MAXES OFF THE COAST OF AFRICA HAS CAUGHT THE
ATTENTION OF MANY...IT REMAINS NEARLY A WEEK AWAY FROM THE LESSER
ANTILLES. OF MORE IMMEDIATE CONCERN WILL BE THE TROPICAL WAVE
LOCATED NEAR 10N AND 52W...WHICH IS EXPECTED TO PROPAGATE
WESTWARD JUST SOUTH OF PUERTO RICO AND THE U.S.V.I. THE PROXIMITY
OF THE WAVE TO THE LOCAL AREA WILL INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR
INCREASED SHOWER ACTIVITY THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

THE LATEST ENSEMBLE GUIDANCE FOR THE IMPRESSIVE TROPICAL WAVE THAT
EXITED THE AFRICAN COAST SUGGEST A MORE NORTHWEST TURN WITH TIME
AS THE SURFACE HIGH IN THE ATLANTIC SHIFTS EASTWARD. IF THIS IS
CONFIRMED...ANY POTENTIAL TROPICAL DEVELOPMENT FROM THIS WAVE MAY
BYPASS THE ISLANDS AND THE LOCAL FORECAST AREA...LEAVING THE
POTENTIAL ONLY FOR INCREASED SEAS. OF COURSE...DUE TO THE NATURE
OF THESE SYSTEMS COMBINED WITH NUMERICAL WEATHER PREDICTION FORECAST
TRACK ERROR THIS FAR INTO THE FUTURE...IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT
RESIDENTS...TOURISTS...AND MARINERS STAY TUNED TO FUTURE UPDATES
FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
 

 
 

- Vieques
  • From: "Karen" <knotimpaired at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:27:08 -0400
These past few days have been so bright and clear.
 
While walking the pier yesterday morning we could actually see the sunning bouncing off the windows of the houses on the mountain over at Yabucoa which is 24.5 miles from the pier (google earth). The sun was so bright that we could not see Culebra or St Thomas from there.
 
But went to our condo in Fajardo yesterday and St. Thomas could be seen which is 45 miles according to google earth. If only it could be like this every day. But alas, the tropical wave is supposed to come in tonight and then another wave on monday so our "chamber of commerce" days will be ending soon.
 
Attached is a photo taken from the airport yesterday morning of the clarity showing the houses on the Humacao hills 22 miles away which is rare to see with the naked eye.

Attachment: Humacao from airport.JPG
Description: JPEG image


Back to top | home | tools | pleas for help | QHWRN | guide | climatology | archive