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November 1st, 2009 – San Juan, Puerto Rico
by Herb McCormick
The lights of the island, at least the tall antennas dotting the northern shore, became visible from almost fifty miles out. A compact squall came through, then another, dousing the boat, at least temporarily, with a welcome freshwater wash. Through the night, one sleepy watch replaced the other; after a summer in the Arctic, this hot, steamy passage from Miami had taken a toll. But the end was very near.
A thick, gray layer of cloud and mist negated the glorious daily sunrise that had been a fixture of the voyage. The wind continued to rise and the seaway became lumpy, then dramatic. As we neared the island of Puerto Rico, in length and girth roughly the size of Long Island, New York, the rolling waves crashed severely against the rocky shore, sending forth towering plumes of spray. We kept a sharp eye for the sea buoy marking the channel leading into the harbor. Suddenly, there it was.
First mate Dave Logan drove Ocean Watch down the well-marked corridor between the sets of wild breakers to the
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| First mate Dave Logan drove Ocean Watch down the well-marked corridor between the sets of wild breakers. |
east and the west; the breeze and seas laid down; and we doused the mainsail. One of the huge cruise ships that had passed us in the night was already tied up. After a week without needing them, it took a while to locate our shoes. We found our berth, secured our dock lines, and took our first tentative steps ashore. They were teetering and unsure. With the sun ascending overhead, the heat was suddenly searing. It was like taking a walk on the sun.
A newspaper crew and photographer were on hand for an arrival interview and pictures. They were sweaty ones. We tidied up the boat, stumbled across the road, and joined the throng of pinkish tourists rambling up and down the streets of Old San Juan. Breakfast was terrific, particularly the ripe papaya. As always, it was good to be ashore.
The Department of Marine Science at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez is hosting our visit to San Juan. We’re looking forward to a visit this week by students from the school, and also to a road trip to their campus on the west coast of the island. Several of us will be joining University students and staff for a dive on the nearby coral reef, purported to be one of the best in the Caribbean. We’ll have a report on our adventures with the marine scientists later this week.
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| A newspaper crew and photographer were on hand for an arrival interview. Above, Dr. Reynolds takes a reporter on a tour of Ocean Watch. |
Also this week, visit our website for new science reports from oceanographer Michael Reynolds, to an update on fisheries in the Canadian Maritimes from Ed Stern, and for new editions of our regular crew logs. Ocean Watch will be in Puerto Rico all week before setting out on the longest leg of the voyage Around the Americas, across the equator to Brazil.
For now, it’s Sunday in the colorful neighborhood of historic Old San Juan, and we’re going to give the flip-flops a workout and have a good, hot look around.
- Herb McCormick with photographs by David Thoreson
This crew log submitted by Iridium OpenPort and Stratos
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