Boqueron, PR
18.01.299N
67.10.621W

For us, it was a quiet day today. Darby came by to tell us how her cat had gone missing during the night. She surmised that the cat likes to sit in a port hole watching the world go by and must have fallen out during one of the more aggressive rolls (it doesn't wear its kitty lifevest when its inside.) Naturally she was upset and she and Gate searched not only the boat and its surrounding area but also went into town to search the shoreline. Incredibly, the cat was sitting a few feet from the dinghy dock by the telephones. It's a good thing the tide was coming in as it's a good 1/4 mile to the shore from where we are anchored. One life down, 8 to go.

We all joined up on Pam & Charlie's catamaran to study the islands to the south. They were very helpful in indicating where good anchorages and marinas were and very candid about the crime on the various islands. When you hear about the various dinghy thefts and boardings for money in such a concise fashion, it causes you to pause and reconsider the decision to cruise. Then I thought about the number of boats cruising, the number of incidents of crime, the safety and security measures we've taken, considered the percentages of it actually happening to us, then figured that we'd just be extra cautious or bypass those areas we've heard about and continue on our adventure. It's not like Dale is about to turn around and go back. Besides, I have pepper spray and I'm not afraid to use it! I guess that means I'd better find it.

We're still rolling considerably at anchor today so we went into town to get off the boat for a while. We walked down the beach in front of cabanas that appear to have been left over from when the Army was here. Dale thinks he remembers from our Navy days in Puerto Rico that MWR (Morale, Welfare and Recreation) had cabanas that could be rented out. Well, they're still here and the park system is still renting them out. We met a couple from New York that come here for a couple of months each year for their vacation. They are right on the beach and something to keep in mind for future vacations.

We met up with crews from BlueStar, MTNest and Moon Goddess later for dinner. We learned that Moon Goddess' tender was damaged at the dinghy dock by a larger ski boat. We're not sure of the chronology of the events but it is evident that it fouled their prop on Moon Goddess' aft anchor line and sliced a gash in in their pontoon. (Due to the incoming swells, we would tie up to the dock and then throw out an aft anchor to keep us in place so as not to crash into the dock itself.) We're not sure if this all happened before or after the ski boat slammed into the docks tearing the end portion to pieces. Moon Goddess returned to find their anchor sitting on what remained of the end portion of the dock and 8' missing from their anchor line. Someone had moved their boat further down the dock to keep it from damaging further on the splinters and exposed bolts remaining.

We ran into Gate & Darby from Nicolino as we were leaving. They were delighted to have their cat back and Joe & Diane decided to pair off with them to go dancing the night away; what else can you do after day like theirs? The rest of us returned to our boats to turn in early. We're definitely cruisers now. Up with the sun; down with the sun and if you have a bad day, go dancing.