SAILING AROUND THE WORLD WITH SPIRIT OF ARGO

Puerto Rico, North Coast – Rio Camuy Cave, Arecibo Radiotelescope and El Yunque National Park

Puerto Rico is a big island, so we decided that we would ‘throw out the budget’ and rent a car for a few days to see some of it.  It helped that another ‘dog friendly’ cruising couple agreed to split it with us.

RIO CAMUY CAVE

Cave entrance 1

About an hours drive down the north coast from San Juan you will find an unusual landscape built of limestone hills, caverns and sinkholes.  We travelled to see one of the caverns opened up to the public.

Pathways through the cavern

I have to admit that I am a bit of a spelunker and love stalagmite and stalactite formations.

Stalagtide-curtain formation

Exit sinkhole-distant

It is difficult to capture the size of the cavern here or get good pictures in the limited light, but it was a fun experience.  You travel through a cavern between sink holes letting in natural light.

Exit sink hole-closer up

The cavern’s ceiling dripping in giant stalactites.

Exit sinkhole-looking up

You can hear the river that originally carved the cavern, rushing down below as you circle back round to the original sink hole you enter.

Conclusion

Bat spotting is part of the fun!

ARECIBO OBSERVATORY

Not far from the caves is the worlds largest radio telescope.  We had to go there.

Radio dish

Pictures just do not capture the size of this thing!

Most people will recognise the telescope from the James Bond movies.

The Americans utilised a giant natural sink hole, here in the limestone hills of Puerto Rico, to build this incredible feet of technology.

Radio transmitter and receiver

Originally built to map the planets ionosphere it was further developed to map objects in our solar system and receive radio waves from our galaxy.

Gregorian Dome-close up

To help people understand how the telescope works they have built an extensive information centre, but it is not for the ‘faint of brain’.

Tim and Aiofe (Waimangu)

Everyone letting their ‘brains relax’ after surviving the information centre.

Our cruising guide warned us there would be 100s of steps to get up to the telescope, but I am sure I counted only 99.

EL YUNQUE NATIONAL FOREST

Brains recovered, we headed out the next day for a hike in the rain forest of El Yunque National Park.  Something for the body, we planned a hike and swim in a waterfall.

view out from high up

For cruisers heading north, this would be the last island with high enough volcanic peaks to give us true rain forest (unless you plan to stop in the DR)

In the clouds-trees in mist

You drive up into the clouds where the air is filled with the moisture that supports this rich ecosystem.

Road side waterfalls

Waterfalls tumble down right beside the roadway.

Big Tree Tail to La Mina Falls sign

The car hire place recommended this trail if we wanted a hike to  and swim in a waterfall.

Tim on trail

The trail was well laid with a textured concrete surface.

River and logs

You pass through a rich forest and flowing streams.

Little waterfall

Pass by little waterfalls on your way to the main waterfall and swimming area.

Swimming falls-busy

Unfortunately the place was popular.  We would have liked to have it to ourselves.  But that was not going to stop us from having a refreshing dip.  The hiking in the cool forested trails here was refreshing.

Refreshed enough for a massive grocery shop before returning the car.

SPECIAL NOTE:

Before ‘you all’ go off and follow in our footsteps, I would like to add a word of warning here.  Puerto Rican’s may be the loveliest people you will ever meet on the street, but put them in a car and they are MAD!

Do not expect fellow drivers to:

-stop for red lights,

-signal any lane changes,

-pay any attention to your signal light,

-leave any space between you and the next car.

It is the one island where you definitely want to pay for the extra insurance.

WITH THAT IN MIND

The car is king here.  Most things you need are a drive away.  It was nice to have a car to stock up on cheap food at Walmart, to get the propane filled for cheap (only $5 for 10lbs) and check out the electronic shops here where the prices equate to the internet.

Most of the agricultural lands are close to the Caves and the Telescope.  Do stop at the road side venders and purchase your fill of fresh un-refrigerated fruits and vegetables.  We had a farmer giving us breadfruit for free.

But if you do not want to rent a car you can get the number 9 bus (75 cents) almost anywhere in town from the Marina.  You need two buses, the number 9 then the number 22 to get to the big Plaza Americana mall.  Or just ask one of the guys in the Marina yard and they will happily drive you.  Do not take a taxi!  We heard a fellow cruiser paid $17 just to get the short distance into Old Town.

Your choice, your budget.

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