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February 2, 2005
Hello to all our family, friends and fellow MTOA members,

As mentioned in the previous newsletter, fuel at Salinas, Puerto Rico was problematic and we were going to need fuel soon. That was January 25th. Curiously, only few Puerto Ricans whom we had met along the south coast spoke passable English; perhaps even less than at many of the other Latin countries we have visited. Our Spanish while good enough for simple needs was not up to lengthy explanations of specific needs like, "where along the south coast can we find clean fuel at a reasonable cost and that flows faster than a dripping faucet?" That being the case and with fuel enough for a little over a couple of hundred miles (with reserve), we set out from Salinas. The first objective, however, was to anchor at a nearby island and yet again clean the bottom to assure that our fuel range wasn't reduced by barnacles. By 10 AM that little project was completed and it was early enough to continue to another south coast anchorage further east.

The plan had been to make it to Puerto Patillas where there might be fuel, but the trades picked up and with an uncomfortable chop we opted to stop only 6 nm down the coast at Bahia de Jobos where there was nothing notable except a secure anchorage. Early the following day, yet with some chop, Francesca made another whole 15 nm to Puerto Patillas. At this port there was a town dock and a few fishing boats about. A visit to the dock and nearby police station yielded only some broken English mixed with our feeble Spanish and a resultant, "no fuel here". The next hopeful port was Palmas del Mar 20 nm distant and on the east coast of Puerto Rico. The guide books note that the port had gasoline, but no diesel. Well, the books were kind of old and maybe? If Palmas del Mar did not have fuel, then we would have to go out of our way to the north 25 miles to find fuel. The next day with hope in our hearts and calm seas we cruised to Palmas del Mar. Leepin' peepods-, Palmas del mar not only had fuel, they had a nice new boat yard to boot. The fuel delivery rate was very fast and diesel was a 'reasonably' priced $2.04 per gallon. Fueling up with 475 gallons took about 30 minutes and we were on our way to Isla de Vieques. It was a pause that refreshed. Note: Francesca holds 635 gallons in the main tanks with another 20 gallons in the day tank.

The crossing to Isla de Vieques was only about 20 nm and the island is a good stopover before jumping off to St. Croix. Stopping at Puerto Esperanza on the south coast of Vieques there is a small tourist encampment and a nice anchorage so long as the wind remained anywhere north.