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The current weather in Culebra

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The OP and Helipad
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Chip Silverman (---.hsd1.co.comcast.net)
Date:   03-22-08 00:09

So I have just returned from my first visit to Culebra (it is easily one of the most amazing place I have ever been and I will go back ASAP but more on the visit to follow in another post) I spotted the OP from Flammenco and decided to ask some locals about it and hike up to it. The whole complex up there is pretty amazing, too bad all the vandals had to hit it though, but my curiosity about it was really peaked. As soon as I got back to the states i did all the research on it I could but am still a bit confused. I stumbled upon some older poster about a Victor Gonzalez. Who is Victor Gonzalez and why does the helipad have something along the lines of "Victor Gonzalez Culebrense" written across it? The older posts mentioned conservation efforts, restoration and such. I am extremely curious about the whole situation, please help fill me in...

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Re: The OP and Helipad
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Darla Rendon (---.dsl.irvnca.pacbell.net)
Date:   03-22-08 01:52

what is OP?

Darla

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Re: The OP and Helipad
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: hillman (---.prw.net)
Date:   03-22-08 07:10


OP + Observation Post.
Where the Navy observed the invasion and bombing of Flamenco Beach for battle practice until the mid 70's.

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Re: The OP and Helipad
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Chip Silverman (---.coloradocollege.edu)
Date:   03-25-08 23:23

Can anybody help me out here?

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Re: The OP and Helipad
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Doug (---.dsl.stlsmo.swbell.net)
Date:   03-25-08 23:55

Nobody wants to talk about Victor because he has been the island villain for the past couple years. What do you want to know?

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Re: The OP and Helipad
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Chip Silverman (---.coloradocollege.edu)
Date:   03-26-08 00:22

Thanks for speaking up Doug. I didn't mean to bring up a sore subject I was just curious. Why is he the island villain? Is he the reason that the OP and helipad are on private property? Did he have some significance on the island while the Navy was there? The helipad says Victor Gonzalez Anti Culebrense in giant letters on it...

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Re: The OP and Helipad
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Michael (---.nycmny.east.verizon.net)
Date:   03-26-08 08:07

http://www.islaculebra.com/forvm/search.php?f=1&search=Victor+Gonzalez&globalsearch=0&match=1&date=0&fldsubject=1&fldbody=1

Enjoy Culebra!

Michael

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Re: The OP and Helipad
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Chip Silverman (---.coloradocollege.edu)
Date:   04-01-08 01:36

Thank you for that Michael, after reading all of those posts I still am wondering why the helipad says Victor Gonzalez Anti Culebrense in GIANT letters written across it.

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Re: The OP and Helipad
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Debbie (---.sip.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date:   04-01-08 08:39

Chip,

Are you just here to stir the pot? You've been given all the information there is about Victor Gonzalez. If I summarize for you, will you drop it? It really is a sore subject for those of us that love Culebra and love the Culebrense. Culebrense, in case you are not aware, is a description of the local residents.

Gonzalez bought the land that leads to the helipad and blocked it off via several methods over several months (trees, concrete blocks, etc.), thus blocking the access to the far side of Flamenco Beach (and the helipad) that the Culebrense had enjoyed since the Navy left in the 70s. He managed to get a local, Pan, arrested and charged with trespassing. The Culebrense fought hard in court to force Gonzalez to open the access, which he was obliged to do pursuant to the outcome of the court case. Thus, the Culebrense have gained back their access to Flamenco Beach and the helipad. All beaches in Puerto Rico are public, free-access beaches - no one has the right to claim them or block access to them. Along the way, Gonzalez has continued to do stupid things with the land, including bulldozing centuries-old volcanic boulders, which leads to runoff onto the unspoiled beaches below, and erecting a concrete "bird-watching" eyesore of a tower. Gonzalez is not a Culebrense; in fact, he is not even Puerto Rican. The point is - if you come to an unspoiled place and decide to make it your own, at the expense of the locals, the locals are going to put up their best fight. And trust me - a couple thousand Culebrense up against one newcomer that doesn't get it - it's not pretty.

So, can you see now why the Culebrense paint him as anti-Culebrense? It's too bad someone has put the community's feelings forth in graffiti. Perhaps next time you are there, you could organize or join a volunteer effort to clean it up?

Happy Diving!
Debbie

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Re: The OP and Helipad
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Tricia (---.wasd.org)
Date:   04-01-08 13:11

Debbie...Well Put !

There is no such thing as a bad vacation. Some are just better than others.

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Re: The OP and Helipad
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Chip Silverman (---.coloradocollege.edu)
Date:   04-01-08 15:45

Thank you for your post Debbie. I am not here just to "turn the pot", I visited Culebra a few weeks ago and enjoyed every second of it and cannot wait to return to one of the most beautiful and friendly places I have ever been. As I said I walked up to the OP and helipad and was legitimately and I think for good reason, very curious. When I came home I did all of the research I could reading up on the Navy use of the island etc.; and that is how my question came about. I appreciate your answer and understand the ugliness of the topic.

I would love to start some kind of conservation and/or restoration effort on that historical part of the island. In fact I already know several people here in the States who would love to get involved and would be willing to work very hard for an island they fell in love with after only one visit. If anyone has any suggestions on where to start, how to go about this, or anything else I can do please let me know.

Thank you again for clarifying the situation Debbie, it is much appreciated.

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Re: The OP and Helipad
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Doug (---.dsl.stlsmo.swbell.net)
Date:   04-02-08 09:26

I believe the OP is now under the administrative oversight of the FWS or, perhaps, the DNR - can't recall which. There were plans announced to restore and re-open it to the public, but like many environmental and historic initiatives, funding and follow-through isn't a priority of the current group in Washington.

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Re: The OP and Helipad
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Peter Bowden (---.alb.choiceone.net)
Date:   04-02-08 15:05

Quite a view from up there isn't it?

I managed to sneak up there with my camera
when I visited in '05 and got some interesting
images. Kinda spooky being there alone though.

http://www.pbase.com/peterb/image/39939256

The helipad with Culebrita and St, Thomas in the distance

http://www.pbase.com/peterb/image/39939209

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Re: The OP and Helipad
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Peter Bowden (---.alb.choiceone.net)
Date:   04-02-08 15:08

Actually I think that's Cayo Norte not Celubrita
in the foreground of the second image

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Re: The OP and Helipad
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Chip Silverman (---.coloradocollege.edu)
Date:   04-02-08 18:05

It was kind of spooky being up there alone but what was even spookier was hiking up there with headlamps in the dark for the sunrise. Those are nice pictures, I see you took your car up there, I just hiked from Flammenco, it was quite enjoyable.

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Re: The OP and Helipad
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Tricia (65.173.18.---)
Date:   04-03-08 16:57

Peter
I just viewed your photos on your webpage.
Great shots of Culebra...I love the underwater shots...what type of camera did you use and did you take them diving or snorkeling?

There is no such thing as a bad vacation. Some are just better than others.

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Re: The OP and Helipad
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Debbie (---.sip.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date:   04-03-08 18:52

Tricia,

Peter's a celebrity! One of his Culebra pictures was published in The Moon Handbook to Puerto Rico last year.

http://www.islaculebra.com/forvm/read.php?f=1&i=9527&t=9516

(Peter - good to see you around here again).

Happy Diving!
Debbie

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