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The current weather in Culebra

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Feedback on trip configuration?
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Val (---.tmodns.net)
Date:   11-20-05 15:37

Hi,

first of all, thanks everyone for posting so much useful info on Culebra here - this is by far the most helpful resource I could find on the net!

We (a couple in late 20s) are going to Culebra next week for ~6 days. I was hoping that some of you could give me some feedback on the trip configuration we were thinking about.

We will be getting in Culebra on Sun, 11/27 afternoon from San Juan (plane). We plan to rent a double kayak and spend 4-5 days paddling around the island and camping in various places along the way. We are rather experienced ocean kayakers (mostly on the pacific coast near San FRancisco). We plan to bring almost all of the camping gear with us as I have read on this thread that stocking on the island might be a bit problematic.

A couple of questions to you Culebra experts are:
1. How regulated the camping is on Culebra? I mean, is it realistic to expect that we can just land nearly anywhere and put up a tent?
2. Are there enough reasonably protected landing sites? 2-3 foot surf is fine but anything more than that is a bit troubling. Also, what the ocean condition is like this time of year? Can we hope for swells not being over 8-10 feet most of the time?
3. We were also thinking about kayaking across to Culebrita but I have read some posts about (1) currents and (2) sharks in that channel. How real are these threats?
4. Beyond the main town, is there any hope to get some food near the shore?
5. What are the good places to rent a kayak on Culebra?

Your help would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks!
--
Valery.

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Re: Feedback on trip configuration?
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Debbie (---.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date:   11-20-05 16:09

3. We were also thinking about kayaking across to Culebrita but I have read some posts about (1) currents and (2) sharks in that channel. How real are these threats? Currents, yes; sharks, no. Underwater around Culebra, I've never seen any shark other than a nurse shark, which is a bottom dweller, besides, sharks eat fish, not people.

4. Beyond the main town, is there any hope to get some food near the shore? Only on Flamenco Beach, and only during the day.

Happy Diving!
Debbie

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Re: Feedback on trip configuration?
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Teresa (66.50.189.---)
Date:   11-21-05 05:36

Hi Valery. The only place in Culebra where you can camp is Flamenco Campground. Please call them at 787-742-0700 to make a reservation. Unfortunately it is not OK to just land and camp anywhere anymore because of problems that occurred with camping by other people. If one party is allowed to camp in places other than designated camping sites, then we have to let everyone camp in those places too. The offshore keys are part of Culebra National Wildlife Refuge and the two keys open to the public are Luis Pena and Culebrita, but camping is not one of the public uses there. You can enjoy the beaches on those two islands during the day sunrise to sunset but please do not camp. They are closed at night. Hawksbill sea turtle nests are on many beaches both on and off the Refuge, even on coral beaches and in maritime forests, and the nests are not marked. A tent or other thing set up on top of a nest can destroy the contents. So please stay on public use beaches, camp only at Flamenco Campground, and do not hike around on rocky points, etc. on Culebrita and Luis Pena. The non-beach areas of those two islands are not safe and are not open to the public. Also migratory seabirds nest on some of the closed offshore cays and rocky points of Culebrita, Luis Pena, and the other offshore keys, and can lose their nest because of people that walk around the site. All other areas of the Refuge are not open because of the presence of unexploded military ordnance remaining from past military bombing exercises. The shoreline and interior lands of pristine looking areas have not been cleaned of the bombs. The entire shoreline of the Flamenco Peninsula is closed because of the presence of bombs and most of the offshore keys were bombing targets.

No campfires are permitted anywhere in Culebra other than the campground and they can tell you what their requirements are. The Caribbean is not fire adapted and fires can wipe out entire areas. Many kinds of trees and shrubs won't grow back.

As far as your landing sites on offshore cays Luis Pena and Culebrita, remember to land only on the sand beaches. When you arrive in Culebra, check on the current conditions to know if there are any predominate sea swells that could make landing on certain areas difficult or dangerous. The kayak renters should know and also feel free to give us a call at 787-742-0115. We will do our best to answer all of your questions.

Also please know that the canal between Luis Pena and Tamarindo and also the Carlos Rosario and west Peninsula Flamenco area is a no-take fishing reserve. You can get a temporary fishing license from PR Department of Natural and Environmental Resources to fish in other areas (this includes shoreline fishing). PRDNER is enforcing the license requirement now. Their number is 787-742-0700.

After saying all of these "don't do this" things, please know that the area is still beautiful because it is managed as such, and you will love the beaches here. There are plenty of places to hike that you can enjoy and not get into trouble while doing so.

Teresa Tallevast
Culebra National Wildlife Refuge

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Re: Feedback on trip configuration?
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Jeff Donatello (---.maine.res.rr.com)
Date:   11-21-05 10:02

Teresa gave you the politically correct answer. From first hand experience, no one is going to know if you pull in and camp on some of the secluded beaches ie..culebrita. There is no one out there so go for it. I saw fire pits everyone by the way.

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Re: Feedback on trip configuration?
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Teresa (66.50.189.---)
Date:   11-22-05 12:49

Re the above post. You are mistaken. Culebrita has been closed at times because of illegals coming in at night and also drug activity that IS checked by people that you will never see. Therefore the raids that have occurred at all hours of the night. Just because Refuge staff are not there at night, that does not mean that law enforcement people are not. Yes, you can see an occasional fire pit from someone that went ahead and lit a fire. It was going on a lot the past couple of years with increased human and drug trafficking here. People were getting dropped off on the offshore keys to be shuttled by another pick-up boat before daybreak. Very sad situation but dangerous. Not the kind of environment where I would recommend someone camp. Also, two sea turtle nests were destroyed on Zoni beach from campfires. And that is not just politically correct language, local school kids have been monitoring the beach and documented the damages. They care and we care. Please be careful and please don't be telling anyone to go out there at night. If it was safe it would be open to the public and camping would be permitted. And also I sure hope that most of the visitors that read this forum do care about the turtle nests and the nesting birds. I think that they do.

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Re: Feedback on trip configuration?
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Doug (---.dsl.stlsmo.swbell.net)
Date:   11-22-05 14:40

I wonder if Jeff or others even realize that Culebra is frequently in a high state of fire alert. It isn't a tropical rainforest; rather a desert island with no freshwater and very sparse rainfall, compared to it's neighbors. As such, it's delicate nature needs extra care, not less.

Also, for those who are new to this forum, be aware that Teresa, along with a few others, are the voices of reason when it comes to keeping the natural resources that we come to Culebra to enjoy viable for the future. Encouraging folks to ignore rules that protect Culebra's natural resources isn't the same as winking at the nude swimming prohibition.

Think it over...

Doug

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Re: Feedback on trip configuration?
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Michael (---.utaonline.at)
Date:   11-23-05 02:29

Thanks Doug and Teresa!

Enjoy Culebra!

Michael

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Re: Feedback on trip configuration?
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Jeff Donatello (---.maine.res.rr.com)
Date:   11-23-05 10:24

sorry about the comments.....irresponsible on my part

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Re: Feedback on trip configuration?
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Doug (---.dsl.stlsmo.swbell.net)
Date:   11-23-05 14:02

Jeff,

Good man. We all come to learn.

Doug

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