Thursday 28 Mar, SVI day 3, Culebra: Golf cart safari of the island, visit Zoni and Flamenco beaches.
The still air last night brought unwelcome visitors. Mosquitoes nibbled us and we had to seal ourselves in with the fans on.
By 9:30am we are at the golf cart rental center with Christian and Eva. The carts are in excellent condition with big chunky tyres. They almost look like new. And soon we are buzzing our way through town to explore the south-eastern end first.
Along the way there are several colourful simple guest houses, and the neat-and-tidy theme which we noted in the town continues out of town too.
The bay at this tip of the island, Punta Soldado, is known for good snorkeling. But when we get there none of us are particularly keen to get in the water just yet. The beach is rocky, not the usual sandy one to swim off of. So we u-turn, drive back through the town and over to the north-east coast which looks over Culebrita island.
At the end of the road we arrive to the turquoise water of Zoni Beach, overlooking the island of Cayo Norte. The beach is wonderful with overhanging palms and the occasional fenced off area where leatherback turtles have laid eggs. We walk NW along the full length (over 1Km) of the beach to its rocky end. There is a small scattering of people on the beach making it really feel like a wild beach.
We decide to try our luck at snorkeling over the rocks. And as I suspected there was not much to see, just sandy bottom and bare boulders. But as we drifted out to Roca Speck, a small rock above the water about 200m off the rocky point, the coral was really nice with plenty of fish. It was about then that we realized we were hardly having to swim. And when we turned around it was clear there was quite a current running against us to get back to the beach. Needless to say our return was a lot slower and had us panting into our snorkels as we beat our fins as hard as we could, and watching the sea floor very slowly creep by. Back at the beach, it was nice to sit at the water’s edge and relax.
After our walk back to the carts we flew the drone all the way down this wonderful beach and were rewarded with wonderful video footage.
Back on the funky golf carts we made our way back to town. The next three bays west of Playa Zoni didn’t seem to have roads to them. So we headed directly to the most famous beach, Playa Flamenco at the north-west end. This beach we had to pay to go on. $6 for us and parking the cart.
And after we paid we were told all the restaurants and the north end of the beach were closed off as they were detonating unexploded ordinance! We were aware this end of the island had been used for many decades by the US Navy for bombardment practice, but what is happening today was still a surprise. If they were really detonating old explosives, I was sure the whole area would be closed off to the public, knowing the usual over-caution of Americans. So we settle on the beach, near to the yellow taped off section stopping you going on the northern end.
The rest of the beach was pretty busy considering it is a week day, except for the far south end which was much quieter. It certainly is a beautiful beach, long and curving its way around the bay, backed by lush greenery and over hanging palms. It is rated as one of the best beaches of the world. So it’s true, the Spanish Virgin Islands seem to be at least as pretty and the BVIs and USVIs, but much less spoiled and visited.
As we sit there and contemplate this, we hear what sounds like a boat fog horn give 3 blasts. This is then echoed by a motor boat in the bay. People get up and start pointing their cameras to the north end of the beach. Pfff, I say, you won’t hear or see anything for sure. Then another short burse of the same sound then: KA-Booom!!!! At the end of the beach we see an enormous explosion reaching at least three times the height of the palm trees, then a rolling mushroom cloud of smoke and sand going even higher. Well, well, Mr. Sansom, seems you underestimated things a little! They really are detonating explosives … and just a few hundred meters from us! That was certainly our excitement for the day.
A few minutes later the heavens open with rain so we take cover under the leaves of a palm tree. Well, not much of a cover. And while waiting for the rain to stop, another explosion goes off, this time less spectacular.
We have 2 more hours of rental to kill. So it’s off on one of my mystery tours, which takes us down the most dirt of dirt roads. I hoped it would take us over the hill and give us an amazing view over Resaca Beach. But all side roads were closed off, and this dirt road takes us to the far end of Playa Flamenco instead. Where we get onto the beach for free plus no people! If only we had known earlier on this secret way to the best beach on Culebra! The sea here is just perfect. Shallow for 100m out and crystal clear. So of course we all go for a swim and relax in this paradise, having a great time playing in the water. This section of the beach is the best, with wonderful fine sand and great views.
Well, we haven’t seen the north end of it due to the explosives temporary restrictions. And because of that we missed out on the experience of seeing or even climbing the tank which was abandoned by US troops at that end of Flamenco Beach.
But the clock is ticking and by 5pm we hand back the golf carts bang on the deadline. Which is perfectly timed for the last hour of the 3-hour happy hour at Dinghy Dock. After two rounds of drinks we all declare it has been a great day and retire to our boats to relax for the rest of the evening.
Tomorrow we will try to anchor in the small island of Culebrita. Another day, another adventure.
