Pictures of Culebra
If you are looking for some pictures of Culebra, we have been driving around the island trying to snap photos. Recently, I added some photos to the Palmetto Guesthouse Culebra picture page and you can also find more on FLICKR.
Archive for September, 2007
Diving and Coral Reefs
Many people come to Culebra to go diving or snorkeling and both activities are really great ways to enjoy and experience the ocean and all of its creatures. Recently, a former colleague of mine told me about a person who was caught at San Juan International Airport trying to smuggle live coral and a live conch from the British Virgin Islands back to Colorado in his luggage. While I don’t think anyone visiting Culebra would want to smuggle out live coral there are some things we can do to help conserve and preserve the coral reefs and not inflict further damage.
The following is a list that I got off of the Association of Reef Keepers website that all divers and snorkellers should adhere to:
Touch Nothing – the slightest touch with hands, fins, or equipment can irreparably damage coral polyps.
Remain Horizontal – Snorkeling or diving on shallow reefs can easily inflict damage to the coral and cause personal injury.
Look, Enjoy, and Leave – Take nothing dead or alive from the reef.
Feeding the Fish – Feeding the fish can make them aggressive and dangerous and it may also introduce disease.
Taking Photos – do not brace yourself on the coral to take a photo.
Diving Equipment – adjust your buoyancy, know where your fins are, and secure all dangling gauges, consoles, and octopus regulators.
If you would like further information on coral reefs and their health http://www.ncl.ac.uk/tcmweb/tcm/crlinks.htm has a very comprehensive list of reference websites. For Culebra specific coral information please visit and support Coralations.
Flying to Culebra
Many people have asked, “What is the most convenient way to get to Culebra?” If you are short on time, don’t like boats, or live in San Juan then your best bet would be to fly to Culebra. Most flights leave from the regional airport in Isla Grande and not Isla Verde. This small fact is very important to remember if you are coming in from the states or overseas. When you land at the international airport and after you have collected your luggage you can expect a 15-30 minute taxi ride to transfer to Isla Grande (cost $15 as of the date on this post).
Also, if you plan to fly to Culebra you would be advised to make your reservations well in advance, especially if you are coming during a holiday time. Current prices are $55.00 for a one-way ticket or $100 roundtrip from San Juan. Should you find yourself out near Fajardo you can fly from there and I believe it is $30.00 one way or $60.00 roundtrip.
Culebra – The Ultimate Weekend Getaway
San Juan, Puerto Rico and its surrounding environs are very cosmopolitan. The city certainly rivals any mainland US hub for commerce, amenities, and bustling urban life. In fact, it still amazes me that over four million people live in Puerto Rico. Of course, with such a large population comes the stress associated with having a lot of people such as crime, pollution, and worst of all horrendous traffic. That is why Culebra is such a great weekend escape for the residents of San Juan. Similar to the northeast destination, Nantucket, for a $2.25 ferry ride or a $50.00 plane ticket you can reach a place with no traffic, little crime, uncluttered beaches (like Playa Flamenco), and a very relaxing environment.
So the next time you have had a long work week in Puerto Rico, or would like to escape the traffic, come on over to Culebra for the weekend!
Coming to Culebra for the weekend? Consider staying at the Palmetto Guesthouse.
Culebra Ferry Times
Recently, many people have emailed enquiring about the ferry times for Culebra, Puerto Rico. For persons traveling from Culebra to Fajardo or Fajardo to Culebra, on September 24, 2007 these times were accurate…If I hear of changes or revisions I will post an update.
Passenger Boat Schedule
Monday thru Sunday
Fajardo to Culebra: 9:00 am, 3:00 pm & 7:00 pm
Culebra to Fajardo: 6:30 am, 1:00 pm & 5:00 pm
Cargo Ferry Schedule
Monday, Tuesday & Thursday
Fajardo to Culebra: 4:00 am & 4:30 pm
Culebra to Fajardo: 7:00 am & 6:00 pm
Wednesday & Friday
Fajardo to Culebra: 4:00 am, 9:30 am & 4:30 pm
Culebra to Fajardo: 7:00 am, 1:00 pm & 6:00 pm
Remember – always CALL to confirm:
Ferry Port (Fajardo) – (787) 863-0705 – (787) 860-2005 – 1 800 981-2005 (toll free)
Ferry Port (Culebra) – (787) 742-3161
Post brought to you by the Palmetto Guesthouse.
Playa Flamenco Culebra, Puerto Rico – The gem of the Caribbean
When people think about Culebra as a holiday destination, or daydream during the cold winter months about being on a Caribbean beach, one name consistently stands out, Flamenco Beach (Playa Flamenco). Easily accessible via a 5 minute taxi ride from the ferry dock or a two minute taxi ride from the airport this long expanse of powdery white sand and turquoise water has an awful lot to offer the Culebra visitor. Whether you want to relax and read a book, people watch, or go for a long walk Playa Flamenco has it all.
If you google Flamenco Beach you will soon realize one thing right away…Playa Flamenco consistently ranks as one of the top beaches in the world. As an example one website, thisisthelife.com states, “Playa Flamenco is the quintessential Caribbean beach, postcard-perfect in its beauty with blazingly white sand and gently lapping waves, impossibly azure waters.”
Adding to its general appeal, Playa Flamenco is also part of the prestigious Blue Flag Beach program. The Blue Flag organization works towards sustainable development at beaches and marinas through strict criteria dealing with water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management, and safety and other services. More information on what it takes to be a part of this movement and the criteria can be found here Blue Flag Guidelines.
This post has been sponsored by the Palmetto Guesthouse.
Where is Culebra?
When we first started talking about moving to Culebra, many people asked, “where the heck is Culebra?” Strangely enough, when I told my friends and colleagues in Tortola, British Virgin Island (right next to USVI) that we were moving to Culebra most of them had no idea where it was, so I truly understand when people I know all over the US (the world really) are not quite sure of our geographic location.
The way I typically explain Culebra’s location is to ask folks if they know where Puerto Rico is located and also St. Thomas…? Next I explain that Culebra is sandwiched in between them, although, geographically it is closer to St. Thomas.
The Culebra entry on wikipedia has this explanation:
“Isla Culebra (IPA: [ku ˈle brə]) (Snake Island) is an island-municipality of Puerto Rico originally called Isla Pasaje and Isla de San Ildefonso. It is located approximately seventeen miles east of the Puerto Rican mainland, twelve miles west of St. Thomas and nine miles north of Vieques. Culebra is spread over 5 wards and Culebra (Dewey) Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). The island is also known as Isla Chiquita (Little Island) and Ultima Virgen (Last Virgin). Residents of the island are known as Culebrenses.
This post is made possible by the Palmetto Guesthouse.
Culebra – An American Paradise
Located in between Puerto Rico and St. Thomas, Culebra is truly one of the best kept American secrets.Within the coming months the CulebraBlog will be providing information on Culebra’s beaches, Culebra’s activities, Culebra’s accommodation, Culebra’s history, and also important, we will be writing about what it is like to live on this island paradise.
This post brought to you by: Palmetto Guesthouse
Culebra Blog Launches
After much thought I have decided to launch Culebra Blog in the hopes of providing weekly information and updates on our new island home. Some of you may know that I run an expat site called mytropicalescape.com and I thought I should separate the Culebra information and posts on living overseas. Should you have any questions feel free to email mark_w_hayward[at]yahoo.com or leave a comment.
