We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year 2019 full of love and wonder!
This Christmas after some plans fell through, we found ourselves on the beach once more trading snow and cold for sand and sunsets. They moved the annual Pig Roast celebration from Almendros Beach because it was devoid of trees after Maria to Playa Lala. Playa Lala was once just “the beach behind the old Econo” and has now become a popular destination especially with all the little kiosk bars right nearby.
The 3 of us getting into the Christmas Spirit
Playa Lala on Christmas
Driftwood tree
Another unusual tree
Breaking out the Coquito at sunset
What a beautiful sunset it was! Almost watercolor
Britton and Aeden away from the crowd
My silly sweety -my favorite Christmas present ever!
Also, the Newstory about us aired in Colorado on Christmas Eve. Check out more of the story here if you haven’t yet seen it, or watch the video below!
We have been working hard on the farm, but it was a nice break to go out to a fun little beach gathering at the Marina on a Monday afternoon. Because why not?
Me and Sandra hanging out at the marina on a Llama float haha
Britton swimming. It was cloudy and the air and sea was slightly cooler (around 80 f)
Renee slack lining it
Britton walking the line about a foot off the ground
Fun with the llama
Renee and James jousting
Me and Zach in a bubble match. He pushed me all the way into the water!
After playing around for a couple of hours, someone had a great idea to drive up to the Goathouse to watch the sunset. The Goathouse is something of landmark for Rincon. I don’t know the whole story behind it, but it was obviously going to be an awesome rotunda house with a 180 view down to the Marina but long ago got caught in some building/legal trouble and became another abandoned property. Many surfers use it to check the waves in the morning (Dawn Patrol). And it has awesome sunsets only 1 minute from the beach so we caravanned up to it.
Looking up to the Goathouse from the Marina
I am not totally sure where it got the name Goathouse, but I have heard that it has housed more goats than people in its current iteration though none were present when we were there.
Looking down at the marina from the Goathouse
Awesome photo ops!
From the back balcony with John and Daisy
The entrance to the house has been completely overtaken by the jungle
Where jungle meets concrete -B and me
Such a cool house in the making is now a graffiti haven full of vulgarities and poetry
More graffiti
Watching the sunset over Desecheo Island
Another cool site to see in Rincon
If you visit the Goathouse, remember that there are neighbors and they want you gone right after sunset so as to avoid too much mischief. Definitely check it out though as it is a key part of the fabric of Rincon!
An iconic location in Rincon is no more. The Landing used to be a happening bar/restaurant in its heyday but since we’ve lived here it has been nothing but an abandoned property in Puntas with lots of graffiti and broken glass. It had been listed for sale in the $2 million range for quite a while and someone apparently finally bought it. It is bittersweet because it really was an eyesore, but at the same time, something of nostalgia for the community. From what we gather, a private single residence will be built in its place. Goodbye to the Landing.
The Landing from the back
Inside of the Landing
Everyone could see the great potential of this ocean front acreage!
Some cool graffiti art
The Landing before from the top of the hill
The Landing after (this week) being demolished (and MANY trees removed, WOW!)
We went out to Art Walk last Thursday and ran into our friend Kirk. He said he was planning on going out on a fishing charter and had a few extra spots. Would we like to go? Ummm, yah! Britton has been out fishing with Makaira one other time, but I had never been.
Since we had made drunk plans, we weren’t sure if Kirk would remember that he had invited us. When we arrived at 6am in the Rincon Marina he wasn’t there, but the fishing boat was waiting for him and us and shortly thereafter he arrived.
Rincon Sunrise
It was a beautiful morning. I rarely wake up in time to see the sunrise, but I have to say they are nearly as spectacular as the sunsets here. If you are morning person, sunrises in PR are gorgeous!
A chilly winter morning (~70 degrees haha)
I was a little nervous that I would get sea sick, but I remembered what I have learned about sea-sickness and that is mainly to keep your eye on land or at least the horizon and never look down for long.
Britton and Randy
We trolled with lures for about an hour and this boat can move! It was really fun having the wind blowing through my hair, jumping the waves and occasionally getting sprayed with water. However, we never got a bite on any of the lines. Trolling is for the really big fish like swordfish or sailfish.
Sun and sea!
So we cruised on back near the shore on the southern side of Rincon and Anasco and could see the devastation from the hurricane on that side. It was different to see it from the sea as opposed to land. You can really appreciate the fury of Maria there.
Whole buildings collapsed into the sea
Near the shore the shipmate Josy worked his magic with the nets and pulled in quite a few sardines that we would then use as live bait.
Josy’s got mad skills!
Dumping the fish into the holding tank
Now we were ready to do some fishing! Pepe and Josy helped to bait all the poles and threw out a few of the sardines to draw up some fish (as well as to attract the sea gulls).
Richie and me fishing
I broke my rule of looking down when the fishing line would get wrapped up a little around the rod, and I began to feel a little queasy. I asked Britton to take over my pole and only about 10 minutes later he was reeling one in! It was awesome! A large king mackerel! Holy mackerel!
Britton’s mackerel
Soon thereafter Kirk and Richie both pulled in some fish.
Richie and his fish
Pepe (the great captain!) and Kirk with another mackerel
Josy filleted the mackerel for us. They say that although the bonita is a type of tuna, it’s better as cat food than as human food…so we didn’t take that back.
Josy prepared the fish there on the boat
Although I didn’t personally reel in a fish, I had a wonderful time and was stoked that I didn’t get sick at all! I must be getting my sea legs! I always enjoy seeing the Rincon peninsula from the sea because it just so beautiful!
Hey I did catch a fish! haha Me and Kirk on a majestic tropical morning
Kirk still doesn’t have power at his place, not even a generator so he encouraged us to take all the fish we could since he has no refrigeration. We made plans to meet up with our friend Dawn who said she would cook up the mackerel that evening.
We enjoyed the best, freshest fish dinner with friends!
What a beautiful sunset it was! Almost watercolor
Britton and Aeden away from the crowd
