CURRENT LOCATION: Tied to a mooring ball near Cayo Pirata, in Ensenada Honda, Culebra, Puerto Rico

18 18.400' N, 065 17.842' W

Yesterday morning started with a haircut under a palm tree on the soft sand of Tortuga Beach, Culebrita. Sheryl ran my battery-powered beard trimmer over my head to produce the extremely short coif I prefer to sport (short hair is so easy to manage in this cruising lifestyle). After my black and gray locks dropped to the sand and were scattered along the beach, I dove into the crystal-clear water to rinse any residue which had clung to my person. It was a no muss, no fuss way to attend to this monthly grooming requirement.

After a haircut in Heaven, we pulled the kayaks out of the water and started up the engine. It was time to head back home to Paradise. As we motorsailed along on the two-hour trip back to our mooring ball in Ensenada Honda, I thought about the little 'vacation' in Culebrita we had just enjoyed. It was like a three-day weekend, taken in the middle of the week. The only difference between this and the three-day weekends of our previous lives is that we were not dreading going back 'home.' There are no 'work' obligations waiting for us here, and it is our choice to come back. We appreciate the amenities that town has to offer.

Upon our return, we collected the line for our mooring ball, which had been held by our porta-bote, Patience II, during our absence. As we had motored through the harbor, we noticed that Paul, from Irise, was finally back from his delivery voyage. We invited him and Jan over for drinks aboard Prudence. In the comfort of our cockpit, we enjoyed sundowners and great conversation with friends until well past the time of sunset. Regardless of the specific coordinates, dear Reader, life is good.

This morning, it is back to the routine of life in Dewey. Friday morning means that the fruit & veggie truck from the big island of Puerto Rico should be parked over by the airport. Sheryl is off to collect food for our hammock while I plan to wash and wax the hull today. Just another day in Paradise.