CURRENT LOCATION: Anchored in Ensenada Honda, near town on Culebra
18 18.326' N, 065 17.979' W

We are back at home in Ensenada Honda. We motored back from Dakity around noontime yesterday, checking out a few potential tropical storm hiding spots en route. Sheryl was off at first light this morning to spend the day in Fajardo with Terrie from Palmetto Guesthouse, so I am left to my own devices here aboard Prudence.

As we are now firmly into the month of August, the tradewinds appear to be getting a touch lighter and the temperatures just a little bit warmer. Wind is an absolute essential for comfort in the tropics, and when it gets lighter we boost it with our windscoop (pictured above) to funnel as much air as possible across our persons, especially as we sleep at night. Until recently the boat has always been completely comfortable, as long as we didn't have to close it up due to rain. Lately, though, I have found that I am more frequently seeking the slightly breezier climate of the cockpit in the afternoons.

I believe that I have perfected the 'comfy spot' in our cockpit using available cushions and towels. Two sport-a-seats are utilized in this construct. One is bent over the cabin top and serves as a headrest, while the other is reclined slightly in true Lay-Z-Boy fashion. One towel is folded and resides on the cockpit combing as a rest for my left arm (which helps me to support my reading material). Another towel is wrapped around a cushion which supports my legs when in the fully reclined position.



One of the grand advantages of this spot is a good air flow with reasonable protection from the sun afforded by the bimini. My feet are often exposed to a little more sunshine than they probably ought to be; however, if tan feet are the price to pay for this lifestyle, consider me willing to make the sacrifice.



So, while I am relaxing in the cockpit, Sheryl is actively engaged shopping for essentials in Fajardo. In addition, she will be busy for a large portion of the day tomorrow at library duty. Following that, we have a guest arriving on Saturday and some house-sitting to do for some land-dwellers who will be off-island next week. Combine that with a countdown that shows less than two weeks until school begins, and August should be off to a very eventful start for us.

Let's just keep our collective fingers crossed that the tropical weather situation in our immediate area remains relatively calm. We would prefer to be reporting about the endeavors listed above as opposed to providing the details of pending weather systems.