Puerto Real
27 February 2017
Marina Pescaderia is owned by Jose Mendez a proud Puerto Rican who provided a list of places to discover through out the island. The government would be wise to engage Jose as a Minister of Tourism. After resting from the Mono Passage we rented compact car and headed to a large mall to restock and wander about. Oh joy! After dropping off our gatherings it was off to the mountains to see the real Puerto Rico. These are not the Rocky Mountains however nor are they the hills of Oro-Medonte. Green foliage, tunnels of bamboo reaching high above us, steep drop offs with not guard rails and we enjoyed every mile. Small villages abound here. Each with its own bakery and small market. The aromas were just to strong to resist and after a pastry and cold beverage we started the descent to return to Pisces.
Within the marina there is a local commercial fish vendor and next to him is a small restaurant. There is symbiotic relationship here. We purchased a two pound red snapper from the fish vendor and walked 20’ where the chief from the restaurant took over. Later, oven baked red snapper over a bed of rice with fresh vegetables was served to perfection. You can’t any fresher fish.
Our morning ritual of enjoying a cup of java in the cockpit was interrupted by a dozen brown pelicans diving for fish right off the stern of Pisces. We watched with wonderment and joy as repeatedly these birds would dive into the water, never missing their catch.
After washing down Pisces to remove salt, filling the water and fuel tanks it was time to move on. Its early and the water calm and who shows up to help us with dock lines, Jose, the owner. Still advising which sites to visit at our next port of call, Ponce.
Now you must be wondering what the photograph has to to do with Puerto Real. I watched a gentlemen and his son load 32 blocks of ice into the holds of a commercial fishing boat. Sixteen blocks in each hold. Puerto Real is a fishing hub or I thought. Later a group of men arrive with baggage, the clients, but not one fishing rod amongst them. They were not hunting for fish but wild goat and boar on Mono Island and each individual has his own shotgun and or bow. The ice is to store their take. As for the clients, they were one family, uncles, sons, cousins all from Puerto Rico and this was their annual ritual.