2016 Puerto Rico Day 6
Today is Thursday. I've been asked what are we doing today several times. Its easy to tell everyone about the trip to the Bio Bay tonight. But that isn't until 8PM. But for today I was at a loss on what to do. Previous trips we spent one day in San Juan which used took up a day of the trip. This time to the island, the family has decided not to go into old town again. So what should we do?
In 1978, I visited Puerto Rico courtesy of the United States Navy. We pulled into Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, Along with some buddies we went up to San Juan for a couple of days. But that is a different story. Today's story is our visit to Roosevelt Roads.
Roosevelt Roads Naval Station was turned over to the government of Puerto Rico in 2004. Today most of the station is abandoned. You can read more about it here.
We entered the station close by the airport entrance. There were guards at the gate, but they let us in without even checking ID. From the entrance we drove directly to the piers. As we drove deeper into the base, the desolation began to appear. I don't remember much of the base, because small time was spent on watch or getting off the base and into San Juan. But I recall the boat having a beer baseball game on the beach with numerous friends coming back sun burnt. We stopped at the piers and got out to look around. I have memories of a marina across from the berth. I remember thinking that it would be great to come back and sail these water.
The station was pretty much abandoned. Mother nature was trying to reclaim many of the buildings and land. Iguana's had taken over with no predator other than a car trying to run them over.
There were so many building abandoned. It was a waste. Housing, stores, restaurants, Cinema, gas stations and even a church were vacant, empty and decaying.
We did find a the Army reserve base that was still open.
And a elementary school. Now where were the families living that had children attending here?
That night for dinner we went to Board Riders for a lighter and easier dinner since we would be kayaking later. The food was good, but I do not recall it being anything special. While we were eating a rain storm came over our end of the island.
In 1978, I visited Puerto Rico courtesy of the United States Navy. We pulled into Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, Along with some buddies we went up to San Juan for a couple of days. But that is a different story. Today's story is our visit to Roosevelt Roads.
Roosevelt Roads Naval Station was turned over to the government of Puerto Rico in 2004. Today most of the station is abandoned. You can read more about it here.
We entered the station close by the airport entrance. There were guards at the gate, but they let us in without even checking ID. From the entrance we drove directly to the piers. As we drove deeper into the base, the desolation began to appear. I don't remember much of the base, because small time was spent on watch or getting off the base and into San Juan. But I recall the boat having a beer baseball game on the beach with numerous friends coming back sun burnt. We stopped at the piers and got out to look around. I have memories of a marina across from the berth. I remember thinking that it would be great to come back and sail these water.
Here is a picture of the submarine pier
The baseball field
Landing craft repair facilities
Sea recovery ship
The station was pretty much abandoned. Mother nature was trying to reclaim many of the buildings and land. Iguana's had taken over with no predator other than a car trying to run them over.
LoriAnn and I were out of the car taking pictures and this one mysteriously was at LoriAnn's feet. Both her and I jumped at first thinking it came out of the plants at us.
There were so many building abandoned. It was a waste. Housing, stores, restaurants, Cinema, gas stations and even a church were vacant, empty and decaying.
We did find a the Army reserve base that was still open.
And a elementary school. Now where were the families living that had children attending here?
That night for dinner we went to Board Riders for a lighter and easier dinner since we would be kayaking later. The food was good, but I do not recall it being anything special. While we were eating a rain storm came over our end of the island.
We headed over to the Bio Luminescent bay by Fajardo for our night adventure. We met our guides from Glass Bottom Boat PR and they gave us a brief introduction and set of instructions. We had to paddle across the bay into a natural canal that flowed from the bay. Once inside the canal it got very very dark. Each Kayak had a glow stick on the bow and stern. Looking forward you could only see the glow stick in front of you. There were tours coming and going so we ran into traffic in the canal. The kayak tours we encountered weren't bad, but the large electric boats were a scary challenge.
About half way to the bay the guide told us to dip our arms elbow deep into the water and move them about. The water sparkled like Disney Land in Puerto Rico. The guide was even joking that you had to believe, as Disney might. Besides the plankton that sparkled there were also stinger-less jelly fish glowed. Really amazing stuff!
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