Anyone been to Puerto Rico this winter

Just spoke to a friend on Friday--65% is done; 35% to go. Many streets areas still no electricity. That is IN Rincon area. Having said that--it is doable to go, but I would not take a family. Surfing trip, no kids, guys only, no wives. The driving remains hazardous. Some looting is still occurring up in hills, but that was normal behavior there even with no hurricanes.

 

There's waves, and there's lots of people out. I'd say it's about as crowded as ever.
This evening I roughly counted about 40 out at the Point and Maria's.
Haven't been to Aguadilla as the winds have been non stop lately up there.

 

A friend of mine who lives in Aguadilla has had power and water for a few months now until last week when the Governor announced someone was taking the electric company private. As of the last week there have been sporadic power outages in Aguadilla and Isabella that can last from 2 to 10 hours. I actually heard of flights being delayed into Raphael Hernandez airport due to no runway lights. I am scheduled for a flight tomorrow night hopefully I will get in and I'm glad my lady is not coming because she would not be jamming to the electricity situation... just need those super strong trade winds to lay down or I'll be taking 40 minute drives to Rincon.

 

Well, You are wise to go solo, I am told. Hope you do well wave wise, and have a Dosxx for me!! Hasta luego!

 

Looks like swell arrives again on Friday...not sure about the winds for north coast.
We are still without electricity...4 months and 10 days.
No worries, a little solar and a generator workin' at different times, all is good.
Except the crowds..

 

Headed to Sandy Beach late March. First time, any recommendations for different locations with various directions? Will do some sand reconne, but will be a short trip to trying to maximize the trip.

 

It could be that the north winds will calm down by late March. It is one of our favorite spots if there's no waves, easy walk into the water, Tambu's right there, and it can be a blast if there is a small wave to body surf..no fins needed, stand on the sandbar and go. Short but worth the tumble.
As for boards, it has a size limit in what that side can handle, and the waves break softer there, so it's fun when up to head high or so. A lot depends on swell angle, too...

 

I went early January and it seemed much better than I expected. That being said, I don't know shit. We did not have power in Isabella by the beach but in town (away from the coasts) definitely had power. Waves were great, sand is missing from lots of places and waste water in Aguadilla is going straight into the ocean (solid doodoo and all). I had a blast so don't be deterred. They could use the economic support.

 

the power company going private is excellent news for such a corrupt public system such as puerto rico...hate citing wiki but here you go
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rican_government-debt_crisis

 

I glossed over the Wiki but couldn't find who the private company doing the takeover is.

That being said, how do we know that the private company won't be as corrupt as the Puerto Rican gubmint?

 

Depends on what the private company does--it will have to fire all present employees, as they are all cousins of the legislators that gave them the jobs. They have no idea what a wrench is, a wire, or a bucket truck. They have no idea where their office is, but they know where the Welfare office is, the food stamp office is memorized since birth, etc.
I am watching this development with high interest.
We should hand that island back to Spain. Dump them.

 

this is fairly accurate i feel.

i understand that businesses need to be kept in check
(something the free market has a nice way of dealing with
with concepts of economics, competition, bidding, etc.) but government at each level (municipal to federal) easily become corrupt like puerto and a lot of cities etc. in the states. They spend taxpayer money, not money they earned themselves in a free market. They hire a lot of relatives and spend others money based on emotion/optics, politics, power and job security, getting ten years for a vested public taxpayer funded pension etc. Private firms have a bottom line and strict stake in spending; not goverment. The spiget has been opened up way too much and its hard to dial it back.

I have to get back to work now, taxes/freeloaders etc.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/s...report/ar-BBINd7i?li=BBnbcA1&ocid=mailsignout

About PR supplies.

 

The family I rent from in Aguadilla said things are doing much better but of course there is plenty of work to do. Power and water running since mid November. I am trying to go early April, if not, definitely going back next February. Love that place.

 

Yup, I just rebooked my hotel for December, which I had to cancel for this past December; they gave 100% of my deposit back, but, they have become my friends over the years anyway. I have to wait for Jetblue to allow me to schedule this far ahead- their booking structure does not allow this far ahead booking.

 

I went to Rincon a little over a month ago. I was there about 5 weeks ago, for about 3.5 days or so. Rincon was actually up and running, but you could still see some visible signs of the destruction. More so when driving from San Juan to Rincon. A lot of leaning phone poles, did the drive back to the airport in the dark to catch a very early morning flight and I even think the power was out in some of that stretch, as it was really dark and not well lit. I'm not sure if it's ever well lit though. As Barry noted, the driving was a bit hazardous.

It actually wasn't too packed when I went, but there was a few people out and a slight crowd when I went. I'd imagine it's picked up even more in the last month since I've been there. I'm pretty sure all of Rincon had power when I was there. The locals said it had been back in most of the town for a little while before that, but still went out from time to time. Many of the stores and some restaurants were open, too.

We were actually there when the Honduras earthquake happened, and we were very briefly under a tsunami warning, which was lifted shortly after. I think you're good to go if you wanna do Rincon!

I would have loved to explore and surf Aguadilla, but only had very limited time there and I would have been burning precious surfing hours in Rincon, just taking the drive back and forth up to Aguadilla.

 

My buddy just got back, said it was pretty much restored along the coast, he surfed Wilderness uncrowded, the rest of the spots were kinda crowded but not too bad. He said the locals are cool it's the Jerzy and NYers who are doing all the bitching and dropping in down there, lmao.

 

It was the Jersey and new yorkers doing the same in the late 70s and 80s and 90s...etc, etc.
They are assholes when down there--bar none.
I was privileged to witness a bunch of local portoricans take one guy out and beat the crap out of him. He just did not get it - that baseball bat must have really hurt him....ouch.