Culebra Christmas

Heaven  on earth.

You've heard that saying before, right?

Actually

It's a place called Culebra.

Located a short 15 minute flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico

on a plane that my daughter Bryn describes as "The death plane,"

the small island of Culebra sits in the Caribbean

just so

collecting cool easterly tradewinds like Sanebel Island

collects sea shells.

My family and I spent the Christmas Holidays there.

I can't begin to tell you how GREAT it was.

But I'll try.

I'll describe a typical stress free day for you.

The view below is the view I had the moment I lifted my head off my pillow.

 Two of my daughter's

waking up with a cup of coffee on the deck of our rental.

What were they looking at?

Beauty!

Our house was located a few hundred yards from the Caribbean

and we spent each morning just staring out at the blue water,

the only sound heard was the lapping of the 80 degree water on the white sandy beach.

After coffee we would load up the car and head to one of the many

beautiful beaches that this island has to offer.

Below is a buddy who was eating alongside the road.

As a lifelong beach lover 

I have always noticed when ""Descovery" or

"National Geographic" lists their "Best Beaches."

Always on that list is Flamingo Beach.

There's a reason for that.

A cresent shaped beach a mile or so long

with pure white sand.

See, I did have a white Christmas.

These small pieces of shells

are on the bottom under about 2 feet of crystal clear water.

After a morning of beach combing 

we would head to the local lunch spot.

The afternoon would begin with a trip to a beach known for it's snorkeling.

Here, 2 of my daughter's watch

Bryn and her husband.

Just let me say

the snorkeling was like swimming in a fish tank.

Amazing!

The highlight being the sea turtles.

Every one of us had the opportunity to swim with

and watch these beautiful sea creatures.

The photo below is dedicated

to Beth.

JUMPING!!!!

So this guy steps out of his anchored sailboat

and him and his dog 

paddle ashore.

I could spend parts of every day

doing this.

This guy showed up walking behind our beach  chairs.

Just another beautiful view as we drove back to our house.

Below, Zoni beach.

Our house is way down the hill on the left.

Zoni Beach

The troops preparing to go out to dinner.

As the sun set

a Bananagram tournament often broke out.

Of all the beautiful beaches we visited

and the great snorkeling,

the memory I will take with me from this trip

is me and my family sitting on this deck.

All of us rocking and swinging here,

quietly in the morning as the sun came up,

or solving the worlds problems in the evening as we sipped

on a rum and pineapple while dusk approached,

that was the best time for me.

As the family grows older, gets married or relocates to other parts 

of the country and the world

I realize the times when we will all be together at once

will be fewer.

Yeah, sitting on the deck.

That was the best.