As Culebra Turns

Victorinox Midnight Manager

For your entertainment, or I hope, anyway, is a link to a strange page called EDC, standing for Everyday Carry. No matter what culture you come from, everyone carries items about with them on a daily basis. Maybe in your pockets or maybe in some sort of bag, a backpack, a purse, a satchel. I know sometimes I'll see a tourist's very interesting looking carryall and think, what is IN that thing? This site shows you, in a very meticulous sort of way. And it made me want to get this Swiss Army knife. Ever since TSA took away my great little set, I've just carried a knife - NOT through the airport - and this one has an LED light on it! Of course, that would burn out and then it would just have a piece of plastic on it....

What does that have to do with Culebra, you might wonder? Hey, we're all humans here. Except for (yes, it's Segue Time!!) that bird that is driving a few of us sky crazy. Here is the latest update, and a very exciting one it is. Unless this doesn't excite you, in which case, move along quietly.

Chris Goldmark - our resident pro fly fisherman guide - and I were talking about the bird at the bar the other night, going through lists of what we knew it was not, but still not positive about the Golden aspect. The next morning he sent me an email saying he had taken a man fishing from Maine Fish and Game who was very familiar with Goldens and Bald and Peregrines, having banded many in his home state. Chris said I should email him the photos and see what he thought.

In the afternoon, he went fishing with Chris again and not only did he have the photos, HE SAW THE BIRD!! This is what Chris wrote next, a group letter to what is becoming a small tribe of wonderers.

Jim Amaral from Fish and Game in Maine fished with me today. He has tagged Balds, Goldens and Peregrines and seen plenty of Red Tails. He saw the bird today flying over town and said it was definitely an eagle but after seeing MJ's photos said not a Bald or Golden. He thinks we are looking in the wrong direction. He says there are several types of Eagles in South America and this might be one of those. He sent MJ's photos to a friend he says would know what type. Hopefully soon we can get an ID.


The mystery deepens. I'll keep you informed. It takes a village. A really BIG village!

The other night was Lewis' (gr8ful dude) birthday, which his wife Debbie had arranged to have celebrated at Dinghy Dock, since she would not arrive until the next day. Lewis is all about the Grateful Dead and tie-dye, Peri made an appropriate cake. I think we pulled off a good surprise for him, despite business trying to get in the way!

Lori showed up after a day of hiking and sun (where's your sunscreen, girl!!) So good to have her here for a little while. She's leaving today, but she'll be back.

And finally Lewis showed up too. It didn't take long to get the birthday beers.

Peri was commissioned to make a cake - it was perfect!

It's hard to tell there is glitter here and there, but it's there. I saw it. Really.

And it was delicious too.

Molly sang her famous version of the Happy Birthday song, channeling Marilyn

It wasn't only Lewis' birthday, it was also Mark the Painter's. There were quite a few people there when I got there and more were coming in when we were leaving, but since I don't see Juan out at night much, this photo is the one that gets the space.

One of many of my favorites of Mark's work. He also does the caricatures.

Have a totality of tiny times Thursday. Do something temperately tempestuous.

Chaotic harmony

Today is my daughter Michelle's birthday. She is now seriously & officially older & smarter than me and doing it beautifully! And I can't find the photo!!! Grrrrrrrrr. Happy Birthday, Michelle!!!

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Look who got interviewed! I'm a little late out of the gate with the news, but hey, it had to travel all the way up here. Way to go, Chris!

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Yesterday we went to Acadia, which feels like an area rather than a place, with a few towns and the Acadia National Park, an amazingly beautiful space with an unusual history of its establishment, much of which was done by private citizens donating land and easements to prevent development destroying the pristine beauty. Oh, that we'd see more of that on Culebra!

There was no goal but to see some of Maine's beauty. Along the way, we stopped at this place that looked really interesting...indeed. Phil wanted us to see the yurt-ish style building and it just sort of went from there. All around, outside, were carved images and things...which led us inside because it promised more things. The man in the yard that had greeted us, coming out from under the deco-era travel trailer's awning, started telling us about...I'm not sure what, specifically, but his words gathered like a slow moving wave and we were lucky enough to jump on for the ride.

We later found out that the couple had built this, with it first starting out 300' farther back in the woods until they realized if they didn't bring it forward it would be 'out of sight, out of mind.' I started to say...'You're...' and she finished with '...crazy, I know, we are crazy.' But in the best of ways!

Inside was a few large rooms, full of odds and ends from all over the world, travel treasures brought back to Maine, finding their place in a world far away, Peruvian cheek and jowl with Sumatran, goddesses next to Buddha, a medicine man's coat, a clam shell wrapped in an antler's embrace, dancing sticks lazily leaning against a back wall next to...I'm not sure what. But oh, the wonder!

Tom would  watch us looking, following our eyes and telling story, with only the occasional 'what's this?' prompting more detail. Almost everything  was touchable, pick-up-able, some things that should have been in museums locked away behind glass, we could fondle. A young boy had come in recently, with his mother. Her admirable admonitions to not touch were overruled and he and Tom ended up having a great conversation about stones. This stone in particular was one the boy was shown...an ordinary stone Tom found at his feet, but it was split open to reveal itself. I'm so glad he looked down that day.

We left reluctantly and we will be back again, hopefully to purchase something...I have my eye on a little, oh, it's a sort of button thing that goes on a bag thing...uh huh, I have the short term memory of a chicken. But it is wooden, barrel shaped and there is, I swear this is true, a coqui on the side and a sea turtle emerging from the top. It was too perfectly Culebra.

Thomas Aquarius and Gloria

We surfed out the door and into the yard, with a few more words and then we were on our way to more solid rock and earth and water. But the effect of Tom and Gloria's world will sway a long time in my breeze. Thanks, you two! Namaste!

Onward into Acadia.

A cool suspension bridge next to the old suspension bridge

Wild rose

Down at Thunder Hole

Thunder Hole

Unpaid park welcoming committee

Long view

Lobster place - outside steamers

And then toward home, with a stop off at a great Thai place along the way for dinner. After that, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Bone Fish Queen

Do you know about bonefishing? For aficionados, chasing and catching a bonefish is one of the ultimate fishing lures, pun intended. Books are written about it, stories and lies are swapped. Orvis and Cabelas make their fortunes partially off of outfitting the serious bone fisherman. Lucky for winter season Culebra, we have Chris Goldmark here, who will take you to where the elusive bonefish lurks, regardless of what you are wearing or what equipment you have. Don't have equipment? He'll supply what you need and that comes with instructions too.

Chris, busy at the office

(photo credit unknown)

Yesterday morning, our own Annie K (of Paradise Gift Shop and Ice Cream too!) tagged onto a trophy sized bonefish, and as photos don't lie, you can tell she's right up there with being darn happy about it! I think Chris was just as excited, which is about the most you could ask for in a fishing guide.

Ann and her prize

photo by Chris Goldmark

He's a beauty, Ann! Not sure how you did that without an Orvis jacket on, but you might make a nice sum selling that lucky bathing suit to some bonefish questing angler.

A tropical Tuesday

Yes yes, I know it is Wednesday, but beside a nice rain in the wee hours, hanging out with the cat (who seems pleased that I'm back home where I am supposed to be to serve her every whim and desire - luckily, she doesn't have many - scratch me, feed me, ok, you're done) and playing in the gardens, not much has happened today yet.

Maybe it wasn't just a nice rain...

Hmm. Now that I think about it, not much happened yesterday either. But...I did get to go with some friends to a beautiful part of the island. I meant to take more photos but I was too busy gawking at the views to remember to pick up the camera.


After dropping off the housesitting car at the airport, I was walking back home when I saw this horse beside the sidewalk. I've seen it a few times but never this close up. It was busy eating when I got there so I called, "Hey horse! I want to take your picture, look at me!" I don't think this horse wants to be a movie star.


Today may be the day I learn to make Jaime's pique, which would be fun. And the coconut telegraph has Chris Goldmark, our world famous fly fisherman, coming in today for the season, so don't forget to book early and book often!

There are three kittens running around my yard. Anyone who wants them is welcome to them. Of course, you have to catch them first. Two are black and one is grey. Help yourselves, please. Pretty please.