PR Gathering

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rodndtube
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Post by rodndtube »

doc wrote:
The rum factory is in Arecibo or Ponce... a little far either way unless we are checking some special breaks in the Arecibo area because of lukewarm conditions around Rincon But really, Doc, the GOOD rum factory is closer to San Juan and it is NOT Bacardi.
As you and I know, Rodrigo.... there is no bad rum, just adequate and up..... and one of my website customers is coming back from Haiti this week.

Life is good

doc...
Hmm yeah! I still have a few bottles higher end Rhum Barbancourt stocked in my cabinet. Luckily, Rincon being a good traditional town has many sources for Ron del Barrilito 3 Stars, unlike many other areas of the Island. However, it IS available in the San Juan Int'l Airport's duty free stores.
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Post by Eric Carson »

A houseguest just gave me a bottle of Flor de Cana 12 Year Old Centenario Rum from Nicaragua. La curriente esta muy peligrosa :D
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Post by doc »

Eric Carson wrote:A houseguest just gave me a bottle of Flor de Cana 12 Year Old Centenario Rum from Nicaragua. La curriente esta muy peligrosa :D
oooooooooooooo- that's my favorite. Most definitely my favorite. Worth breaking out the brandy snifters.

Though the Mont Gay Extra Old sounds like something we don't see here in the states.

Oh dear- I have fallen in with fellow rummies - what ever shall I do...

doc....


http://sailorsongs.com/yo_ho_ho_and_a_b ... um____.htm
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yo ho yo ho a pirate's life for me

Post by DarcyM »

I'll drink to that! I'm no con-eh-sewer like the rest of you rummy's (a nice mojito sounds good, but my usual is a CapMorgan & 7up) , but when the surf is flat I'll be happy to learn!! :D

Doc --
first time I've seen the original lyrics to that. Definitely NOT the Disney version ... :shock:
dm

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Post by doc »

Ah huh- be forewarned that I also know most of the words to Barnacle Bill the Sailor. And I'm effectively tone-deaf.

doc...not the disney version of Doc either......
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Puerto Rico Gathering 2006

Post by DarcyM »

REMINDER .... are you going?

I heard from one of the freezin' Ricans heading to Santa Cruz this year (Jose) and was reminded of this future gathering. Thought it was time to bring this thread back up to the top of the heap so folks are reminded. March 2006 is only 4 months away....

Anyone heard from Quadfin (John) lately? He's the guy spearheading this gathering, but the hurricane season in the carribean was nasty this year, and I hope nothing bad has happened for him and his family down that way. Some nastiness passed over or by PR too, so I hope all is well for Ivan, Dillian, Frencho and others ...

check your calendars and your credit limit. Waves and rum await ...
8)
dm

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Post by quadfin »

Sorry for the non-participation for the last couple of months. I have left my island and moved to Tampa Bay since my last communicado. Still working in the Caribbean and Latin America but commuting from Tampa. Long story but I am the single Dad of a 14 year old girl and moved back to Civ for her. Looking forward to getting over to the East Coast and meeting the guys there. Sorry I am going to miss Santa Cruz this year but see statement above.

I am still definitely going! Any last dates or week changes? Anyone want to share a place?

Off the subject, but does anyone have any surf experience on islands off Panama. Will be going there soon as we have supplied Desal Plants for several islands. Anyone gives me a glimmer of hope and I will take my boards.
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Post by Bud »

Word has it that it's choked with incredible waves. :D

www.islassecas.com/ act_surfing.html
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Island

Post by MWROBERTSON »

I did the Morro Negita surf camp some time ago. I herd it's really improved. It was quite rough when we first went.

There are a lot of waves on and off the island. The best being right out front of the camp. A reling left that reminded me of San Miguel in reverse. Really a fun wave. The outside point has the juice. A left that breaks with indo like power when it's big.

There are other waves that are close by and the boats at the camp will take you over.
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Post by quadfin »

Have set my travel dates to PR arranged around the gromettes' Spring Break. Arriving the 25th of March and departing the 2nd of April. Short visit but scored waves last year in this window.

Out RO units are going into several of the Pearl Islands in Panama Bay. Anything specific on these islands?
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GATHERINGS

Post by CONTIKI »

ALOHA TO ALL,

JUST SAYING HELLO... lOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING FELLOW KB's

CONTIKI
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Post by Dunc »

Which Panamanian Islands are you visiting? I have surfed in the Bocas Del Toro archeapelago on the Caribbean side. The best waves I got there where on Bastiamentos but I also surfed on Isla Colon. There is also surf on Isla Cebaco close to Santa Catalina and the small island beyond Coiba I forget ite name. There is a surf camp on the islands in the Golfo de Chiriqui so they must have good surf. The only ones that seem to be more sheltered and less likely to have surf are the San Blas islands and the ones Isla Del Rey in the gulf of Panama. Pack your board anyway you never know with islands waves often pop up in the most unexpected places.
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Post by quadfin »

Dunc wrote:Which Panamanian Islands are you visiting? I have surfed in the Bocas Del Toro archeapelago on the Caribbean side. The best waves I got there where on Bastiamentos but I also surfed on Isla Colon. There is also surf on Isla Cebaco close to Santa Catalina and the small island beyond Coiba I forget ite name. There is a surf camp on the islands in the Golfo de Chiriqui so they must have good surf. The only ones that seem to be more sheltered and less likely to have surf are the San Blas islands and the ones Isla Del Rey in the gulf of Panama. Pack your board anyway you never know with islands waves often pop up in the most unexpected places.
Dunc
These islands are in the Gulf of Panama on the Pacific side, Dunc. Contadora and Culebra are two of the islands.
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Post by doc »

Ah, while I don't know much about Culebra, I spent a couple weeks on Contadora, maybe a dozen years ago at the tail end of summer ( say, April down there) . First time I had been in Panama, went back a couple times later.

The island does need a decent desal plant - when I was last there, they were running out of water in the big cistern-like whatsit in the middle of the south end of the island that supplied the pumping station for the central water system. They had never seen it that dry. They were trying to get the existing plant going there, but that was a dozen years ago. It was by the boat dock ( they used surplus landing craft, I think) that was over by the east end of the airport.

Waves: not a bit of 'em on Contadora. Great big reef to the west of there, pretty much all around the islands I saw, with a few deep channels through it. On my way out I did see some larger stuff breaking against the cliffs on one of the outer islands, when we stopped to pick some guy up on a grass airstrip there, but I didn't really see anything breaking offshore. I'd suspect that Isla Del Rey blocks most everything sizable.

Contadora does have a few things , though. The diving is incredible, some nice beaches on the east side of the island too, nice restaurant called Gallo Nero overlooking the airport, and of course the fishing.

Note I said 'airport', not 'airstrip. The island is supplied by air, lots of little bamboo bomber aircraft, twin engine Fokker's and big single engine Beeches when I was there but apparently (http://www.aeroperlas.com/ ) they have upgraded some. So any time you want, you can catch a flight either with them or one of the other small airlines to Bocas or Chitre. Or maybe they bebop over to Isla del Rey, or you could take a boat - the Kuna Indians down there go all over and there's fishing boats and so on. On the mainland, the bus service is superb and they don't mind carrying boards.

Though I might be wary of some spots, Panama City can get spooky and some of the more desolate islands may well have some things going on you don't want to know about. Like maybe darkened aircraft landing at night, etc..... pure and simple, stay the hell out of Balboa, it's nasty there.

Panamanians are really sweet, wonderful people, outside the urban areas. As are a lot of the expats ( mostly Germans) you'll meet on Contadora.

Indeed, I'll just tell one Contadora story, and kinda wish I had a picture of it.

You see, I got into Tocumen ( the international airport ) in the morning and after a day in Panama City, went out to what was then the domestic hub, Aeropuerto Padilla ( since moved and renamed) .

Well, I get off the small plane with my bags, met up with my sister and brother in law who were in the tropical fish biz and basing out of Contadora. Heh- we dumped my bags and hit Gallo Nero, the only place open on the island at the time. Great, big, ice cold liter botles of Balboa, which remains my favorite Panamanian beer.

But, they stopped selling booze at 8 PM. It was Gerald's birthday, ane he and his girlfriend Sabine were giving it away. Hooboy.

So we all sat around the biggest table. Fascinating bunch. There were my brother in law, who speaks a little spanish, my sister who _thinks_ she speaks spanish, a young Panamanian guy called Eric who spoke about six languages well, me ( yeah, english, barely ) , a Spanish guy called Ramon who spoke a fine Castilain Spanish, Gerald and Sabine, a guy called Gerhardt who was leasing another island in the archepelego from the govenment and setting up a little eco-resort, and then the three Austrians who had the windsurfing and such concession from one of the two hotels.

Oh, mahnnn, talk about a tower of Babel. I remember at one point hearing:

The Austrians talking to the Germans, in Spanish

Gerhardt looking a bit bummed out, 'cos his wife was over on the other island and he was going to have to get there by boat in the dark, so he couldn't party like he wanted to.

My brother-in-law leaving early 'cos he had to dive the next day and my sister getting into the rum and beginning to speak a language known to nobody on earth.

Two conversations going on simultaneously; Eric and I discussing computers and Gregorian Chants in English and Ramon and myself talking about powerboat racing...except my Spanish wasn't up to the technical end of it, nor his English, so we were hacking away at it in French, which was questionable for both of us......

I am given to understand the Austrians left about 3 AM. Gawd, that was fun. Me, I spent the next day under a palm tree on the beach, reading The Forsyte Saga.

Anyhow - that's what I recall of the place. And I am very sorry to hear about your situation, I hope that all turns out for the best. I still have friends down there in Bocas, doubt anyone on Contadora would remember me, so let me know.....might be able to hook you up.

hope that's of use

doc...
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Post by quadfin »

Thanks Doc. I should be there in February sometime as the units are already onsite. Don't know how much freetime I will have as we will be on the customer's nickle.

Are Sabine and Gerald Belgian? If so I know them.

Anybody headed to PR during my timeframe? Was kinda of hoping the Ricans would pick up on the hosting of this thing as it is there back yard. Check out Spirit Airlines for fares as they have added some new flights to San Juan.
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