Puerto Rico versus Cruise Mid March: El Nino Strikes!

[noldude]

Hey All,

I am in a bind and need some advise. I am planning on going to puerto rico in March and have read that the wind has been light because of El Nino. There is another option where I take a cruise from san juan to 6 carribean destinations, each for 1 day: Barbados, St Lucia, St Thomas, BVI, antigua, grenada. What should we do? I want wind as that is my primary reason for heading down!
-noldude

[Bain]

I would not do the cruise thing. Way to much time restraints, unless your cruise may be different . Only stayed on some islands for about 4 hours
Did a 10 day cruise down there and got out once in Antigua.

[noldude]

Hi Bain,

Thanks for the advice. The cruise says that it gets there at 7-8A and leaves at 5-6P. Is that what yours said? Is it just that complicated to get in and out?

ND

[Bain]

That sounds different from the cruise we took. Seems like we had different arrival and departure times for each island. Mine was not really a kite trip though, just brought gear along in hopes to get out.
The biggest thing is getting to a decent spot to kite from the ships port, which is nice to have a game plan ahead of time if you can. How far from port is there a kite-able spot? Is there a good way to get there? Can you get back easily?
Antigua was nice because Jaberwock beach was a 15 min cab ride from where we ported. The driver agreed to come pick me up at a certain time. Tried to get out in Nassau, but when I got to the beach that I had researched out online (forgot the name of the beach), the tide was out about a mile.

I told myself that when I ever go down that way again that I would pick a good spot and just stay there.
Like you said the ship departs around 5 or 6, I think they want you on board 1 hr prior to departure.
What if the wind picks up around 3?

[noldude]

I think this is sound logic and I guess the question is what PR is going to do. I have been watching it for the last few weeks and there are several posts that confirm that there is NO WIND in PR. I am going to do one or the other no matter what, so the question is what the chance of wind will be in PR. I have been told that if they are going to have a season in Shacks this year, it will be in Mar. The other question is what the chance of wind in La Parguera for March. Normally it is 90% per the Broneah Brothers website, but I am not sure if El Nino has messed that up as well. If there is NO wind in PR, an hour at each destination is better in my book.

[jrfiol]

Hi, I am from Puerto Rico.

I check the weather and decide wether to go to la parguera or isabela (where shacks is at), and almost always can find some wind.

November and December were really light, however, we were able to kite often (2 to 3 times a week).

I cannot guarantee there will be wind every day, but it feels like there is always a good couple of hours of kiteable wind at la Parguera.

Feel free to email me if you need an update on how wind has been out here, It looks like its gonna be windy tomorrow. It was windy yesterday in the morning, some of the guys kited at La parguera. Today its supposed to be dead, I'll let you know. I think it will be widy tomorrow.

jrfiol@hotmail.com

[islasurf]

It's been unusually light not only here in PR, but throughout the Caribbean. We're certainly due!
One option might be to book your trip to PR, and if it's dead here, you get get a last minuite deal on a cruise.
A group of us are taking the RCCL Adventurer departing 3/28 with all our gear. If there's no wind I'm sure we'll still have a blast.

[noldude]

Thanks man...sounds like that may be the best way to go about it...seems like aruba and barbados have been somewhat windy.

[detourpr]

If your aim is getting the most kiting time possible, I'd say you better stay in PR. I assume that is more probable to get more windy days from your stay at one single place, that spending one day per island on a cruise. I tried it 2 summers ago and of 5 islands I got some wind only in one.

It's been worse indeed than other years, but like another poster said, PR is a small island and you can drive north or south to catch wind depending on the wind direction and conditions.
I had a blast last two weeks ago at parguera, and it was windy a couple of days last week up north.

Other thing, if its not windy, there will probably be nice waves...its been great for surfing Northwest in Rincón/Aguadilla/Isabela.

You can also follow the other suggestion, come to PR and if you decide to get on a cruise, you will most likely get an amazing last minute deal from here. Cruises depart usually sat, sun and tuesday.

Whatever you choose, I hope you have lots of fun!!!

[noldude]

Thanks for the advice...I guess I will see how it goes over the next few...