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Location: Marina Puerto del Rey - Fajadro, Puerto Rico 

The marina was quiet the night we arrived, but it would be the last night till Monday that peace would be found here. The Heineken International Sailing Cup 2000 was starting to rev up its engines. By Thursday afternoon tents, banners, cooking huts and porta-johns crowed the shoreline. Every slip was filled, with an estimated 80 boats registering for the race. There were a few bigger boats, but as whole the fleet was less than 40 feet in length. With this many boats there had to be places for us to race. We walked the docks looking for probable boats. Dean owns and sails Olson-30s in San Francisco so we introduced ourselves to the Olson-30 fleet. There were three boats present and after asking a boat or two we get some positive maybes. That night at the "tent" the owner of an Olson-30 named "FastIdiots" - Slow Minds on a Fast Boat - catches up to us and agrees to take on two crew. Dean and I get picked for our weight as much as our skills. K2's wining smile usually gets her on any boat she asks anyway, so she will look in the morning. Dean's partner Chris, who arrived that morning is finishing up the shopping so he won't be sailing that day. We are set for Heineken Cup.

The next morning we motor over to the dock and hop aboard "FastIdiots", K2 heads down the dock. She spots a boat preparing to leave the dock and asks them if they need some help. They can't deny her, so she has a ride on a Benneteau 38 "Tempest". The crew of FastIdiots is functional, but there is a lot of aspirin and Power-aid being passed around We get two races off in relatively cool weather. The locals are putting on foul weather gear, while I am still in a t-shirt and shorts. We arrive back at the docks in mid-afternoon and soon there are cold beers or rum drinks in everyone's hand. That night the "tent" is filled with the sounds of pounding "Puerto Rican" music - it's a bit like Salsa but with an earthier beat. Music, beer (you guess the brand), and rum flow through the crowd. Elbow to elbow the mass of sailors talk about the events of the day. Eventually K2 and I hook up with the owner of FastIdiots, Eddie and some of his crew for dinner at the marina restaurant. The food is good but the company is better and soon we feel like locals.

The next morning brings bright sky and dull minds as we sail off the dock to the start of the race. The wind is so light that we get a tow from a passing cruising competitor. The start is delayed, but the wind is building. We can see the wind come in from the northeast. Lightly as the first cats paws touch down and creep toward the waiting fleet. Soon sails are up and we are reaching back and forth practicing tacks, and jibs. This turns out to be a longer race with a triangular first loop followed by two windward and leeward marks. The sun is bright and the wind is warm and we sail well enough to place 3rd in our class. We are back to the dock by 4pm where more rum and beer is forthcoming. FastIdiots has a 65' mother ship complete with air-conditioning and an icemaker. Eddie and crew have planned a dinner complete with lasagna, cesar salad and pizza. This of course is washed down with more beer and rum. We make it back to boat before we do more serious damage to our bodies and minds.

I feel a little fuzzy the next morning, in fact I feel a lot better then I deserve. Luckily I have given my spot in the race to Chris, so I am under no obligation to test the limits of my body. I make a few attempts to find a boat at the last minute but I am not disappointed to not have one. I go back to the boat and putter around. The wind is light and a little after 1pm I see that K2's boat is back early.

The afternoon passes as all our afternoons pass, without a real clue to how the time has gone. We spend a bit of time talking with the good folks that K2 was sailing with. Then walk around the marina, looking at boats, the people and marveling at the weather. Soon the sun is setting and it's time to look for food. Tent area has a selection of local cuisine. The simple menu is written both in English and Spanish. Cheeseburgers are ordered, but I notice something in Spanish, without an English translation. We ask, and the rough translation is fried bread and bean soup. The woman tending the counter brings over a plate with two round pieces of fried bread that look like flattened donuts without the hole. The plate also had a shallow bowel of kidney bean soup. Presenting the plate to use she says, "free for you" in a heavy Spanish accent. It's simple and delicious and the woman is quite please when I open up the edge of the bread and spoon the beans into the cavity adding, "That's how you do it."

The band is belting out a Latin tune in the tent and we crowed our way on to the dance floor. We listen and move with the crowd. A few couples are dancing the salsa and the crowd makes room for them. After a while the day, sun and wind take their toll and we head back to the boat to sleep and think about leaving the next day.

Kim and Kim