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by n8han
New York, New York
January 3, 2005
This beach, close to Highway 2 but deserted on a Monday afternoon in December, was perfect. Other than a body boarder who came and went a few hundred yards down from us, we had the beach to ourselves for 4 hours.
The beach is mostly sandy, aside from the rock formation near the entrance road that extends under the water a bit farther than you might expect. And though the water wasn't picture-perfect Caribbean blue, it was crystal-clear compared to the U.S. East Coast. Most importantly, it was plenty warm enough for swimming.
I did a little diving with my swim goggles and, to my surprise, saw some kind of black and white tropical fish. It wouldn't have been noteworthy in a coral reef, but it's the coolest thing I've ever seen diving into the surf. The surf, by the way, is pretty rough. You probably won't go out more than once unless you're comfortable being tossed around rag-doll style by the breaking waves.
This beach is not easy to find. We were told to look for signs for Lago Guajataca as we traveled East on Highway 2, then to turn left at a road opposite the lake's exit. We did this, turning without much hope onto a small road off the highway. To our surprise, it headed straight to the ocean and eventually down to the beach.
Once we'd had enough sun, salt, and sand, we headed back to the car. We noticed some graffiti on a cement wall that turned out to be anti-American when we stopped to look at it. Something about "go home, cabrones," whatever that means. ;) I'm not afraid of a little anti-American sentiment (hey, I lived in France for a year), but I am glad that the beach was deserted and our afternoon wasn't marred by jeering teenagers. I would say that, if you have the chance, visit this beach during school hours, just in case.
From journal December Sunburn in Puerto Rico