Salinas (or “Salt Mines”)

Along the southern coast of Puerto Rico is a noteworthy little town called Salinas. We discovered this area when we were looking for a well-protected anchorage to hide out from the upcoming 40-knot winds. This proved to be the perfect hideaway and retreat!

The anchorage is tucked inside a narrow channel with the mainland on one side and a mangrove-laden island on the other. This seclusion made for a calm and sheltered anchorage, and a popular place to drop the hook and stay a while. In the bay, there were both transient boaters and boaters who live on their vessels full time. The water appears as deep green because of the emerald-colored sea grass and mud bottom; but, on a windless day the water is clear and pure. We could even see jellyfish and sea urchins on the bottom in the shallower areas.

The marinas, sailboats, restaurants, and colorful homes line the bay in a semi-circle, which makes for quite a backdrop. But it was the rolling Puerto Rican hills that really took our breath away. We hadn’t seen mountains like this since we left Arizona. What a sight to behold!

The anchorage at Salinas is home to a community of manatees, and boaters move slowly through the water to protect these endangered marine animals. We spotted several of these massive “sea cows” as they breeched the water and made a large splash. We weren’t able to see the manatees clearly, but we knew they were lurking in the waters below and we were excited to be in their habitat. I read that manatees are quite peaceful and calm, and don’t harm humans at all. In fact, they are curious creatures and enjoy interacting with people. I’ve even read that manatees will approach swimmers and beg for a belly rub or at least some kind of close contact. Now wouldn’t that be neat if one were to approach us with an affectionate rub!

Salinas is a fishing center and is known for its variety of seafood restaurants. We took advantage of this culinary delight on a couple of occasions. Our first meal out was at Catch Restaurant at Marina de Salinas. We sat outside overlooking the harbor and enjoyed tuna sashimi with fried plantain strips. The flavors were wonderful! Catch is also where I gained a liking for Chicharrones de Pescado (fish bites), tender pieces of grouper or cod, lightly breaded, and seasoned just right!

We also visited El Dorado Restaurant and I ordered the same fish, Chicharrones de Pescado. It was a great deal at $13, and I was served more fish than I could possibly eat in one sitting. Kory enjoyed the same meal but added papas fritas (French fries) one night and habichuelas y arroz (rice and beans) another. The fish here is fresh and phenomenal, no matter which way you eat it: frita (fried), al mojo (Caribbean seasoned), empanado (breaded), en matequilla (in butter), or al ajillo (with garlic). We have really come to love Puerto Rican food!

Salinas has a ripe history and rich terrain. Surrounding farms first started producing azúcar from healthy sugar cane plantations dating all the way back to the 16th century, Many of the old mills still stand. This area was also home to salt production and its supply of minerals. Today, Salinas is one of the main agricultural producers on the southern coast of Puerto Rico, with large banana and papaya farms in its Lapa and Aguirre barrios.

In 1906, Theodore Roosevelt, the first US President to travel outside the United States, made a stop in Puerto Rico (thus, becoming the first president to visit the island); he stayed overnight in Ponce, near Salinas. Salinas is also the home of the Albergue Olímpico, an Olympic training center, Puerto Rican Museum of Sports, and a botanical garden. To us, it was the combination of sparkling waters, fresh fish, lush mountains, and cool night breezes that made us fond of this area.

The locals told us this is a very safe marina and harbor, so we felt good about leaving our boat at anchor while we went shopping and sightseeing. There is also a free dinghy dock at the marina with 24-hour security which made us feel comfortable leaving our dinghy for the day. We weren’t allowed to lock it to the dock in case the marina staff needed to shuffle boats, but we did lock our dinghy engine to deter anyone from stealing it. We have heard that some of the Eastern Caribbean islands have experienced theft, but we haven’t heard of any thefts in the anchorages at Puerto Rico. We felt very safe where we were.

We rented a car from Sydney, a local in Salinas, and he dropped the car off for us at the marina. The price was $50 per day, or $60 per day with tolls included. Because we were heading north to Caguas to go shopping, and then to San Juan to go sightseeing, we chose the $60 option. More to come later on our trip up Route 52.

We found an abandoned piece of property that was once likely a community center or a playground. It had a nice piece of grass for Gracie to run and play, and a shaded bench for Kory and I to enjoy the scenery and time together.

One day we rode our scooters to a shopping area about a 1.5 miles from the marina. We went to Walgreens and Auto Zone, ate lunch at Taco Maker (way better than Taco Bell), and bought a few last minute groceries at the local Econo Supermarket before heading out for the next part of our journey.

Our last day in Salinas was Valentine’s Day. We took a special dinghy ride to the nearby Cayo Caribe Islets which are surrounded by coral reefs, seagrass beds, and small beach deposits. We enjoyed the clear waters, nice breeze, and leisurely stroll. We were also able to see massive breakers crashing off the nearby reef.

We had more fish for dinner (it’s that good here) and a movie night. Early tomorrow morning, we’re off to Viequez! Salinas was a great city to park our home for a week. We look forward to exploring this area more in the future!