Puerto Rico : Profile

Facts

Puerto Rico is a US Commonwealth, which includes the small islands of Mona to the west, and Vieques and Culebra (also known as the Spanish Virgin Islands, or Passage Islands) to the east.
Puerto Rico is visited mainly by US cruising boats on their way to or from the Virgin Islands and Lesser Antilles. It is less visited by yachts cruising the islands east of Puerto Rico; of those few who sail west past the Virgins, even less go beyond Vieques and Culebra to visit the main island. The reason for this is that once committed to sailing to Puerto Rico, you have either to carry on west or fight your way back east.
With a large fleet of local craft, although predominantly motor yachts and sport-fishing boats, facilities are of a high standard and there are many marinas dotted around Puerto Rico's coastline.
The ports on the south coast are more plentiful and better protected. On the northern coast, only the capital San Juan offers total protection from the prevailing NE winds.
The best facilities are in and around San Juan.
Culebra is geologically part of the Virgin Islands.

Rain is heavier on the northern coastal plain of Puerto Rico and the climate is more arid in the south. The hurricane season is June to November.

*Indicates a port of entry.