Rincón, Surfing Capital of the Caribbean

Surfboards and surfer dudes… Rincón is the surfing capital of Puerto Rico.  Located on the north west coast of the island, it's a neat little bohemian community where you are more likely to be called "dude" than "sir".  For many California dreamers, this is where the summer of love ended up.  Arriving for the Surfing World Championships in 1968, many never went home.  Rincón  became a haven for alternative lifestylers… American expats more interested in catching the perfect wave than integrating into mainstream society. 

Rincón is one of the premier places to catch a wave in the hemisphere and draws surfers from around the globe.  Winter waves here can approach 25-30 feet in height, sometimes equalling the force of the surf on Hawaii's Oahu's north shore.  You'll know when you have arrived because you will pass gringos cruising toward the coast in their vans and cars with surfboards piled on the roof.  Board shorts slung low, sun bleached hair, browned toned bodies tote surfboards to the beach to catch waves breaking anywhere from 2 to 25 feet. 



This is a young man's (or woman's) game.  This is LA's favorite photo... I wonder why... She is what we call "thong worthy"! Hey, better flaunt it while you've got it and she's definitely got it!

We watched the action from a park with a famous lighthouse overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Punta Hiqueras Light was built by the Spaniards in the early 1890s and rebuilt after an earthquake in 1921. This working lighthouse uses an unmanned 26,000-candlepower rotating beacon.  







The view was beautiful looking down the shoreline. 

It was a great vantage point to watch the surfers riding the waves.  

We met a young lady, Linda, a vendor at the lighthouse that sold custom sea glass jewelry pieces from her business "Designs by the Sea".  LA had fun asking her about her jewelry making business and selected several pieces for me.

Rincon has a tourism economy which also supports scuba diving, snorkeling, and sunsets. Endangered humpback whales visit in the winter.  It was a fun place to visit!