Compass Island (AG 153) - Naval Cruise Book

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Bienvenidos San Juan y La Guaira In order to further test the prototype Polaris Poseidon Trident navigational systems, we traveled south and were able to schedule stops in San Juan, Puerto Rico and La Guaira, Venezuela. As we first sailed into Bania de San Juan under the walls of El Morro, we were welcomed by pleasant weather and friendly people. A commonwealth of the United States, the island is dif- ferent, yet not quite so foreign. As we hit the beach at liberty call, we flushed at the cacophony of sights and sounds before us: El Morro and Old San Juan, New San Juan and the Night Clubs and Casinos, Cock Fights, the Rain Forest, the Black Angus. Many sailors had a taste of what it is like to pay for your Caribbean cruise as they sat in the lounges of the Carla C and the other cruise liners around our berth. We arrived at La Guaira and were anxious to get out and sample the local wares. So we exchanged our hard earned gringo dollars for the local Boli- vars and quickly began sampling a few cold cervesas. The Atlantic Fleet Soft- ball Champions were invited to play a pick-up team from Venezuelan Naval Training Center, let ' s just say it was a good thing the title was not on the line. The crew hosted a beach party where we and a few local seiioritas listened to the ship ' s band come across with some hot licks. Many took the ship ' s vans across the mountains to Caracas, the capitol of Venezuela. From Simon Bolivar Plaza you could just walk around town or take a taxi to the cable car and visit the Humboldt Hotel, atop the mountain. The CI left La Guaira and returned to San Juan where many of us again tried our hands at besting Lady Luck at the Casinos, all to no avail. By now sat- urated with sight-seeing and pina-cola- das, we were not too sorry to leave San Juan behind us as we were homeward bound. N

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