YOU'VE SEEN HIM BEFORE.............................

AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO RECOGNISE THAT SMILING FACE..................For this is Capt. Dwight Rodriguez, Master Chef, whose floating gourmet kitchen has a keel, a mast, a huge coolbox and a small engine................ And whose heart, whose soul, and whose sense of humour, is as big as CULEBRA..........And here's what happened.............................. We motored from St. Thomas to Culebrita, recharged the batteries and at the same time made 60 gallons of sweet water and barely had we entered the bay, when around the corner came another yacht................And no less than "TODA VIA" with Captain Rodriguez and his crew, Renaldo and Betsie...........We certainly missed seeing his beautiful wife Marjorie...............They had not even rafted up before Dwight told us the menu for lunch...................What a host!................... I'm telling you, take a look at the "Queen of Florida" being served lunch on her floatie............It doesn't get any better than that,................I have a lot to live up to...........Truly a remarkable guy................We've made him a temporary permanent Australian and with his cooking we could easily charge him with attempted manslaughter, for there is no stopping when you taste his food and you will eventually explode..........



After the "GRANDE LUNCH" we went exploring to the Jacuzzi pool, where the ocean waves wash in at high tide, and to look at the turban-headed cactuses................. We waddled more than walked.................We floated more than swam.................And the formations of this solidified volcanic lava showed the intricate crystal structures of iron and quartz in a myriad of swirling "patterns..........And in the distance the annual Round-Culebra yacht race was in progress as part of "PR Constitution Day" celebration.



And as if all of this is not enough to kill us all, DWIGHT gets hold of six huge lobsters from the local fisherman with whom he normally deals for all his restaurants ........................" I KNOW WHAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE FOR LUNCH TOMORROW"........................" A FEW HERBS AND SPICES............A LITTLE PASTA, ."



We have to tell you that by the time we finally made it to the town on Culebra, we swore we will never eat again......................Take a look.... That's Laurie saying " I can do that........" and there's me thinking............never mind........

But if there is one thing we've seen that really reminded us of living on the edge, it would have to be this cactus................Dangling between a rock and a hard place..............Hanging on for dear life ................

THANKS DWIGHT FOR AN WONDERFUL TIME AND IT IS GOOD TO KNOW THAT "TODA VIA" HAS BEEN VOTED "BEST FLOATING RESTAURANT IN THE SPANISH VIRGINS" FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS YEAR..............