U.S. Naval Station Roosevelt Roads is located at the eastern edge of Puerto Rico.
Its land mass consists of 31,000 acres: 8,600 acres on the island of Puerto Rico and 22,400 acres on Vieques Island, 7.5 miles southeast of the main station. Onbase, facilities such as Library; Fitness Center; Theatre(s); Navel Exchange; Bowling Alley; and of course, beaches.

I began visiting Roosevelt Roads in 1975, and I have become familiar with the people and places around that area. Outside the gate is the small town of Ceiba, and further away, Fajardo. The temperatures are always between 70 and 90 Deg F (21-31 Deg C). Since I have always been there during the winter months, its has always been in the Mid 80's (28 Deg C).

Sailors are not tourists. We don't save to make a once-in-a-life-time cruise to the tropics. So, not many of us will rent a taxi, and pay a few hundred dollars for a tour of the island. Other than once in 75, when I had to take a Taxi to San Juan airport to get a flight home, I had never been more than a mile off the base. I would bicycle around, and stay close at hand. In about 1985, friends of mine from the Safe Harbour Christian Serviceman's Center, took me to see the rainforest El Yunque. Since that time, I rented a van myself, and took other sailors on tours of the Carribean National Forest and finished the day with a swim in the surf at Luquillo beach.

This visit to "Rosy Roads (20-26th Jan 00) was a busy time, attending socials and meet and greets with the sailors of the other Navies that we were travelling with.

At a reception I attended on the German Ship, FGS Niedersachen I met many new friends, and enjoyed the company of several who came over to visit on my ship after this first "get-together".

The other main event during this first visit, was the Beach Olympiad. This was a competition between all the ships of the Nato Fleet, and included Tug O War, Volleyball, and other friendly competitions. We followed it up with a large BBQ, and each country had their own special foods and preparations. We enjoyed the usual North American Hamburgers, German Bratwurst, and Chicken and Ribs from the Belgium cooks... (I was getting full after trying all that food). I forget what the others had prepared.

The Second Visit to Roosevelt Roads (5-9th Feb 00)
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