People love visiting the Castillo San Felipe del Morro, the massive fortress that reigns supreme on the northwestern tip of Old San Juan. I wonder how many people know there’s another place worth exploring on the opposite side of the Bahía de San Juan.
Isla de Cabras is a tiny island, linked to Toa Baja’s Palo Seco community by a causeway at the end of PR-870. One of this island’s attractions is the Fortín San Juan de la Cruz, also known as El Cañuelo, built as a wooden tower in the late 1500’s to protect the bay along with El Morro.
At the time, it was surrounded by water and its strategic location helped stop enemy ships from coming into the harbor. Burned to the ground in 1625 after a Dutch attack, El Cañuelo was then rebuilt in stone. After many centuries, it's now a historical structure inside the Isla de Cabras National Park.
Another reason to visit this area is the opportunity to see El Morro and Old San Juan from la otra orilla. No matter where you stand, if you’re facing east, their beauty will be hard to miss. Actually, the experience of being there is different from photos or videos trying to capture it. I really tried but it’s not the same.
The park suffered damages during Hurricane María, some of the buildings still waiting for renovation. Toa Baja’s municipal government recently signed a contract to manage the facilities so hopefully they’ll make the much-needed repairs. Nonetheless, the views alone merit a stop, especially since there’s no entrance fee (Wed-Sun 8:30am-4pm).
Hasta la próxima.
Yanira
