EL CONQUISTADOR RESORT, A WALDORF ASTORIA RESORT
On the outskirts of El Yunque National Forest and perched on a sheer clif overlooking the ocean, this behemoth resort hits six fgures when it comes to venue square-footage.
A favorite ceremony and reception spot is Palomino Island, the property’s private islet that can accommodate 1,400 guests.
Ferry over for a sunset ceremony in the hilltop chapel, followed by a toes-in-the-sand dinner of fresh red snapper and ceviche.
Rooms from $159; weddings from $2,700.
EL CONQUISTADOR RESORT, A WALDORF ASTORIA RESORT Photo Gallery
Bluecaps to the Harcars This group of five rocky little islets – the Bluecaps, Clove Car, Little Harcar and Big Harcar and Forfar Rock – are one big reef curving over half a mile at low tide. They are situated approximately a third of the way along the inside of Longstone and some 100 metres across Crayford’s Gut, running in an east-west direction. The barrier that these islands represents means that over the centuries they have probably been responsible for more tragedies than all of the rest of the Farnes put together. The aptly-named Little Harcar is one of the smaller islets in the middle of the group, but its size is in no way proportionate to the number of fatalities for which it is responsible. At least 81 people have been drowned or killed and at least five known recorded ships wrecked on the jagged rocks surrounding the south side of this barren little islet. All of those 81 deaths came from just three sailing vessels which came to grief within hours of each other during the Great Storm of November 1774. The storm was so ferocious that it smashed off one of the huge black Whin Sill dolorite pinnacles at the southern end of Staple Island and partially destroyed the old tower lighthouse there. The brig Liddle was blown onto the rocks of Little Harcar and sixteen lives were lost. The sailing vessel Industry, owned by Drummond of London, was also destroyed while on a voyage from London to Leith, with an unknown number of people on board. Then the brig Success smashed into it, driven by the mighty winds and mountainous seas, with the loss of a further fifteen lives.
