More Vieques
Today starts off late again, which means I start off a little cranky. It is nearing noon by the time we leave the hotel, headed for another of the beaches on our map called Green Beach. It is a fairly short drive, and to our pleasant surprise, there isn’t another soul in sight. It’s not the most spectacular beach, as it is a fairly narrow strip of sand that quickly turns into rocks (green rocks, unsurprisingly), but the solitude is priceless. Stretched out on a towel with a Kindle, with nothing but the sounds of the waves lapping against the shore, it really is paradise, and far and away the best afternoon of the trip so far.
Taking a small break from total relaxation, we book an evening trip to the bioluminescent bay. Seeing the water light up as you swim through it is something I first experienced in Thailand last year, so when we heard that Puerto Rico has some of the most active bioluminescent bays in the world (with Vieques supposedly having the best of them all), it was a must do.
The tour starts with a short drive in the back of a pickup truck (which the boys absolutely love) down a rutted dirt road to the bay. Unlike Thailand, where the rules are a bit more liberal, swimming is prohibited, as are motorized boats, so the only way to get out onto the water is kayak. I take Sam and Joey, Nick teams up with Mom, and soon we are headed out into the bay with our guide.
Not far from the shore, as we clear the glow of the handful of buildings nearby, the water explodes with light. Each stroke of the oar or splash with a hand creates an amazing display of tiny blue-white lights. Fish swimming through the water are marked by glowing blue trails that trace their path. It’s a much better show than Thailand, and one I highly recommend for anyone having the opportunity.
The guides are informative throughout, talking about how the bay was formed, and why it is the ideal place for the dinoflagellates that are the source of the light. I also learn that Sammy is a killer paddler. More than once I find myself using my paddle to brake a bit, as once he has a direction mind, he is a man on a mission.
Figuring we were sure to get wet, we left the video camera back at the hotel, but in retrospect it would have been fine, and likely would have given us a shot at capturing the experience on film. We did bring the Joey cam, but it’s by no means a low light camera, so our take away is 8 minutes of darkness with sporadic commentary from my tiny crew.