On our way to the grand Puerto Rico, we dropped anchor near the picturesque village of Esperanza. Nestled on the southern coast of the island of Vieques, which is part of Puerto Rico, Esperanza is a charming spot. Vieques is more commonly known by the affectionate nickname “Isla Nena” (“Little Girl Island”), a term coined by the Puerto Rican poet and writer Luis Lloréns Torres (1876–1944). In his poems, Lloréns Torres celebrated the natural beauty of the Caribbean and the Antilles, and to emphasize Vieques’ close bond with Puerto Rico, he compared it to the younger sister or daughter of the main island. This allegory caught on with the locals and remains in use to this day.
Vieques, like the entire Puerto Rican archipelago, was once part of the Spanish Empire. Spain colonized Puerto Rico in the early 1500s, and the island remained a colony until the late 19th century. Vieques had a small Spanish military base, and its population mainly engaged in agriculture, including the cultivation of sugar cane and coffee. In 1898, the Spanish-American War took place, in which the U.S. emerged victorious. As a result, the Treaty of Paris was signed, and Spain ceded Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the U.S. in exchange for compensation. After 1898, Puerto Rico, including Vieques, became a U.S. territory. Despite attempts by political groups to gain independence, Vieques, like Culebra and the larger Puerto Rico, remains a colony. Since 1941, the U.S. Navy has used the island’s beaches for military exercises. It’s hard to imagine that anyone would consider using tanks to crush coral reefs, but that’s exactly what happened. It took decades of activism from locals and international groups to stop this madness. Only after the death of several civilians was it decided to cease using the island as a military range. The military base still remains to this day, occupying a large portion of the small island, but the beaches have been handed over to the Puerto Rico National Park Service and partially transformed into a nature reserve, which now protects the ecosystem and promotes eco-tourism.
One of the highlights is the bioluminescent bay, Mosquito Bay. After sunset, we rented a transparent kayak (the most popular business on the island after restaurants and bars) and set out to explore the bay. The sight was truly mesmerizing. Microscopic dinoflagellates living in the local waters react vigorously to the slightest disturbances in the water—whether it’s a wave, a passing fish, or a paddle dipping into the water—actively emitting light in the process. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to capture this beauty on video or in a photo. The glow is only visible in complete darkness, and it isn’t bright enough for a good quality phone shot. Next time, I’ll be better prepared.
We had dinner at the restaurant Quenepo Vieques. Restaurants stop taking orders after 8:30 p.m., and we barely made it after our kayak adventure. We had reserved a table before heading out to enjoy the wonders of Mosquito Bay and the enchanting glow of its shy inhabitants. We returned just as the restaurant was closing, drenched (after all, we had been kayaking!), and I thought they would politely refuse to serve us given our disheveled appearance. But no, they treated us like VIPs. I don’t know who their chef is, but I’ve only tasted such beauty and deliciousness in very expensive restaurants in Europe, and I never expected to encounter such a culinary delight in a tiny village on a small island. El Quenepo Vieques – highly recommended!
The sun is about to rise, and we are already weighing anchor, setting off on our journey.
Today will be spent at sea as we chart a course for Playa de Salinas—the Salted Beach of Puerto Rico. Our berth is reserved, and we’ll linger ashore for a couple of days, exploring the grandeur of the main island.
