Caribbean Sun and Sea on Vieques Island, Puerto Rico

The Trip

Come explore world-class beaches, crystal-clear waters, rich ocean life, lush tropical flora, and one of the brightest bioluminescent bays in the world on this beautiful island. Vieques is a small island about seven miles off the east coast of Puerto Rico. While it belongs to Puerto Rico, Vieques has a lot in common with the Virgin Islands. It has a moderate climate year-round (average temperatures of 79-82 degrees) and more than 50 beaches. Vieques is home to over 120 species of birds as well as Puerto Rico's famous coqui and other tropical frogs. Wild horses and cows roam the hills of Vieques freely.

Vieques has a long history of discovery and conquest. The original inhabitants, the Taino, were indigenous people from South America who arrived 1500 years before Christopher Columbus set foot in Puerto Rico on 1493. The Taino inhabitants were conquered and enslaved by the Spaniards until the early 1800s when the island was taken over by Puerto Rico. The late 1800s saw thousands of black immigrants from neighboring island nations work on the sugar plantations (some enslaved and some free). During the 1940s the U.S. military purchased 60% of the island for testing grounds for bombs, missiles, and other weapons. In 2001, a treaty was signed with the U.S. and by May 2003 the U.S. military had exited the island.The lands previously owned by the U.S. military are now managed by the U.S. National Fish & Wildlife Service.

We will visit the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), which is managed by the U.S. Department of Fish & Wildlife. One of nine NWRs located in the Caribbean, it is the most ecologically diverse and largest NWR in the Caribbean, encompassing 17,700 acres. It contains several ecologically distinct habitats, including beaches, coastal lagoons, mangrove wetlands, and upland forested areas -- both subtropical dry and subtropical moist forest.

Our activities will mainly be swimming and snorkeling in warm Caribbean water, strolling scenic beaches, plus visiting a few small historic sites and museums. We will enjoy fascinating snorkeling right off the beach. The trip includes a special opportunity to learn the fast-growing sport of stand up paddleboarding on wide, stable boards in gentle, warm waters. Our guides will help you learn, or improve techniques for these activities.

The BioBay tour is generally a highlight of the trip. After dark we'll paddle to the center of the bay in two-person kayaks, where we'll tie up, have a discussion about bioluminescence, and enjoy the glowing water of Mosquito Bay. Mosquito Bay, or Bioluminescent Bay, is the healthiest and best example of a bioluminescent bay in the world. With the slightest agitation of the water, tiny creatures emit an electric bluish-white light. The organisms responsible are dinoflagellates, and the BioBay in Vieques contains more than 720,000 bioluminescent organisms per gallon of water.

We will meet on Vieques, with pick-up at the ferry dock or the airport. Everyone should plan to arrive in Vieques by 4:00 p.m. Sunday, February 4, 2024. Our official start time will be Sunday dinner at 6:30 p.m.

Day 1: The leaders will pick you up at the ferry dock or the airport. We will get settled in our rental house, have our welcome dinner, and enjoy seeing a spectacular sunset from the back deck! 

Days 2-6: Our daily activities on Vieques will include snorkeling most days, beach walking, some short hikes, visits to the island’s small museums, drives to see areas of local history and interest, and simply relaxing. 

Booked activities with local experts include Stand-up Paddle Boarding/Kayaking through a mangrove lined lagoon and snorkeling an active reef with corals and sea fans, snorkeling the west end of the island where green sea turtles feed, and a day tour with a local guide who will show us highlights of Vieques. A conservation time with local conservation expert and head of the Vieques Conservation and Historical Trust, Mark Martin-Bras, is also planned. A trip highlight will be our evening paddle in Mosquito (Bioluminescent) Bay. This will be a kayaking activity with a local guide. You will be delighted as our paddles dance through shimmering light and of learning about the importance of the biology of the bay. We will stay out on the water for about an hour and a half.

Day 7: We’ll have breakfast, pack up, and return everyone to the ferry dock or airport, making drop-offs until 11:00 a.m. Our check-out time from the house is 10:00 a.m.

Getting There

Most people fly to San Juan, Puerto Rico and travel to Vieques from there. There are three main ways to get to Vieques from the main island of Puerto Rico: by plane from Luis Marin International Airport (SJU) in San Juan, by plane from the smaller airport of San Juan Isla Grande (LMM) or by ferry from Ceiba on the east coast of Puerto Rico. Some helpful travel info is available at www.vieques-island.com.

Vieques airport (VQS) is a 30-minute plane ride from San Juan. Most people fly on Cape Air (flycapeair.com 800-352-0714) or Vieques Air Link (viequesairlink.com 866-359-8784). Only Vieques Air Link flies to and from Isla Grande, an airport closer to Old San Juan if you are visiting there pre- or post-trip, and it is cheaper.

Vieques is a one-hour ferry ride from Ceiba. Logistics are complicated, ferries don’t always run as scheduled, and it can be expensive to get to the ferry, even though the ferry ticket itself is only $4. Please ask the trip leader for full information on taking the ferry from the mainland to Vieques Island. Caution: the ferry is notoriously off-schedule and does not sail if the seas are too choppy or wind is too high. 

Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

We will have a large house with ocean views three blocks from the beach on the northern coast of Vieques near Isabel Segunda. You’ll awaken to ocean breezes and the smell of saltwater (and coffee!). Early risers will see the sun rise over the Virgin Islands! After a day of snorkeling, paddling, town visits, or walks, you can relax at the house or walk to the beach for an evening stroll.

We expect to have a varied menu, hopefully with many fresh foods. There is one main grocery store on Vieques, several smaller grocery stores, and a fish market where we will source our meal ingredients. As this is a small island, there are sometimes foods you would typicality expect as readily available staples not available on a given day. For that reason, this trip is not listed as vegetarian friendly. We will do all we can to provide numerous vegetarian options and ask that all participants have a flexible and positive attitude towards the available food types. We promise tasty meals and will do our best to ensure they are healthy.

There will be one lunch and one dinner during the trip time that will be at participant’s expense.

This trip requires a moderate level of fitness. The tropical environment, while beautiful, can be hot and humid, and contains some biting insects. Hopefully the water will be smooth, but there may be some small waves if the wind comes up. If winds or currents are strong, the leaders will advise you on how to remain safe, or they may need to change the activity for the day.

You do not need to have experience kayaking, paddleboarding, or snorkeling. We will help you learn. However, you must know how to swim. Snorkeling vests can be an asset, especially if you do not snorkel often. Vieques is affected by the Tradewinds and a snorkel vest can bring a measure of safety that allows you to relax and focus on having fun. You should also be able to paddle a kayak comfortably at least 20 minutes at a time. We will stay in a group for the water activities and use the buddy system when snorkeling.

Our walks will be only up to two miles at the most. There are no developed hiking trails on the island apart from the shorter ones we will experience, hopefully at least once with a local expert.

Equipment and Clothing

Casual, warm weather clothing will be fine. We suggest that you also bring a light rain jacket and a sweater in case we have a cool evening. Bring a hat with a brim for sun protection, closed-toe shoes for nature walks, and a day pack or bag that's large enough to carry your lunch and water for our outings. You may also want to have a bag for your snorkel gear. A more detailed packing list will be sent to confirmed participants.

Snorkeling equipment may be rented or purchased on the island. However, to ensure that you have equipment that fits you well and is available every day, we recommend you bring your own. All kayaking and paddleboarding equipment is included as part of the trip.

If you are using the ferry, you will be carrying your bags on and off without assistance. There may also be size limits on the small plane flights to Vieques. Before finalizing your flights to and from the island, check on any possible baggage fees and size restrictions with the individual airlines. It is best to pack light.

There are mosquitos throughout Puerto Rico that can transmit viral illnesses, so good insect repellent is recommended as well as long pants and long sleeves for some activities.

References

• Curry, Glen, Flamboyan Street. (a novel)
• Langhome, Elizabeth, Vieques: History of a Small Island.
• Langhome, Elizabeth, Worlds Collide on Vieques: An Intimate Portrait from the Time of Columbus.
• McCaffrey, K., Military Power and Popular Protest: The US Navy in vieques, Puerto Rico. (printed one year before the military left Vieques)
• Murillo, Mario, Islands of Resistence: Puerto Rico, Vieques, and US Policy. (printed 2 years before the military left Vieques)
• Pragmacio, P., The Route: The Forgotten Side of Vieques.
• Rouse, Irving, The Tainos: Rise and Decline of the People Who Greeted Columbus.
• Yaremko, Peter, A Light From Within: A Year in Paradise.
• Youngblood, Patrick, The Coconut Chronicles: Two Guys, One Caribbean Dream House.
• Vieques National Wildlife Refuge [electronic resource]: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/vieques

Conservation

The Vieques National Wildlife Refuge and surrounding waters are home to at least four plants and 10 animals on the federal Endangered Species list, including the Antillean Manatee, Brown Pelican, four species of sea turtles (Green, Loggerhead, Hawksbill, and Leatherback), and the Roseate Tern.

Guest speakers may include an amateur historian whose specialty is the history of the sugar industry on Vieques, including its impact on the environment, as well as the manager of Vieques Radio who was intimately involved in the struggle to remove the US military presence in Vieques. We’ll discover some of the long-lasting effects of 50 years of ordinance storage as well as using the island for bombing practice.

During our water activities we’ll learn about the biology of bioluminescence, the importance of mangrove habitat, and discuss the health of Caribbean marine environments.

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.