Vieques

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Vieques (Spanish pronunciation: /'vjɛkɛs/ or /'bjɛkɛs/ or /'βjɛkɛs/; English pronunciation: or ), in full Isla de Vieques, is an island-municipality of Puerto Rico in the northeastern Caribbean. Although Puerto Rico is a U.S. Commonwealth, Vieques, like the rest of Puerto Rico, retains strong Spanish influences from 400 years of Spanish ownership.

Vieques lies about 8 miles (13 km) to the east of the Puerto Rican mainland, and measures approximately 21 miles (34 km) long by 4 miles (6 km) wide. The two main towns of Vieques are Isabel Segunda (sometimes written "Isabel II"), the administrative center located on the northern side of the island, and Esperanza, located on the southern side. At peak, the population of Vieques is around 10,000.

The island's name is a Spanish spelling of a Native American word said to mean "small island". It also has the nickname "Isla Nena", usually translated from the Spanish as "Little Girl Island", as a reference to its being perceived as Puerto Rico's little sister island. During the colonial period the British name was "Crab Island".

The navy used this island for years for bomb practice, after so many protest the Navy retreated. However, this past Month, a fellow cruiser on Calixta was asked to leave as there were going to be live ammo exercises, yikes! They left, saw bombs explode shortly after. It is also known not to deep water fish in the area, bombs are unexploded. We anchored at the SE side in Ensenada Honda, and explored by dinghy, it is absolutely beautiful, mosquito galore at night.
Mosquito Bay is protected a Bioluminescent Bay.
The Bioluminescent Bay (or "Bio Bay" as it is sometimes called), is perhaps the world's largest and brightest. The luminescence is caused by micro-organisms (dinoflagellates) which glow whenever the water is disturbed, leaving a trail of neon blue. A combination of factors create the necessary conditions for bioluminescence: red mangrove trees surround the water (the organisms feed off the dead leaves), a complete lack of modern development around the bay, the water is cool enough and deep enough, and a small channel to the ocean keeps the dinoflagellates in the bay. This small channel is the result of Spanish ships's attempts to choke off the bay from the ocean's waters. The Spanish believed that the bioluminescence they first encountered was the work of the Devil ('El Diablo') and tried to block the ocean's waters from entering the bay by dropping huge boulders in the channel. The Spanish only succeeded in preserving and increasing the luminescence.

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