Favorite Places: Vieques

Island fever may be taking over as we venture to the gorgeous island of Vieques, the second featured favorite place in the series.  Vieques is one of the three islands that make up the Spanish Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico as we know them today which is comprised of the islands of Puerto Rico as the main island and two, smaller sister islands of Culebra and Vieques.

Vieques, located about seven miles off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico, is a true off-the-beaten path destination.  There are only a handful of accommodations, most of which are guesthouses, and everything runs on island time.  It is a perfect destination to relax, unwind and reconnect with the beautiful world around you.  

We actually found this island through countless hours of research.  Thankfully, that is one of my stress relievers so I very much enjoy learning about new places and crafting my must-visit lifetime list.  A real advantage to Vieques is that it is fairly straight-forward to get to despite it's off the beaten path feel.  From Florida, it was a simple flight to San Juan and you won't need a passport (in case that might be a concern), about a 45 minute taxi ride to Fajardo and then a $2 ferry trip that lasted about an hour or so.  It was a pleasant way to relax after flying and taxiing to the port town.  The water is an amazing deep blue and the views are an added treat.  Upon arrival at the ferry dock in Vieques, you can walk or catch a taxi.  It's important to note that this is a small, rugged island so a little pre-planning can go a long way.  We stayed at the only "big" hotel at the time which has since been converted to a W.    

If you are comfortable in a rustic, dare I say rural, island adventure then Vieques is for you.  The beauty surrounds you on this small, lush island (about 12 miles by 5 miles) and offers many outdoor activities from beaches to emerald rolling hills.  The United States Navy had control of about half the island for upward of 50 years.  The area that once was off limits to folks outside of the Navy has been turned into the largest wildlife refuge in the Caribbean.  Known now as the Vieques Wildlife Refuge, it boasts numerous spectacular beaches accessible on roads best suited for a 4x4 jeep.  But the effort and bouncy ride that it takes to arrive at one of these hidden coves or bays is definitely worth it.  You are often the only one on the beach you visit.  I think the most crowded - and I use that term lightly - beach we visited had four other couples on it.  Just keep you eye out - this section of the island was used as target practice and every once in awhile a bomb is still found there. 

If food is on your mind or you just enjoy traveling to destinations with a tasty local fare, Vieques would also be for you.  I don't think we had one sup-par meal.  Tropical juices are readily available.  My personal favorite meal was mofongo and plantains.  The Esperanza is the beachfront scene.  Nestled along the bay, it offers live music, restaurant row and fun beach bars.  Although we enjoyed stopping in there, the food stands and small, tucked away restaurants found around the island were our favorite.   I regret I didn't do a better job jotting some notes during our trip but c'est la vie.  To me, a rule of thumb when traveling is trying new things and getting out of the routine and, in some cases, the comfort zone.  Rarely are you not rewarded for stepping past what's easy.  

I would be remise if I didn't include a few of my favorite things about Vieques beside its raw beauty and tasty vittles.  The wild horses are a real treat to the experience.  Heards of these horses, descendants from the Spanish colonial times, still remain in pockets around the island.  They've become smaller over the years due to available resources but they are a sight to see.  You also would be right to keep a keen eye on the road when driving.  These bad boys sometimes like to just cruise right in front of you while you are on the open road.  We had several heart attack moments ourselves when coming up over hills and around bends in the road.  Word to the wise, keep you eyes open for these guys.  

Maybe the absolute crowning experience in Vieques, one that keeps it in a class almost to itself is the bioluminescent bay.  In fact, this is listed in the 1000 Places to See Before You Die book.  It is a sight to behold.  It is best seen during the full or nearly full moon.  We went out with BioBay leaving after sundown.  Brace yourself
for a bumpy drive along a dirt road in an old school bus.  Again, like most things in Vieques it is worth the bumps and occasional car sickness - if you are prone to it like me - because the payoff is pretty unreal once you arrive.  After unloading, you head out into the darkness in an electric boat.  Darkness engulfs you and then, out of nowhere, a streaming bright light streaks by you in the water.  That's the bioluminescent dinoflagellates.  When disturbed by a large sound or a fish swimming quickly through the water they flash a bright light.  The boat then comes to a stop and all those willing can get in the brackish water full of tannins to swim amongst these dinoflagellates.  I admit, I was timid at the idea.  You can't see anything, I mean, this place is d-a-r-k.  However, I finally braved up and jumped in with Nick and the light flashed all around us upon entry.  You could even swim up under the electric pontoon boat where not even the moonlight could be seen.  I finally mustered up the courage to try it and I am so glad I did.  When my lifted my arms from under the water just to the surface, my arm lit up like I was wearing a sleeve covered with 1000s of the brightest diamonds.  I still clearly remember getting out of the water, climbing back into the boat and looking over at Nick who had hundreds of still sparkling dinoflagellates in his hair.  Just then he met my gaze and smiled the biggest grin.  Calling it an experience of a lifetime isn't really an understatement.  It is in danger though, like most wonderful places.  The dinoflagellates are greatly harmed by runoff and other fertilizer types.  So unchecked development and residential practices could slowly dim the bay until there is nothing bioluminescent left.  The world has several pockets of these so-called bio bays and many are already dimming rapidly if not completely.

It's a good reminder to me that there is a need to balance things.  Much of Vieques' draw is that it is quiet and off-the-beaten path.  In the past few years since our visit, I have begun to see it featured in travel magazines and even on Caribbean-focused travel planning websites.  I like to believe that through experience, by seeing a magical place with your own eyes makes you more likely to respect and find reverence for these special places...not just Vieques, but throughout the world.  While I know that's not always the case, I still hope that through encounters like these a spark is reignited in individuals; one that allows them to reconnect and rejuvenate, to look at things with different eyes.  To me, that is one of the greatest and most important aspects of travel.  To come back from somewhere new and find that I was the one touched, that I was the one who has grown, that I am one piece of the larger connected web of life in this great big world.

Happy Travels, friends.

Favorite Places: Looe Key

May is upon us.  If you are anything like me, that usually means vacation planning and/or dreaming hits high gear with the siren song of summer gently calling.  With that in mind, I'm launching a new series called Favorite Places.  I'll share some of my favorite spots, things to do and tips that may help you as you plan your upcoming vacations.  At the very least, I hope this helps to inspire folks to think outside the typical vacation box, to open up to new experiences and enjoyment of being in the outdoors.

I can't wait to share one of my absolute favorite places on this planet - Looe Key - with you as the first highlighted Favorite Space.  If you are a regular to my blog, this name might ring a bell as it was mentioned in the post about my Keys trip last fall (click here to read).

Simply put, this place is phenomenal.
  

Looe Key is a part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and is designated as a Sanctuary Preserve Area (SPA).  It is a groove and spur reef system located a few miles east of the lower Keys.  The reef runs from about six inches to 30 feet in depth which allows for a variety of viewpoints.   It is named for the HMS Looe which is said to have run aground there in the 1700's. 

Logistics are always an important part of trip planning and getting to Looe Key is fairly straight-forward.  Once you've arrived in the lower Keys you can take any number of tour providers out to enjoy a day of snorkeling or scuba diving at the reef.  You're also able to take your own boat or charter a boat captain.  However, planning is important as there are only a set number of available mooring buoys for docking as dropping an anchor is not permitted.  We have used both Bahia Honda State Park (link) as well as Strike Zone (link) and would recommend either as a good choice based on our personal experiences.  Bahia Honda State Park is an absolutely stunning place and is hands down one of the best state parks in the Florida Park system (link).  Strike Zone was also a great tour and they stop at two dive locations.  Both were fantastic the day we went.

Looe Key is routinely named as one of the top locations for diving and snorkeling in the world.  That's right - in the world.  And, I can attest that is the absolute truth.  I've been forunate to have spent time underwater in some of the most outstanding destinations throughout the Caribbean and Hawaii, and I easily rank Looe Key as the best.  It's hard to believe that this bounty of amazement is so near and accessible.  

Our experiences there featured a plethora of sea life, almost too numerous to name.  The stage is set and excitement brews as green and leatherback sea turtles as well as bottlenose dolphin accompany you on your boat ride out to the reef as they flit and glide in the blue waters.  Once you arrive the water displays bands of jade, green and turquoise which combine like the most masterful of watercolor paintings with the lightest azure being highlighted on the sandy bottom of the channels formed by the groove and spur structure.                                                                            It is at that moment you realize you are entering a new world altogether as the beauty and serenity is almost overwhelming.  

However, the real show is under the surface of the water.  After strategically jumping in from the boat deck to avoid those pesky moon jellies* your journey really begins.  The kaleidoscope of coral abounds.  I felt it was a rare opportunity to see such variety.  Fish and other marine life in vast and tropical colors begin to catch your eye as the rhythm of the current and the sound of your breath become like a harmonious song.  Soon you are drifting to the beat of an underwater world that is completely unique.  It is hard to not find a deep appreciation, sense of wonderment and peace from the privilege of visiting this undersea landscape.  

A real highlight for Nick was when he came face-to-face with his biggest fear. For the first time, he was mere feet away from a Black Tip Reef Shark.  The shark was about 5 feet in size, spotted Nick from afar and then slowly, in a predatory manner, came a little closer to check Nick out a little more.  I was, unfortunately, in the opposite direction from Nick around the same time examining a Goliath Grouper so I didn't get up close and personal with that shark. Although the diversity of the fish life was enthralling, I continued to find myself focused on the variety of coral which was showcased in every direction.  

Both trips were magical.  Something so incredibly amazing happens when you push your limits, when you explore something new...in fact, that may be the allure and draw of traveling in the first place.  The appreciation such experiences afford is enormous.  I am certain you'll feel it too if you ever find your path leading to Looe Key.  

* Note:  Moon Jellies are sometimes floating through this area, at times very numerous which may impact or cancel your tour.  This only happens a few times a year.  They are smaller sized jellies and have short tentacles with a sting similar to that of a bee.  If stung, it is easily remedied with a little vinegar which most boat crews keep on deck or you can bring your own.  

Busyness, Presence and Deep Breaths of Fresh Air

Presence...being in the current moment.  It is a challenge.  Time feels so fleeting.  I catch myself being surprised and shocked as days turn to weeks, weeks to months, and months to years.  Don't misunderstand, I try my best to live each day to the fullest.  Cliche I know, but it's my true intention.  Recently, I've felt disconnected a bit.  Running from one thing to the next whether at home or at work, spending most of my time being "busy".
 

Busyness.  

We're all busy aren't we?  Running from this thing to the next and then on to the next.  What's more is that if I am not abnormally busy one day, I almost feel bad about it.  Like it needs an explanation why I am not running about like a chicken without its head.  Right around the time I was feeling this way, I came across a pretty interesting article in the Washington Post, "Why Being Busy Makes Us Feel So Good" (link to article).  And, bam.  There it was.  I feel good being busy and honestly when stopping to ponder for a moment, it dawned on me.  I've been busy what feels like my entire life.  Busyness has been rewarded to be a condition of being good.  Perhaps it hasn't always been a cognizant decision or choice but still...what is rewarded creates habit.  

This article really made me think.  

Several weeks earlier, I was bemoaning my poor sleep.  Something I haven't had struggles with in many years.  I never felt rested.  My mind was always going.  It was hard to just relax, be in the moment without feeling my mind racing about all the things I should be doing.  Who hasn't felt this way at some time in their life?  

Awareness.  

It dawned on me that I knew better so I could also choose better.  As in most things with life, what's easy is rarely what's rewarding.  I wasn't living in my present moment.  

Slowly, I've been recalibrating myself to be more fully in the moment at hand.  In finding worth and value and joy out of whatever is happening in this moment.  Despite my best efforts, there are times when this is very challenging.  

In uncovering I needed to recalibrate, my husband and I decided to dedicate one day on the weekend to an outdoor activity.  For those that know me well, know that I am an outdoorsy gal.  For many reasons, some of which have been talked about in earlier blog posts here, I find being engaged with my natural world around me as a healing, refreshing, spiritual endeavor.  There isn't one single time I've come in from being outside and not felt completely and utterly renewed. 

So for the past several weeks, Nick and I have been spending one day together partaking in an outdoor adventure.  We've kayaked to an uninhabited barrier island for a picnic lunch and we've been hiking a variety of trails.  This most recent weekend, we spent a couple of hours hiking a portion of Tiger Creek Preserve (link to info).  It was quite a gem and is now one of my favorite park areas in the state.  Just outside of Lake Wales, Florida, it's about one and a half hours from my house in St. Pete.  Totally worth the drive, especially if you like:

1) blooming orange groves, 

2) having a beautiful piece of Florida completely to yourself (we were the first people on the trail in weeks according to the hikers log), and 

3) science.  

Surmise to say a few years ago - heck a few weeks ago - I may not have "gotten" it.  I may not have appreciated it because I was looking for something else, something more grandeur.  However, this was different because I was in the moment to notice things.  To see the zebra swallowtail dance through the air along the trail; to finally see a glimpse of the elusive Scrub Jay as it flits, hurriedly from bush to bush; to catch the sweet fragrance of orange blossoms scenting the gentle and cooling breeze; to hear only the melodious song of the many birds and our footsteps; to just be there, in that moment.  

It was a tough trail because it's mostly scrubby meaning sand that acts like snow capturing each footstep.  At times it was slow going up the hills, which are actually Florida's ancient islands.  As we muddled through the ascents and declines of the trail, it wasn't far from my mind that we were walking on land that was millions of years old, to a Florida that looked much different from the one I was experiencing at that very moment.  

“I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.” 

- John Muir