Back from Paradise

We have returned from Vieques like Nixon in '68 - tanned, rested and ready. The small island was incredibly beautiful, with wild horses roaming freely along the perfectly white talcum sands and crystal azure waters that line its flawless shores. I've been to many beaches in my life, but the ones in Vieques-particularly Red Beach- were simply perfect. The highlight of the trip was our sojourn to the bioluminescent Mosquito Bay- aptly named, I might add- at dusk to see the finest example of dinoflagellates (near- microscopic organisms that emit phosphorescent light when touched) in the known world. After wading into mucky, thoroughly revolting shallow waters (I don't know if there is such a word as gloosh, but that's what the bottom of the bay felt like), my wife Ling and I clambered into easily navigable kayaks under the moonless, star-encrusted sky and paddled into the darkness, along with thirty other intrepid and, yes, somewhat bumbling nature lovers. Once we reached the deepest part of the bay (nearly ten feet), we hitched our kayaks together in a long line and dove into the warm waters, which left long, glow-in-the-dark streaks with every paddle. You could lift your arms out of the water and watch tiny, blinking diamonds run down your arms by the dozens, so thick were the dinoflagellates. I've never tripped on acid before, but this experience seemed to be the closest thing to it without drugs. Simply incredible and highly(no pun intended) recommended. To learn about the bay, click here.