Viegues Island

This is Vieques one of the small islands off Puerto Rico. It is about a 2 hour ferry ride. We went to the Bio Bay and stayed the night on the island. I will post some photos of us out on the bay soon.

Below is a bit about the Bio Bay.

VIEQUES BIO BAY CERTIFIED BY GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS AS: "BRIGHTEST IN THE WORLD" - AUGUST 4TH 2008

Guiness Book of World Records 2008.

Living Light

The Mosquito Bioluminscent Bay on the Island of Vieques, Puerto Rico is the most bioluminescent in the World.It contains up to 160,000 microscopic dinoflagelates per liter of water.

When agitated, these microscopic organisms (Pyrodinium bahamense or swirling fire) reacts emitting a blue-green light for about a decimal of a second.

There are other bioluninescent bays around the island, but the Mosquito Biobay is the one that shines with the most intensity, its shallow and small entrance from the sea impedes the waves from washing away the dinoflagellates; and the mangrove trees, with their decomposition process, provides abundant food for the micro-organisms.

Please do not leave Vieques, Puerto Rico without taking a tour of this magnificent and magical natural wonder, it will be a memory to remember for a lifetime.

In the waters of Mosquito Bay there are organisms named Pyrodinium bahamense, Dinoflagellates (dinos). These "dinos" are responsible for this amazing natural phenomenon. When the "dinos" come into contact with another organism or shaken they produce a bright burst of blue light.

Mosquito Bay is the perfect environment for this "dinos". The Bay is small and shallow and the mouth of the bay is small, so the bright tiny organisms are trapped and protected in the bay, making it very, very bright.

The mangroves surrounding the bay provide the perfect nutrition for the Pyrodinium bahamense. Any changes in the delicate ecosystem can diminish the healthy balance of the bay.