Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean - Clean Breaks: 500 New Ways to See the World - page 242

324 sail and dive in the
grenadines, grenada

sea during the day with an infinity of fiery and
luminous spirits. These spirits, after dark, reunite
to pass out in a violent state”. There's actually a lot
more science behind it - simply speaking, it's the
production of light by living organisms - but his
explanation does induce some of the magic of this
natural phenomenon.
Mosquito Bay, on the island of Vieques off
Puerto Rico's east coast, is home to one of the
brightest such displays in the world, attributed
to its dinoflagellates (indigenous marine algae).
Because this algae creates light only when
disturbed, kayaking is the best way of seeing the
light show - repeatedly dipping your paddle in
the waters will summon up a mass of blue-green
twinkles. Go with Travesias Isleñas Yureibo, a
local bilingual tour operator, which has been
organizing kayaking trips to the bay for a
decade. Or Blue Caribe Kayaks, with whom you
can spend the day snorkelling and then paddle
through the bay at night.
You can stay at La Finca Caribe, a collection
of rustic cottages with hammocks draped
everywhere, or at the camp on Balneario Sun
Bay - a 3km sweep of sand lined with coconut
palms. Though if you time your trip right - on
a moonless night (the light produced by the
organisms can be disturbed if the moonlight is
too strong) - you won't be doing much sleeping;
you'll be transfixed by the mesmeric lights
dancing above Mosquito Bay.

For many, the Grenadine islands in the
Caribbean are the ultimate holiday destination:
immaculate white beaches, balmy temperatures,
turquoise seas and star-strewn night skies. But
with such heavy tourist traffic, it's a challenge to
preserve the beauty of the region. A holiday with
Fab Safaris aboard the catamaran Vaza Vezo is a
good start, however.
Equipped with a wind generator and solar
panels to create all the electricity needed aboard,
the sleek catamaran, powered along swiftly
by large sails, is a very low-impact means of
transport. Fresh drinking water is produced via a
water generator and when you stop to explore an
island - with the crew taking care not to damage
the reefs when dropping anchor - you'll enjoy
treks in the rainforest, visits to turtle sanctuaries
and browsing for arts and crafts in local villages.
Back on board, it's not just plain sailing
- there's scuba diving, too; whether experienced
divers or beginners, guests can dive up to two
times a day in the warm waters. Equipped with
powerful torches, you can also dive at night,
coming into contact with nocturnal creatures -
such as lobsters, moray eels and octopuses - who
scuttle and swim amongst the vibrantly coloured
corals and anemones. After this excitement, you
can relax on the deck with a potent rum cocktail
before heading down to the luxurious cabins,
complete with queen-sized bed.

Need to know It's called Mosquito Bay for
good reason, so take plenty of non-DEET-based
repellent. Tours with Travesias Isleñas Yureibo
cost US$25 per person and US$15 per child; for
more information see W www.viequestravelguide.
com; T [phone]. Full-day kayaking
tours run by Blue Caribe Kayaks depart from
Esperanza; for prices, bookings and lunar
calendar see W www.bluecaribeekayaks.com;
T [phone]. The Puerto Rican Port
Authority runs a regular ferry service from
Fajardo, Puerto Rico to Isabela Segunda, Vieques
(1hr 15 min; T [phone]), from where
it's a short taxi ride to Balneario Sun Bay and
Esperanza.

Need to know Fab Safaris operate seven- and
fourteen-day boat trips from Grenada. You can
choose to cook your own food on board, or pay
to have half- or full-board. For prices and more
information see W www.fabsafaris.co.uk.

325 see the BioluMinescence
at Mosquito Bay, puerto rico

In 1688, French missionary Père Guy Tachard
attempted to explain bioluminescence as: “the heat
of the sun, which has…impregnated and filled the