Description: I was definitely excited when I read about the bioluminescent bays in Puerto Rico. I love swimming at night, and I simply couldn't pass up such a unique opportunity. Although we wanted to visit the island of Vieques, the best place to see the phenomenon, we went to Fajardo due to our limited schedule. It is located about 2 hours from San Juan. We called the day before our excursion to make reservations and used our rental car to get there.
Upon arrival, we paid, left our towels and clothes with the representative, and climbed into our kayaks, two people in each. The new moon was just starting to appear (the less moonlight, the more visible the organisms). As we rowed through mangroves, we could see the silhouettes of several birds in the jungle-like waterway. The water began glowing brighter and brighter as we glided our paddles through it. We could even see the blazing trails that the fish left behind. We were so enthralled by everything around us that we forgot to paddle and fell a bit behind. Whoops!
Eventually, we reached the open bay, which was quiet except for some other kayaks. After a few minutes, we strung all our kayaks together and had our brief “chat” about the bay. Then, whoever wanted to could go swimming. This was by far the best part! The water was the perfect temperature, and it was awesome seeing tiny speckles of light glowing on our skin. The luminescence was much more concentrated than I originally expected. It was definitely gorgeous, and I was not the least bit disappointed that we didn't get to Vieques.
After 20 minutes of swimming, we climbed back into the kayaks and headed back. Unfortunately, we got caught behind some people who kept crashing into our kayak and the mangroves (and they refused to let us pass). This was a tad frustrating. Such is the nature, however, of group excursions.
Once we got back on shore, we were able to go to the bathroom and have some water, soda, and cookies, compliments of the kayaking company. It was Saturday night, so a lot of people were in the park. My husband and I bought some cheap nachos and people-watched for a while. It was a great way to end the evening!
Directions:
(These were hard to come by, so I'm posting them. However, most people get picked up at their hotels.)
Take route 3 to 194. At the third light, near Burger King, turn left. Go straight, then turn at the second street on your right. There is a church at this intersection. Take the street to the end. Turn left. Follow this street and veer left at the fork, which goes toward El Faro. Continue on down the street until you reach the park. Pull into any of the available parking spaces. There will be several kayak trips gathering near the water. Ask around until you find the right company.
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