How To Get To Mosquito Bay From San Juan

Most things that audio besides skillful to be true usually are. When we first heard about the bioluminescent bay in Vieques, nosotros weren't certain what to expect. The whole concept sounded unreal. A glowing bay? What makes it glow? Is it radio active or something? Is information technology really every bit bright as it is in the pictures?

While nearly people who visit Puerto Rico tend to stick around San Juan, we've found that most opportunities for adventure happen outside of the the capital. Go on reading to find out how yous can experience this magical place also.

The Bio Bay at Mosquito Bay in Vieques, Puerto Rico is a truly incredible sight to encounter.

Vieques and Mosquito Bay

Vieques, too known as "Isla Nena" (Little Girl Island) is just east of the main island of Puerto. Hither you'll detect some of the most beautiful beaches, wild horses, and the brightest bioluminescent bay in the world.

As information technology turns out, Mosquito bay in Vieques, Puerto Rico is the brightest bio bay in the world. And there are 3 bio bays on the island, just only a 5 more in the whole world. We took a tour with Bieque Ecotrips to become a closer look at this natural phenomenon.

The Mosquito Bay (AKA the Bio Bay) in vieques, Puerto Rico is home to the brightest bioluminescent waters in the world. — The Musquito Bay (AKA the Bio Bay) in vieques, Puerto Rico is home to the brightest bioluminescent waters in the earth.

The name "Mosquito Bay" comes from the body of water of bloodthirsty insects surrounding the bay. But it's nothing that a long-sleeve shirt can't protect you from. Resist covering yourself in issues spray so that we tin can protect and enjoy this identify for years to come up.

One time we were in the water we didn't encounter much at first, only as we got a little further into the bay nosotros saw it. A neon-bluish flash of light surrounding the oars as we paddled forth.

When we looked a picayune closer we could see thousands of tiny organisms giving off light when moved. These are dinoflagellates, and they're so small that three of them can fit on the tip of a needle. They luminescence with move like tiny lightening bugs in water.

Information technology takes a special combination of factors for these organisms to thrive, and Mosquito Bay has them all: Reg mangrove trees, cool water, and a minor opening to the bounding main.

In fact, when the Spanish discovered this expanse, they thought the glowing h2o was the work of El diablo and tried to cut off the bay from the ocean past making the opening even smaller. But this but trapped more of these tiny creatures and made the bio bay brighter.

How to Get to Vieques

Past Uber and Ferry

Of import: Our trip was before hurricane Maria! All the old ferries from Fajardo at present run through Ceiba.

We took an Uber from Carolina (near San Juan) to Fajardo where we awaited the ferry to Vieques. Ubers are readily bachelor through the San Juan expanse, and the one-way trip cost united states of america $50.58 before tip. You could take a taxi, but why pay more than?

At the Fajardo Ferry Terminal we paid $two each for a one fashion ticket to Vieques. The ride itself takes about 45-minutes. Click here for ferry schedules.

By Airplane

Another selection for getting to Vieques is to fly there from San Juan. This might exist a amend option for you if you're traveling solo. Cape Air has daily flights to Vieques and Culebra island. Nosotros met up with our friend Jen from Jen on a Jetplane in Vieques, and she opted to fly because she'south awesome at finding super cheap flights.

Vieques Transportation

From the Vieques Ferry Terminal

Once in Vieques you'll see a swath of vans and van drivers waiting to transport new arrivals to their final destinations near the ferry final. Nosotros hopped in a van with a couple who merely so happened to be visiting from my hometown in Minnesota (weird, correct?). The van driver took u.s.a. straight to the hotel where we all happened to be staying at also. Information technology's a small globe after-all.

From the Vieques Drome

Much like the at the Ferry Last, yous can discover van drivers and taxis awaiting new arrivals outside of the drome. Hither you'll find some Vieques taxi contact information if you'd similar to setup your ride before your arrival.

Where to Stay

Nosotros stayed a cozy guesthouse called Villa Coral. We stayed there because our friend Jen had booked her room there already, but nosotros were actually satisfied with how helpful the staff was there and how comfortable the rooms are. Airbnb is commonly our go-to when looking for accommodations, merely if you want a comfy identify to stay with a shared 2d flooring balcony and chilled out rooftop, check out Villa Coral!

Bio Trophy in the World

Did you know at that place are only five bio bays in the world? And 3 of them are in Puerto Rico. You can notice them in Laguna Grande in the north-east in Fajardo, La Parguera, and at Mosquito Bay in Vieques.

Booking a Bio Bay Tour

There are multiple tour companies that will show yous the Bio Bay. We went with Bieque Eco Trips. They accept clear-bottomed kayaks to give you that extra level of coolness while yours paddling your way through the brightest Bio Bay on the planet. Hither'southward the contact info for a number of different bio bay bout companies:

We took a tour of the bio bay in vieques with Bieke Eco-Trips, but they're not the only option available. — We took a tour of the bio bay in vieques with Bieke Eco-Trips, only they're non the but option available.

Bieque Eco-Trips - (787) 922-2701
Melaya's Tours - (787) 222-7055
Abe's Biobay Kayak Bout - (787) 741-2134
Taino Aqua Adventures - (787) 349-6964
Isle Adventures - (787) 741-0720 (boat tour)
Jak Water Sports - (787) 644-7112
Vieques Adventure Company - (787) 692-9162

Price

Bio Bay Tours by and large toll $45-lx USD per person.

When to See the Bioluminescence

In order to truly capeesh this natural phenomenon you have to see it when it's pitch-black out. Unless you accept a very special camera for nighttime photography, you lot tin forget about capturing the bioluminescence on pic. In fact, nearly bio bay ads you see online include some super fake photoshopped photos for this very reason. Cameras but can't do information technology justice. So brand sure yous plan your trip for a nighttime when there is a new moon, or at least within a day or two of a new moon to see the glow in all it's glory. This resource here volition help y'all do just that.

A quick google image search of — A quick google prototype search of "Bio Bay" will turn upwards heavily photoshopped depictions of the glowing phenomenon. Non because the bay doesn't glow, but because most cameras are not capable of capturing it.

How to Photograph the Biobay

"But Jim, you just said to forget almost photographing it." Yep, I did. But I'm stubborn and went well out of my manner risking thousands of dollars of photographic camera equipment to the murky waters of the bio bay to show you what it kind of looks like. Nobody tells Jim Fricker what he tin or cannot do. 😅

So, if you desire to the same and try to get a photo or video of the bioluminescent bay, yous're going to need a special camera, a lot of volition power, and some patience. This is not a tutorial for beginners. If you don't sympathize the terms like "ISO" or "fast lens" you lot might want to hold off on attempting this until you have a bit more feel. Here'due south the quick version of how to photograph the bio bay.

Photography

Most cameras that have manual settings tin pull this off. You'll just be limited to using a tripod on the side of the bay and hope that it'southward either raining (the bay lights upward similar crazy when it rains according to our guide) or that you have a proficient zoom lens and tin can run into people on a tour kayaking. Of grade you're going to get a ton of blur because of the long exposure you lot'll demand to see anything. But with some luck and patience, you tin can get a blurry glimpse of what the glow looks like to show your friends.

Video of the Bio Bay

To capture video of the bay, you're going to demand the best depression-light camera you tin notice and afford to pull this off. And probably some decent equipment insurance since y'all'll be using the camera in a kayak at dark. When nosotros went to the bio bay the all-time camera bachelor for this job was the Sony A7s II.

Y'all're going to want to couple this the fastest lens yous tin afford and become ready to crank the ISO all the mode upwardly to 409600 (or possibly higher if you lot are reading this years after publication and the Sony A7s Four or something is out.) Will it be noisy? Yeah. Will it exist worth information technology? Maybe.

Shoot in 4k and then you tin can do some stabilization in mail service and hopefully accept some semi-stable footage when you export to 1080p. When kayaking, focus on your hand when it's just touching the water, then hit record.

With any luck, you lot'll have not fallen into the water with all of your camera gear, and take captured the bioluminescence. Now de-noise that footage to the all-time of your ability using Neat Video or something like. And ta dah! Yous now hopefully have some decent footage of the bio bay. Non a very common thing to take in 2019.

Farther Reading

We went on this tour with our friend Jen from Jen on a Jet Aeroplane. Learn more about this incredible identify on her blog here!