Day 6- Laquillo Beach and Bio Bay!
Laquillo beach is nicer than the Azul beach in front of our condo. The sand is groomed and cleaned every day and the water is somehow a prettier turquoise color.
Oh, about the walking? It was quite a ways to get to! Sorry about that...they didn't tell me we were walking again either...not thrilled about that.

Tonight is the big "Bio Bay" tour. We have chosen Island Adventures for the tour so we head over on the same "Power Cat" as we used for snorkeling.

As we boarded we wondered how many would get sick this time...it was two again! This trip was a bit longer and a bit rougher. We are heading to Vieques Island to "Mosquito Bay" It is the brightest bay and the one you can swim in. Can't wait! let's get going!

OK...made it to the island and I didn't get sick! I think it is better than a roller coaster ride!
the harbor is beautiful as the sun is low in the sky!
All the excitement is about these little firefly like bugs that live in the water. They are all over in the ocean but there are 6 bays in the world that they are concentrated enough to offer this kind of tour. You can see the small inlet to the bay from the ocean so they don't get flushed back out. They rely on the mangroves surrounding the bay for nutrients. They are very small...smaller than a firefly. When we went into the bay on the electric pontoon you could see streaks of light going away from the boat...those were fish swimming away from us! One swam right at us and then...thunk...he wasn't too bright!

These pictures are from the tour website. We never saw the bay in daylight! What's the point? We want to see these little bugs glow! After 15 minutes of cruising, the guides explaining the bay to us and we were marveling at all the constellations that were brightly visible above us we could get into the water. It was soooo cool! the water lit up from kicking your legs, water was lit up as it ran down your arms or was splashed on your face. When you got back on the boat and peeked inside your swimsuit that was lit up too! looks like we are bringing a bit of the bio bay home! yay! As we were unboarding the ship the moon started to rise...perfect timing and a beautiful site over the bay. Some people are just getting here now...it won't be quite so bright when the moon gets up in the sky!

To be fair the entire process should be described for others considering this tour. You take a power cat about 40 minutes to the island. Once at the island you get into large passenger vans to get to the restaurant. After a nice dinner at the restaurant and a brief orientation you get into a school bus. Close the windows! seriously! even if it is hot! when you drive (in the dark by now) down the bumpy path to the bay there will be branches scraping each side of the bus and branches, bugs and spiders can come flying in. Seriously...close the windows! Once you get to the bay you get into a nice electric pontoon to cruise the bay. One teenager did get hit by a jelly fish so that is always a risk. Even though it is called "mosquito bay" we didn't get bit but some nights can be bad for that as well. The process is repeated in reverse to get back out of the bay but the power cat ride at the end is gentler because you are going with the current. It was a great experience that took over 5 hours.

Tomorrow is the clean-up and pack up day...then off to the airport! I am going to be so tired...we won't get home to bed until after 11. Come to Day 7!