Head ‘em up, Move ‘em out

We had a pleasant sail south to Vieques (vee-AYE-case) then turned west with the Trades behind us.  So much better than fighting into them!  Our plan was to anchor for the night and we wanted a protected cove on these southern shores.  We had at least Bruce Van Sant’s cruising guide (getting a bit outdated now) of this area so were able to cruise close enough to shore to avoid snagging fringing reefs or fish pots.  

One of the first signs that you are back in American waters is the regular VHF radio Channel 16 updates on weather conditions by the US Coast Guard.  How civilised it is to know that there is an organisation looking out for us boaters – big, small, motorised or sail.  On the way to Vieques we heard a “Pan-Pan” call for a person seen in the open waters some miles north of St Croix.  This brings home the often too casual approach boaties seem to take with their activities.

Vieques is a former firing rage used by the US and NATO for land, sea and air war games.  The Range has since been closed and developers held at bay, perhaps given the arduous task of cleaning up munitions.  This small island seems remote and isolated, yet lush with tropical green landscapes set against white sandy beaches and clear turquoise waters.  A community of locals has been described as proud and fiercely independent, as they should be, given their dedication in securing Vieques from the ravages of munitions and perhaps developers.  

We found an anchorage in Sun Bay, near to the fishing village of Esperanza.  A picturesque, coconut palm fringed beach (public at that – wow!) stretches in an expansive mile-long curve.  We had the company of two other friendly boats at anchor in this picture postcard bay.  Our only criticism was that someone had turned off the heater.  Our last swim had been in Marigot Bay when the Cap’n cleaned WJ3’s bottom, filthy after 3 weeks in the lagoon. GS jumped in then too, for a quick dip – the water then as now, was certainly no longer tropical!

Just to our east are the famous bioluminescent bays of Vieques, Puerto Ferro and Puerto Mosquito.  They are strongly phosphorescent and best seen at night.  Steps have been taken to keep them in pristine condition, so no anchoring and certainly no diesel or petrol engines allowed in these mangrove-lined bays.  The Dive Shop at Esperanza organises tours or you can paddle in.  As we don’t carry a selection of water toys and had a prior experience of it - out fishing in Simpson Bay on a full moon evening back in 2008 - we didn’t linger to see it.  Mind you, it is a curious natural phenomenon, fascinating to see little firework displays exploding around your dinghy as they rise from darker deep water below.  So much to see and do.  Ah, if only the Motley Crew were on holiday...