WHAT 2 DO IN PUERTO RICO
Flamenco Beach
San Juan National Historic Site
Castillo San Cristóbal
Old San Juan
Coffee Museum
Rincon Art Walk
Museo El Cemi
El Yunque Rainforest Tours
Condado
La Fortaleza
Glowing Sea or Bahía Bioluminiscente
Puerto Mosquito (Mosquito Bay) is located on the southern shore of the island of Vieques. This magical bioluminescent bay (bio bay) has been officially declared the brightest recorded in the world by Guinness Book of World Records 2008.
Dinoflagellates, single-celled plankton light up when they are disturbed. When plankton are numerous and conditions are optimal, running your hand through the water leaves a trail of flickering light.
The species here glows blue-green. It’s called Pyrodinium bahamense, or “the whirling fire of the Bahamas.” Hernandez and another guide say that when the bay is glowing at full force, you can actually tell what kind of fish are moving underwater based on the shape of the glow. Fish jumping above the surface leave a trail of luminous splashes. When it rains, they say the whole surface of the water is alight.
Edith Widder, a bioluminescence specialist and the co-founder of the Ocean Research and Conservation Association, says glowing is a defense mechanism for these creatures, which share characteristics with both plants and animals. The flashes may alert larger predators to the presence of whatever is disrupting the plankton.