Vieques has one of the best bioluminescent bays in the world. And we always visit it. The tour company I use has been doing trips for many years and do the tours in a responsible and ecologically minimally invasive way. Bioluminescence is a common phenomena in the oceans. Almost any ship on a dark night in the middle of the ocean will stir up microorganisms in its wake that make faint flashes of light. Many microorganisms produce light when disturbed in the ocean.
A bioluminescent bay has extremely high concentrations of the correct types of organisms. The high density makes for, under the right conditions, a wonderful firework display of heatless blue-white light when ever your hand moves in the water. Or a fish moves, or along the bow wave of a boat. The organism responsible for this light in Vieques is Pydrodinium bahamense. This organism is sensitive to environmental conditions and most bioluminescent bays in the world have fallen prey to light pollution and chemical pollution that drop their numbers very low.
However, as long as this wonderful natural spectacle is part of the Vieques experience we will continue to go whenever possible. This link gives further information about the company we work with.
I, Dr. Albrecht, have a manuscript in preparation using data collected by the previous owner and the current lead tour guide of this company to analyze the population patterns of the “whirling flame of the Bahamas”.