Exploring the newly available northeastern coastline of Vieques

photos by: Wanda Bermudez
July 24, 2003

I set out to explore the northeastern coastline of Vieques on a Friday morning in July. I took my niece and a friend of hers along. Being that the Navy had control of these beaches until May 1, 2003 and you were risking federal jail if caught here before then, I thought I was leading the girls into unexplored territory "where no one had gone before" (trekies will understand). It turned out we walked all the way along footprints of a person and his dog going towards the east and returning. When we got to areas that were too difficult to climb, we were able to find already-made-paths into the bushes that would lead us around the cliffs from one beach to the next (that was the final blow to the uncharted territory dream). Considering we did not carry any machetes or path-opening-devices, the paths were a welcomed discovery. We walked briskly for 1 1/2 hours stopping occasionally for pictures and shell collecting. On the way back we found out we did not have enough water and failed in our attempts to get a lift from the fishermen passing by on their way back to the downtown harbor. (Georgie, you saw me and did not stop, you owe me!) That was it for me, I will do my next Explorer adventure on my Ford. Unless I can get a fisherman to take me to the "undiscovered" beaches by boat. "Enson, mark course to the east. Engage!"

beach beach2 cactus
beach beach2 cactus
cave cave_area_from_above cave2
cave cave_area_from_above cave2
cliff explorers ferry_boat_leaving
cliff explorers beach3
looking_for_shells more_cliffs rocky_beach
looking_for_shells more_cliffs rocky_beach
snorkeling_heaven we_made_it
snorkeling_heaven we_made_it

 

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