03/20/2024
Unique Kayak Experience: Bio Bay tour
We travel, initially, to lose ourselves, and we travel next to find ourselves. We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate. We travel to bring what little we can, in our ignorance and knowledge, to those parts of the globe whose riches are differently dispersed. And we travel, in essence, to become young fools again- to slow time down and get taken in, and fall in love once more.
-- Pico Iyer
We love traveling. During our recent visit to San Juan, Puerto Rico, we read about Bioluminescent tours. My young-at-heart husband and I are not swimmers, but we loved our hiking trip to El Yunque Rainforest. Kayaking to reach a laguna or a bay was out of our comfort zone.
It is fascinating to read about Bioluminescence, or the ability of an organism to create light. While relatively rare on land, it is common in the ocean, at least in the pelagic zone, where 80 percent of the animals that live between 200 and 1,000 meters in depth are bioluminescent. Bioluminescence is most common among fish, squid, and the gelatinous zooplankton- jellyfish, siphonophores, and comb jellies.
While usually blue in color because this is the light that travels best through the water, bioluminescence can range from nearly violet to green-yellow and occasionally red. All bioluminescent organisms use a reaction between an enzyme and a substrate to make light, but different species use different chemicals.
Bioluminescent bays, or “ Bio Bays,” are bodies of water where microscopic organisms called dinoflagellates grow in quantities large enough to produce a “glow-in-the-dark” effect called bioluminescence. When you paddle or splash the water, these organisms shine in a neon blue-green color, making the water look as if billions of glowing stars lighted it.
There are only five ecosystems in the world where the concentration of these dinoflagellates is high enough to be considered a bioluminescent bay, and Puerto Rico is home to three.
Here we were in Puerto Rico. We just had to take one of the tours. Laguna Grande in Fajardo is the most visited bio bay in Puerto Rico due to its proximity to San Juan. It`s also the only one of the three that's not technically a bay. The long, narrow canal leading to the dazzling “glow-in-the-dark” water makes this unique water body a lagoon.
Without giving too much thought to our physical abilities, I signed up for one of the night tours. At night, in the dark, one can experience the magical phenomenon easily. I am impulsive by nature and consider myself a young at heart 66 years old. It never crossed my mind that my dear 73-year-old/young husband had never Kayaked before. Our young adult daughter with special needs was with us to make the experience more unique. Our older son was a dependable and experienced member of our group.
While confidently booking the tour, I checked the requirements regarding age limits( no one under 5 yrs, no mention of upper age limit... ha), weight limits ( 450 lbs per Kayak or 250 lbs per person), and all participants must be physically fit ( I think we are). No intoxicated guests are allowed( we don`t drink).
We were ready for our adventure. We drove to the tour site dressed in shorts and T-shirts. We packed an extra set of clothes and towels in our car. We knew we would get wet while Kayaking and were looking forward to the experience.
As a family, we decided that my husband and our daughter would go in one kayak while I would be in the other with our son. Having a more experienced person in the back seat is good practice. He or she can maneuver the Kayak easily. The person sitting in front does get a better view.
There was a guided boat in front with a flashing orange light. Then, all the guests were supposed to move in a line. Our Kayaks had red lights attached. It was pitch dark, and we were supposed to kayak through a narrow canal with Mangrove trees growing on both sides.
A Mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows mainly in coastal saline or brackish water in an equatorial climate, typically along coastlines and tidal rivers. Mangroves have special adaptations to take in extra oxygen and remove salt, which allows them to tolerate conditions that would kill most plants.
Our tour included the mangrove forest or mangal. This distinct saline woodland or shrubland habitat is characterized by depositional coastal environments and fine sediments collected protected from high-energy wave action. Mangrove forests serve as vital habitats for a diverse array of aquatic species.
Mangrove plants can drop up to one kilogram of organic matter ( seeds, leaves, etc.). These dropped seeds are broken down by bacteria, producing a sulfur reaction. This reaction creates sulfide gas, known as the rotten egg smell.
Our tour started in pitch darkness. We assumed that our physically capable Special needs daughter would be able to help Dad paddle the Kayak down the water. However, she was busy using the paddles in the wrong direction and had no idea or desire to synchronize with Dad.
She was, however, in high spirits and kept giving instructions like, “ Don`t Splash me. Good job, Dad. Use muscles, going the wrong way.” She is a born manager and likes to direct everyone. Being Autistic, she is very focused. Amaanat was the cheerleader for Dad and, inadvertently, for the whole group. Her funny comments were a source of entertainment for all of us.
We were trying to navigate through a narrow mangrove forest in the dark. I kept feeling sorry for my dear husband. He was trying to convince our daughter to put her paddle down. She was not wearing her hearing aids, so communication was challenging. To add to the difficulty, she likes to be in control and wants to help Dad to the max.
After about 20-25 minutes of kayaking, our group reached the lagoon. Here, our group gathered for a break. Our Kayaks were hooked together, and the guide gave us information about our unique surroundings. We had time to put our hands in the water to see them glow. The splashed water on the Kayak sparkled like tiny stars.
The quiet night, calm waters, and clear skies allowed us to locate different stars and constellations, and under us were these living organisms welcoming us with their lights. The 20 minutes that we spent there could have been a lifetime. I wanted to savor every breath, sight, and smell.
Our back-to-shore journey was much easier. We were kayaking with the current, not against it. Finally, our daughter was convinced that her role was as the leader of the Kayak. She did not need to paddle. She could sit like a queen and enjoy the view.
Under these new arrangements, her encouraging commentary continued. “ Great Job, Dad” was still the most common comment. She was still busy saying,” Stop splashing me.” We need to explain to her that being in a kayak means you will get “ Splashed.”
Today, our whole body is aching. Our poor arms are complaining, but we should be planning to continue more adventures like these. Our son is already nudging us to plan our next trip to Puerto Rico. The Mosquito Bay is a different experience. Even before we return home, our new travel plan is being planned.
I would love to hear from you about any of your Unique experiences. Let`s get connected and help each other create more Jolly moments.
I would love to be your committed Jolly friend for life.
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