Bienvenidos a Vieques

The other day I woke up in subzero temperatures and went to bed with a balmy breeze tickling my face. For once this transition wasn't due to the inconsistent nature of New England weather but was a marker of my transition to a different country, a different climate, and in some ways a different world. After three flights, a five hour delay, and a dark car ride in which I caught the blurry forms of horses, palm trees, and the occasional home illuminated by Christmas lights, I had arrived at my temporary home on the beautiful island of Vieques.

I am here for the next three weeks as an intern for the Vieques Conservation and Historical Trust where I will assist the trust in it's mission to promote awareness of the natural resources of the island and to protect it's natural beauty, whether it is from pollutants spread by humans or invasive species like the gorgeous but voracious lionfish. In the past couple of days I've gotten a crash course in measuring water quality in the Bioluminescent Bay, maintaining salt water aquariums, and even on the damaging effects of invasive Green Iguanas. 

On Thursday I accompanied the biweekly trip from the VCHT to Playa Grande to look at the old sugar mill. Our guide, who likes to be called "Estufa Caliente," described the way in which the sugar cane was pressed then fed into a trough, refined, and stored. He also showed the visitors the old trains and tracks that ran through the area to facilitate shipping. In various places bricks and other portions of the ruins that had been pilfered, showing just how easy it is to lose what we don't protect. The ruins were a haunting reminder of times past and also in the ability of nature to reclaim what man has created. 

Friday was the first day I got to experience the underwater world of Vieques. I accompanied Mark as he went snorkeling, searching for the invasive lionfish underneath piers and rocky overhangs. These fish are native to the Indopacific region, but because of their beautiful fins and coloring have been a common aquarium fish. It is generally believed that they were first introduced to the Atlantic Ocean when a few of the fish got too big for the tanks and the owners released them into the ocean. Now they are a big problem with an even bigger appetite. These voracious feeders can eat up to twenty fish a day, can survive weeks without food, and have no natural predators in the tropical waters of the Atlantic. In addition, their dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins all have venomous spines, so capturing them is a delicate process. Thankfully they are delicious, and there is a movement to sell lionfish in restaurants and to teach people how to catch them and prepare them themselves. In the meantime, the VCHT goes on regular lionfish scouting trips, and thanks to a great time effort, I was able to help capture this bad boy yesterday. He's currently sitting innocuously in our lionfish tank, staring at me while I write this post.

It's been such a whirlwind of a first week. Between meeting new people, trying to improve my Spanish, and discovering the natural beauty of the island, I couldn't have had a greater introduction to island living. I'm so excited to find out what's next.