Puerto Rico Day 6: Snorkel Blues on Blue Beach

Morning dawned on Vieques and we wanted to get out for some beach time before it started raining yet again. We made our sandwiches and packed up our ice chest and headed to Playa La Chiva. Otherwise known as Blue Beach, it's one of the beaches in the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge, a protected area on the southeast shore of the island. We headed out using Waze and soon found ourselves lost up in the hills on dirt roads. We switched to Google maps and found our way out of the Waze maze and back to the main road and finally the entrance to Playa La Chiva.

This beach is set up a bit differently in that there are numbered pullouts all down the shore. Each one has a covered picnic table and beach access. In my research, I learned which numbers were best for snorkeling so we tried to target those. They were all occupied so we picked our first choice and I walked down to the beach to ask if they minded sharing. Turned out to be the family on the plane with us the day before. Small world on the island.

The family was happy for us to crash their party so we unpacked and made ourselves at home.

The beach was absolutely gorgeous and even though all the parking spots were full, it was also completely uncrowded.

This island in the near distance was used as a US navy ammunition test site beginning in WWII. There are warnings about not getting too close to the island as it's rumored that there are live munitions still there.

After chilling in my chair for a while, I suited up and headed to the left side of the cove to see what snorkeling could be done. Unfortunately, there was nothing to see. It was so shallow over the rocks that I could barely move and very few fish were to be found anywhere.

I was so disappointed. This was a highly recommended snorkel site online as well as by the family we were sharing the beach with. I gave up and decided just to enjoy the beach.

We managed to get our lunch down but then the torrential rain started up again. We made a mad dash to get everything in the car and headed back to the house to wait it out until dinner.

For dinner, we drove inwards to the middle part of the island to a highly recommended place, Tin Box, a BBQ/sushi restaurant. I had my doubts...sounded like a crazy restaurant combo to me but we like both so were willing to give it a try. I loved the ambiance immediately. It was hidden in the trees with candlelight all around.

I started with a watermelon margarita and some oysters.

Alex stuck with the sushi side.

I tried the BBQ side.

Both were surprisingly good and it was a lovely way to end our evening.