Returning to Vieques

"Glamping?" This is incredibly insensitive. Why didn't the author speak to locals, there are plenty of community activists working to preserve and restore the Island. This article speaks to the "inconveniences" posed to privileged tourists rather than the conditions faced by locals. I was born in Puerto Rico and I am glad the other articles published about Maria and its impact are far more appropriate and respectful.

I spent a year in Vieques in '64 and '65 while serving in the Marines. The memory has always stayed with me. It is such a beautiful place. Sometimes we would spend the whole day diving in the sea without returning to the shore. I hope the recovery goes well. I will try to get down there next year.

We first visited Vieques in 2016 and got married at Salida 17 at La Chiva beach! What an amazing island and people, truly a nature wonder! I still remember the first beach we visited on our first day...it was around noon and my soon to be wife and I were heading to the entrance of Playa Caracas. It was pretty hot, we were a little stressed (3 kids with us, 2 of them teenagers...) and I was carrying cooler, umbrella, masks and fins and whatever else dads can carry. We approached the natural "gate" of bushes that separates the parking lot from the beach and as soon as my wife an I walked through the gate, we raised our heads to look ahead and stopped... we could not believe the whiteness of the sand and the many shades of blue of the ocean, my jaw literally dropped as I asked my wife "Is this Photoshopped, is this a mirage?" Needless to say we came back a year later and we are now thinking to buy a house in VQS! It is true that there is not a lot of activities around, especially if for "activities" you mean resort-style, but Vieques has so much to offer with its natural wonders and the warmth of its people that those kind of "activities" are just unnecessary. If you want to experience gorgeous beaches, free-roaming animals (horses, turkeys, chickens, etc.), do "nature" related activities such as visiting the amazing Bio Bay, scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, paddle boarding, hiking etc. then Vieques is the place for you.

Interesting article about Vieques. Being a 21 year old Marine Veteran in a [Supply Co.] 66-69, we also did training on the Island during the Cold War. A major part about the bombardment of Vieques. Was explained that only 6 percent of the island was used for any of the training exercises and that these took place only twice a year for a few days. Nonetheless those days are over in the Caribbean Area. As our military presents was to leave. And also,,Roosevelt Roads Base in PR was told to leave as well. And not sure when the hammer will fall on,'' Fort Buchanan in PR.'' As I guessing its still there cuz it provides local employment.

I first visited Vieques as a young Marine firing Hawk Missiles at Navy drones. We had a six man tent high on a hill with magnificent views, a constant tropical breeze, and the most beautiful and alluring beach at the bottom of the hill I have ever seen before or since. That was my most enjoyable week during my whole hitch in the Corps. The island is a paradise and for what its worth I am sorry for the small part I played in bringing any damage to its pristine environment.

Does anyone know how the Blue Horizon is faring now? Has it re-opened?

Yes, awful US rime against Vieques' pristine environment. The irony is they now have to rely on same government to rebuild their power grid.

Funny how much news there is on Vieques after the hurricane but practically no information on the neighboring island of Culebra. Was Culebra not impacted as much as V? Visited there many years ago and it was a wonderful place.

Don't put your hands in the bio bay.

It is infuriating to me how much these articles minimize the crimes the US government has committed against Vieques. Cancer rates and rates of other illnesses there are still two or sometimes even three times what they are in other parts of the US. The land and water is still toxic. And yet the one offhanded mention of these crimes against humanity in this article ends with "Now beachgoers and poke along dirt roads until they find a spot that suits..." I wrote an article shortly after Maria outlining how we have no business calling any assistance to PR a "bailout"-- as some were trying to compare it to the big bank bailout-- because the US government OWES Puerto Rico, for many reasons-- not least of which is the long-term damage sustained by years of military testing on the island. But I guess we don't have to worry about that now because we can just go to the beach instead! Whoohoo! Problem solved.

Great opportunity to build electrical supply system of solar and wind from the ground up. But who will do it? Not enough money to be made? Certainly worth studying seriously. I agree with some other comments about the apparent setback of the storms actually being a blessing in disguise: forget about cruise ships and mass tourism, which would ruin the place.

My only Vieques moment was sailing into a deserted mangrove lined bay in the late 70s. We were piloted in by a friendly dolphin until we dropped anchor. Next morning at breakfast the US Navy arrived to ask us to vacate before bombing resumed. All the best to the island residents. Hope to return someday.

As others, we fell in love with Vieques our first day and have stayed at the Tamarind and Hix House. My soon to be wife has created a series of paintings on the destruction, the beauty, and the horses she calls Storming Vieques: www.joannetarlin.com. We are eager to return t help out with recovery as doctor and artist. I created a short video to go along with the series of,paintings: https://youtu.be/tcH7RKqoM7k

If ever there was a carbon-intensive activity for a resident of the Northeastern United States, it's a vacation trip to the Caribbean. It's ironic to find in the NY Times, which often suggests in articles and op-ed pieces that hurricanes will become more severe as CO2 emissions and ocean temperatures rise, the virtues of such a trip so eloquently extolled. …To read an article noting that a “tiny plane” is an ideal way to get to Vieques—after a trip from NY or Philadelphia on a big jet plane, a trip we read elsewhere in the paper is the “biggest carbon sin”? (Google “carbon emissions from air travel” to read the NY Times many articles on the subject) …To read the comments lamenting the slow return of power to the islands and the deleterious impact of that slow return on the region’s biggest industry—tourism—while observing that Puerto Rico has only 2% of its power production based on renewable sources (see https://www.eia.gov/state/?sid=RQ) ? I certainly don’t begrudge folks the opportunity to escape the winter and bask on Caribbean beaches. But it’s a bit rich to read in the NY Times how great it is to jet-set, without a hint of information about the environmental costs of such luxury. Dear NY Times, can you please ask your reporters in the Science section to give the Travel section reporters an estimate of how much will the tourist visits to the Caribbean in 2018 contribute to destructive hurricanes in the region in 2019? Thanks…

I'm hoping to go to PR and especially Vieques next year for Spring Break. Thanks for the article and update on conditions in PR. I'm so ashamed of our government's lack of response. Two year before power is restored is just shameful.

If you don't like spending time in nature, Vieques is not for you. there is little else to do. As far as the bombing range cleanup, they're dragging their feet on it. A doctor from St Croix was found dead in his airplane in the range, two years after he disappeared, that gives you a idea how much they're out there cleaning up ordinance.

We were there last week, and I miss it as the snow is currently pelting us in Philadelphia. A couple of things - we talked to two locals about the horses and they told us that none of them are truly 'wild'. All of the free-roaming horses are owned, but it's cheaper to let them eat off the land and wander than to buy feed and keep them on your land. Most of them are branded, if you look closely. I'm guessing it's Medalla Light (local PR beer) instead of Modelo for the beer mention? Also, worth noting for anyone looking to visit right now, some of the beaches are still closed, most notably La Chiva.

Where’s your dispatch from that other (apparently forgotten) territory, the US Virgin Islands? It was hit every bit as hard as Puerto Rico ...

Really enjoyed this article. I'm going to have to make a trip down there soon.

(Continued from Jerry Harris below) Part 2 ..., now shunned by the little ones, came toward the other five or six friends, and he started to throw water in his own fact like crazy. The little boys watched me from the corner of their eyes. I looked away and acted as if I didn't notice. Then, the boys started up their pushing and shoving again and threw water in each other's faces as before. I said nothing, and was careful to show no emotion on my face. Then I started to laugh, and the boys saw me, and they started laughing too, continuing the play even more deliriously. The big boy was crazy with joy at being back in the game again. After a while, we all went back to the bistro again. They boys ran around playing and doing what boys do (little girls clearly played elsewhere). The men offered us a locally rolled cigar that was clearly rustic, but it went well with the heat and the dim light of the cantina. Leaving Vieques is a less pleasant memory. The Army and Navy had decided the last minute to do a joint exercise. We stayed on a beach and became soaking wet from the humidity during the night. We stood around until the troop craft came to shore, dropped their ramps, loaded us aboard, and took us to the waiting ship offshore. The boat trip around the island to the port was hellishly hot with all the stinking bodies lying about everywhere. Then, I waited most of the next day on the quay waiting to go to the airplane and back to Ft. Bragg.

The water there is outstanding. When flying over a beach at 1,500 feet, taking friends to San Juan a boat anchored offshore appeared to be floating in air, the water was that clear.

I would love to visit this area there just to see and mingle with those beautiful wild horses and to sit in the sun while enjoying a view of the ocean from a balcony on the second floor of Hacienda Tamarindo. This would be a slice of heaven in my book.

How is Culebra doing (Vieques is still too big for me!)? Since the devastation of Irma and Maria hurricanes I never found any news about that tiny paradisiac island that nobody is reporting about... I fear the worst.

Guess I was expecting a little more story. Then see it is from the Travel section. Which was the point of Mr. Trump dragging his feet in his support for the Islands. Sad land grab for the developers. The people be damned.

Where there is wealth, there is resilience. My wife and I had committed to rent a house on St. John's with friends before the storms. It survived the storms undamaged, so we went as we committed, last week. We found the restaurants and bodegas re-opened. and a brand new electric grid built on fiberglass poles designed to withstand 200 MPH winds under installation by an electric company everyone loves. Much of the vegetation that was stripped bare by the storms has leafed out, and for those who charter boats, the ones available are generally brand new because more or less the entire prior fleet was destroyed. Popular reefs were not terribly damaged, but there is less shade on the beaches where the trees were knocked down. A shortage of labor due to decline of population impedes the rate of cleanup, but people are filtering back. The population fell from 4500 to 1200 after the storms. The people are very welcoming, and happy to have visitors return. Out around Coral Bay, hundreds of people show up when a restaurant has a live band playing. St. John's has the good fortune to have generous private resources. FEMA has not won much popularity since handing out tarps in the immediate aftermath of the storm. Now it operates as a conduit to apply for SBA loans to rebuild, and people have to apply even when their income is insufficient to qualify.

A good friend of mine, an author, conducted writing workshops there and loved Vieques, its people, wild horses and uncrowded beaches. I hope the island prospers, preserves its natural beauty and perhaps goes solar while that cable is installed over the next two years. I put it on my list of wonderful places to visit.

Nice to know that PR is recovering. A very informative article that helps not to forget the beauty and grace of the island and it's people.

I’ve been working in PR for two months and am smitten with the island. As a lifelong budget traveler with ex-pat aspirations, it strikes me as a perfect vacation destination, as well as a realistic home or home-away-from-home for those hoping to retire or semi-retire without spending a fortune. Bird watchers, fishing enthusiasts, lovers of neotropical plants and Polychrotidae (and their explicit display of symplesiomorphies with regard to their Greater Antillean brethren and sistren), and those who enjoy strolling down old streets, tapas and drink in hand, taking in hundreds years old buildings and fresh street art, will have a great time here.

I didn't know what to expect when I flew to Vieques from NYC (via San Juan) as a woman travelling alone. I had an enchanting time. I stayed across the street from the water at a small hotel owned by a couple from New England. My first meal was down the street toward Media Luna (Half Moon) and Sol (Sun) beaches. The owner harvested fresh fruit from his trees for me. I had a large stretch of beach all to myself. I swam in the bio-bay. I danced at an open air bar down the street from my hotel. I even spent time at Bananas, the restaurant/bar mentioned and pictured in this article. Within a year of being together, I shared the island with my husband. Unlike some Caribbean islands, no one on Vieques was solicitous and overly friendly in the way touristy places are. That kind of obsequiousness makes me uncomfortable. It's true that they don't go out of their way to be friendly or helpful, but everyone was kind. People just went about their lives nonplussed by the tourists among them. This is the way I like to travel.

If ever there was a great opportunity for innovation to improve lifestyle choices, that opportunity would be on the arc of islands in the eastern Caribbean smashed by last year's Maria and Irma hurricanes. These islands are without electrical power on a consistent basis. The choice would be to rebuild the electrical grid, generators and transmission lines or start over with a distributed renewabe energy power generation plan. The US government and private enterprise have the technical ability and operational expertise to Make America Great Again by using 'made in America' solar panels, inverters, balance of systems and batteries. But isn't solar electricity more costly per watt than conventional deisel generation? Consider the Jan-2017 study by NREL that includes Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) between power generation and fuel sources: diesel is not a sustainable fuel for power generation - see https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy17osti/67645.pdf Dispatchable electricity is a term defined in context of legacy utility-based grid systems. Solar PV provides an alternative model of dispatching power: it is programmed locally to cut-in when grid power goes down, creating an "island affect" by isolating the load (estate, hospital, school, etc.) from the central grid that went down and subject to reconnection of power. The value of having a secure store of DC in batteries for power generation has a long history. During WWI the quiet German U-Boats were powered by batteries.

Very detailed piece. I really enjoyed it. Good to see the island working on getting back on its feet.

We've been going to VQS since our honeymoon in 1997. In contrast to Les's experience, two decades of visits have reinforced what we first fell in love with: unpretentious charm, gregarious locals, beautiful beaches. Is it for everyone? Not by a long shot. It's a poor island, with all that entails: crime, drinking and drug use, cars up on blocks in yards (for years), washing machines on porches. Kind of like my native Appalachia but with seafood and oceans. Don't go expecting a built-up tourist infrastructure. But if you don't have first-world expectations and don't act like a Yanqui, you'll be welcomed. And, like us, long to go back the minute we have to leave.

Vieques and Culebra are a relatively easy crossing from the BVI's and well worth the trip. We spent a week cruising around these awesome islands about ten years ago and look forward to doing it again.

When we stayed on this island we also learned that the population there has a very high rate of cancer. The medical facilities are basically nonexistent. We were saddened to hear that. Many residents cannot own the land their houses are on. Tourism growth is slowly ruining the island and the biobay. When beach combing there were many smooth pieces of many kinds of metal. The major part of the island is closed because of high metal contamination from the bombing has made it a superfund site. Thank goodness we stopped bombing it while the residents were living there. But the damage is still there.

I visited Vieques with my family right around the time the author visited, too, and this article nails the situation perfectly. My husband and I have been to Vieques 11 times. It is an extraordinary and friendly place although obviously not for everyone.

Vieques is wonderful because almost no one goes there, and almost the entire island is a wildlife refuge. But that, of course, is a two-edged sword, because if almost no one goes there, the economy will remain in the doldrums (tropical metaphor intended). In fact, there wasn't a whole lot on Vieques to destroy, so rebuilding actually shouldn't cost much. I would go back in a heartbeat if it were easily to reach from where I live. It's kind of like a trip to "Far Tortuga" (Peter Mathiessen), which I am currently reading.

What I find interesting about this article is that there is a lot of name dropping, but I only found references to two viequenses. Did the author even bother talking to the Spanish speaking Puerto Ricans on the island? I am aware that this is an article about tourism but it would have been interesting to learn on how the viequenses are coping, will they benefit from the hotels reopening (many of these hotels/restaurants hire their friends of friends kids from the northeast to work at their properties), and their economic challenges.

Wonderful article. Curious as to sugar plantations-- given all the discussion on sugar recently. Sugar cane can be used to cheaply make methanol-- if the crop is NOT heavily regulated as on the mainland -- which accounts for the prices. (and one can make rum, That we have PR rum.) It seems that tourism is the main industry. PS to me it would make sense to explore alternate forms of energy, as well as lots of energy conservation esp. on these islands. Wind farm anyone? Once you get used to the view, you'll like it. Think of it as an art project -- aka an installation.

My wife and I have been to Vieques several times and each time came away feeling we had been someplace really special. Our hearts go out to all the residents and businesses trying to recover. We will definitely go back and hope that they can thrive and never have to go through this again.

We had planned to travel to the US Virgin Islands and the BVI (as we had many times in the past) but our chartered boat ended up upside down in the trees and our condo was wrecked beyond repair. We got a new boat (brand new it turns out) and a newly rebuilt house in the hills overlooking Tortola. it was gorgeous. But so painful to see all the destruction. All the debris. All the broken homes, cars, boats upside down and half sunk. A few restaurants were open and everywhere people were so happy to see tourists back and spending money. It will take years to recover and rebuild and who knows what storms are coming--but no matter--if these islands are to rebound and survive, the governments of the US and Britain must be willing to open there treasuries to restore these treasured islands.

Took a day trip to Vieques from San Juan years ago while vacationing on Puerto Rico. Spent the morning scuba diving, and the afternoon on a completely empty white sand, turquoise water beach. So empty that we skinny dipped in the ocean while wild horses ran on the beach. It was absolutely idyllic and we’d rather have stayed there than gone back to PR. It’s true that you’re not necessarily fawned over as a tourist here, but I’m not that kind of visitor anyway, and the locals are perfectly accommodating and friendly. I hope they keep the cruise ships and big chain hotels away. Come to experience the island as it is, not as it’s designed for tourists to see, like so many other places. Hope to go back soon, fully recovered or not.

misery before and misery after, nothing ever changes in some places

We need nature, our other half. We often forget that. That we do empowers the environmentalists. The problem with this beautiful island and Puerto Rico are the rising seas and temperatures that store huge amounts of energy. Tourism, the building industry and generally Wall Street mostly only have short-term ambitions. The question is how to achieve sustainable balance. There will be bigger and more devastating storms. That is an issue of years and decades, not millennia. It seems native inhabitants also have rights. They would benefit from development, not only suffer.

Count me among Vieques's non-fan club. We visited before the hurricanes and have no interest in going back. I think it is clear when visiting there that they fundamentally don't want tourists. We sailed into Isabel Segunda from Culebra and found it to be deliberately unfriendly to visiting sailors. It is almost as if they go out of their way to not be helpful. Never rude or mean, but never helpful either. Huge contrast to a more recent trip to Grenada where people were genuinely warm and friendly - not solicitous or ingratiating, but interesting, interested, and incredibly engaging. So for Vieques, it is their island to do with as they see fit and not welcoming tourists is reasonable. I can see the benefits for the residents. But it is important for potential visitors to know that.

Way to blow up a great place you nutter! Now you've gone and ruined the island. Again. But I think this everytime Vieques is in the nyt and the place has been surprisingly resistant to development...in the 90's we worried it would be overrun. I've made the obvious comment to this article, the one you were expecting, let's see how many you get along these lines!

You might want to say something about the half of the island destroyed by US Naval practice bombing and the toxic waste it left.