Nevertheless, their full beauty is only revealed when the highest tides on earth ebb (as they do twice daily)—sucking away 100 billion tons of water in the process. Within the space of six hours, these islands are transformed into megaliths that tower some fifty feet above the bare ocean floor, so her family can return on foot to peer directly into sea caves and look up to glimpse barnacles and seaweed clinging stubbornly to the islands’ undersides.
Get Glowing in Puerto Rico.
Taking youngsters kayaking in pitch darkness on a body of water called Mosquito Bay may not be thought prudent by all: especially when you consider it is located on the remote Puerto Rican island of Vieques. But when the Well Rounded Woman desires an illuminating experience, that’s precisely what she does. Now, before you call the Child Protection Service, bear in mind that reliable outfitters (like Blue Caribe or Aqua Frenzy Kayaks, both of which run $30 pp tours) make it safe; and the bay’s high concentration of water-borne dinoflagellates make it unforgettable.
You see, these microscopic creatures emit flashes of light as a defense mechanism when agitated—and nothing stirs the proverbial pot like a kayak. On moonless nights when sea and sky seemingly meld, the boat’s wake becomes a billowing cloud while fleeing fish morph into fireflies. Paddle strokes, moreover, achieve their own special effects. Dipping in creates glowstick-green constellations; pulling out turns simple spray into liquid fireworks; and the result, for mother and child alike, is pure magic.
Excursions such as these exercise both body and soul. Yet our Well Rounded Woman, who aspires to rear equally well-rounded offspring, understands that the mind matters too. Hence, next month, she resolves to beach her craft and concentrate on books instead …
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