Photos: Up: A stalactite in the Cueva Clara Cave.Puerto Rico is a small island that is full of many natural phenomena that most people who live in Puerto Rico have never even visited. Like many people in the states people in Puerto Rico don’t realize the amazing places
they can visit in their own backyard. I was lucky enough to visit two beautiful locations during my trip to Puerto Rico including the Cueva Clara Caves and the Bioluminescent Bay. Both places have an immense history and their geography was shaped by the power of nature. The caves were carved thousands of years ago acidic water that cut away at the limestone and created the cave. The evidence, the writings found on the walls of other caves in the area, that the native Indians of Puerto Rico, the Tainos, used the caves hundreds of years ago. The name of the caves means, “clear cave” and the cave system itself is a sustainable ecosystem for bats, birds and many other types of species. In the cave the ceilings constantly drip water, which creates its slippery floor. The high-rise ceilings are evidence of the immense power that the underground river once had. The high ceilings also echo from the many people who come in and out of the many different rooms. While people listen on headsets at their own pace, they are able to see the wonders of nature that shaped the geography on the island of Puerto Rico.
Another location’s geography that was shaped by nature is the Bioluminescent Bay in Fajardo. This bay is situated in the prime location for many different elements to combine to create such a magnificent night excursion. The mangrove trees isolate the lagoon and plankton come in and out of the single mangrove channel with the tide every six hours. With the combination of continual sun and tannin from red mangroves it creates the perfect environment for the plankton to flourish. The tour starts with groups pairing off and following a guide on a 20-minute kayak through the non-government protected mangrove forest to the bio bay lagoon. Our guide, Miguel Narvaez said, “Theory says the plankton glow as a defense mechanism. It is not proven but seems to make sense,” when talking about what causes the plankton to glow so brightly. People are able to experience a breathtaking scene when they stick their hand into the water, and swish it around. The water glows like a freshly broken glow
stick right in front of your eyes. It was something everyone that live in Puerto Rico and those from other places should visit one day. Although there are places in Puerto Rico where its’ geography is shaped by nature there are place in the United States as well.
This place is very dear to my heart. It is a little town called Silver Lake, Michigan. Most of its’ income occurs in the summer through tourism and house rentals on the lake. People come from all over the country to visit one of the largest sand dunes. These sand dunes constantly shift and change. Over the last 50 years several houses have been covered by the “live” sand dunes. The dunes were created after the create Chicago fire. The forest was cut and the wood was shipped to the city. Soon the topsoil was blown away and it exposed the sand creating the sand dunes that everyone enjoys today. Although it is similar to the place in Puerto Rico because of the power of nature it is different in that the local community is not yet working to preserve the lake although the sand continually fills in the lake. It is also different in that the Puerto Rican tourist locations are more of a national tourist location compared to the small town in Michigan. No matter if the natural wonder is located in a big tourist hub or not one thing is for sure: nature and natural forces are very powerful and shape not only landscape but also lives.
Photo: Up- The group in their Kayaks paddling to the lagoon at the Bioluminescent Bay.
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