We left Salinas, Puerto Rico, at sunup, after spending three weeks enjoying the island. We were on our way to Vieques, which is a Caribbean island off Puerto Rico’s eastern coast, and part of the U.S. territory. It was an eight-hour motor-sailing day with light to moderate winds on a close haul for part of the trip. It was sunny and warm as we made our way across the south coast of Puerto Rico to Viequez, our first stop.
We had two fishing poles out and, shortly after our departure, caught two fish within ten minutes of each other. We weren’t sure what they were, so we scanned photos with our Google app, and determined that they were Spanish Mackerel. We also determined that they can be great eating, especially if they’re fresh!
Since Kory is our “fish catcher,” I decided to be our “fish cleaner.” I watched quite a few YouTube videos to figure out how to do it, and what I learned is that gutting, filleting, and skinning fish is different depending on the variety of fish. It’s quite an art as well, something I haven’t yet mastered. Thankfully, the mackerel was a fairly straightforward fish to prepare since it has hardly any scales and the skin is very thin. I included a videos showing my amateur techniques. Thanks all you great fisherman who taught me how to do this!
I put some of the fish fillets in the refrigerator and froze a few others. We were going to have a great dinner after we got settled in Viequez. We arrived around 2pm and dropped anchor in a sandy patch in about 25 feet of clean turquoise water. It was so clear we could see the bottom. After a long day on the boat, we decided to get the dinghy down, head to the beach, and go swimming. While Gracie ran along the beach, Kory and I sat in the water for about an hour on a sandy shelf while the tide was going out. The water felt so good. It was warm, but cool compared to the heat of the blazing sun. This was a refreshing pit stop.
We only intended on staying in Vieques overnight because our plan is to come back to the south side of this quaint island with my aunt and uncle when they visit us in March. Viequez is known for their Bioluminescent Bay (Mosquito Bay) where microorganisms give the water a blue-green glow. There are very few places in the world to see bioluminescence, and Viequez is one of them, so we don’t want to miss it. Viequez also offers secluded beaches, snorkeling, wild horses roaming the countryside, and a mid-19th-century Spanish fort and museum.
On our brief stop, we enjoyed the beautiful beaches, pristine waters, and calm anchorage for the night. After our swim, it was time to head back to the boat and prepare dinner. The Spanish Mackerel turned out great. I panfried it with my favorite salmon rub from Trader Joe’s and some salt, pepper, lemon, and olive oil. I served it with cilantro rice and fresh steamed broccoli. The pictures don’t do it justice, but it was delicious! I’d say it was a cross between cod and mahi.
We were ready for a good night’s rest after our 8-hour passage, swimming, and full bellies. Our plan was to bring up anchor at sunrise the next morning and head to the island of Culebra. Bueños noches! Good night!