Susan Solo – Photographer | Traveler | Adventurer

Tag: Puerto Rico

A Bit of Beach Therapy

It’s that time of the year, when it has turned unbearably cold in Virginia and I’m dreaming of sun and sand. Chris and I don’t tend to try to get away to the islands during our winter months because we typically use our free time to play in the snow, but right now we’re at the point where it’s bitterly cold without any snow. When that happens, I turn my daydreams toward beaches. Thankfully I can look back on my images of sandy shorelines, and look forward to island trips ahead (Mexico is calling our name this year)! So on that note, here are some of my most favorite beach photos from the past several years. It’s the closest to beach therapy I can get at the moment!

Outer Banks, NC

Would you believe the first time I remember ever going to the beach wasn’t until I was twenty years old? I grew up in land-locked Missouri and Colorado, and when I lived in Texas we were a good five hours from any sandy coastlines. My family took plenty of vacations, but not to the beach, so it wasn’t a familiar sight to me when I went on my first trip to the Outer Banks with Chris. It has taken me many many years to get used to the water, but this first trip to Corolla will always be special to me.

Oahu, HI

A few years later Chris and I found ourselves on Oahu for a conference. Despite my adventurous nature and love for exploring, I still harbored a pretty serious fear of ocean creatures at this point. So after seeing a sign on Waikiki Beach warning swimmers not to go in the water due to jellyfish swarms, that was it for me. I didn’t get in the water the entire trip! But I enjoyed gazing at the water from a distance, and of course I took pictures of the enchanting colors. These photos are actually from our return trip to Oahu in 2008 for a friend’s wedding.

St. John, USVI

When Chris’s dad invited us to spend a week with him on St. John, it began our love affair with the island and we ended up returning two more times after that. I don’t have photos of my favorite beach, Cinnamon Bay (where we went for a short snorkel before a sting ray freaked me out), but I do have a photo of one of the most photographed beaches in the Virgin Islands. Trunk Bay is the one that shows up most frequently on postcards from St. John. I snapped this photo on our third visit after a tropical storm had just visited the island.

And it’s easy to get that view of Trunk Bay – there is a road that passes by overlooking the beach, and there’s plenty of room to pull off for a photo op!

Virgin Gorda, BVI

Without meaning to, I turned this post into a timeline of my ocean phobia, but this day trip to Virgin Gorda (from Tortola) was a huge turning point for me. Chris talked me into getting in the water at The Baths because he knew I’d be crazy about the cute, brightly colored fish. Sure enough, I put my face in the water to see a school of blue tangs trailing nearby, and it was enough to make my fears melt away. I’ve been more and more curious about the sea ever since.

Tortola, BVI

Smuggler’s Cove on Tortola is still one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen. Being able to see everything around me is key to my comfort while swimming, and the crystal-clear water at Smuggler’s Cove put me right at ease.

Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

By the time we booked a trip to Grand Cayman in 2014, I was ready to go all-in with snorkeling, diving, and playing with sting rays in the water. We missed the chance to dive on this trip, but we did get to see some stunning beaches. Seven Mile Beach and Starfish Point stand out in my mind as favorite stretches of sand on the island.

Vik, Iceland

When you think of Iceland you probably don’t think of beaches, but our visit to the shores of Vik was my first sighting ever of dramatic black sand.

Ambergris Caye, Belize

This long, narrow island in Belize isn’t typically known for its beaches, but we did enjoy the little strip of beach outside our villa on Ambergris Caye.

Vieques, Puerto Rico

Even though this beach wasn’t really swimmable, Chris, my sister, my brother-in-law, and I loved the view from our villa in Vieques along the northern shore.

Derrynane, Ireland

Speaking of unswimmable beaches, Chris and I had a great time exploring the rocky coastline of Ireland when we stopped at Derrynane Beach off the Ring of Kerry. It was too cold to even dip a toe in the water while we were there (and signs warn visitors not to swim there due to strong currents), but it was beautiful to photograph.

Islay, United Kingdom

Last but not least, one of my favorites of the favorites: Saligo Bay on the Isle of Islay in Scotland. I just didn’t realize we would find such pretty beaches in Scotland, but lo and behold they’re all over, and here is one of them.

Even thinking about beaches that are too chilly for swimming makes me feel warmer on this blustery day in Virginia. I’m hoping to add some more shoreline images to my collection this year with a visit to Isla Mujeres, and I’m hoping even more that we have warm, sunny weather while we’re there. Something to look forward to, for sure!

January 12, 2016
Photo Friday – Leaves of Green

I photographed this beautiful greenery on a walk down to Playa Negra in Vieques. It’s a little tricky to spot the trailhead off the side of the road, but there are signs if you keep your eyes open. It’s a peaceful, easy hike of less than a mile each way to reach the black sand beach. I wore flip flops, but I would have been happier in a sturdier shoe. (I meant to wear my Keens, but forgot.) The path carves through a ravine lined with lovely foliage like in this image.

August 7, 2015
Photo Friday – Pilings

Can you even believe the amount of colors in this coral on the pilings of Mosquito Pier in Vieques? I used my Canon D30 point-and-shoot and captured all of these rich reds, oranges, and yellows. I love studying it to see the different textures and bits of sea life. Also? I didn’t know the supports under a pier are called pilings until this trip, so I learned something new!

July 24, 2015
Photo Friday – Puzzled

Are puzzles totally nerdy? If so, I happily admit I’m a big ol’ puzzle nerd. The more pieces the better, and I especially enjoy putting one together throughout the week on an island vacation. It’s my go-to indoor activity for a rainy day (or a hurricane) when we’re at the beach. The one shown here was completed with the help of my sister, brother-in-law, and Chris while we were in Vieques. The famous figures scene made for some fun out-of-context phrases like, “I’m looking for Burt’s comb-over…” and, “I found Lincoln’s nipple!” Good times.

July 17, 2015
Vieques Snapshot

Last year, I started a new tradition of creating a “snapshot” post from our travels with a summary of superlatives and sidebars. It’s a fun way to me to reflect back on specific moments, so to continue that tradition here is my Vieques snapshot!

Best Moment

Once again, one of my most favorite moments was water-related, a true testament to how comfortable I’m getting in the ocean. I loved snorkeling at Mosquito Pier! I’ve never swam around a structure underwater like that, and it was fun to explore. And I certainly welcomed the opportunity to swim with sea turtles again.

This trip was also the first time I’ve been away for a whole week with my sister and brother-in-law, and it was a special trip for that reason. I really enjoyed the time we all spent with each other: the adventurous outings, our chats, meals together, and even the quiet moments. So if I can wrap that all up into one Best Moment, I think that counts.

Worst Moment

My apologies for the graphic description, but it’s simply one of those things about traveling: when you drink or eat something your body isn’t used to or even meant to digest, your insides feel like they’re attempting to evacuate your body. I suspect I ingested some sea water while snorkeling, and if you’ve ever looked at a magnification of a single ocean water drop, you know I gulped down all kinds of critters. Thursday evening and much of Friday I simultaneously battled a stomach bug and pouted that I would miss out on the last opportunities for local cuisine.

I also had the displeasure of seeing one of the biggest spiders I’ve ever seen (outside, thankfully), but the stomach bug was slightly more unpleasant so it wins the Worst Moment title.

Best Meal

I loved the food on this trip. Probably my most favorite meal, and Chris’s as well, was from Sol Food. Chris and I shared a Cuban sandwich and an empanada and both were keep-talking-about-it-all-week excellent. If you’re on Vieques, make sure you stop by on the weekend since they’re not open during the week. Our dinner at Coqui Fire Cafe, the number one restaurant on Vieques according to TripAdvisor, was also incredible. My enormous smothered burrito for dinner made a perfect lunch the next day as well.

Something We Learned

We learned lots of Spanish words! Chris and I both took French in high school and college, so neither of us are fluent at all in Spanish. Learning some words here and there inspired me to get going soon on one of my bucket list items to learn the language.

We’re Thankful We Packed

Our new PacSafe came in handy to secure a few belongings while at the beach. Vieques has a minor petty theft issue, and we were instructed by the car rental agency and fellow travelers to keep our cars unlocked with nothing inside. The PacSafe allows you to stow small valuables and secure the safe to an immovable object (tree, fence, post, etc.).

We Didn’t Need To Bring

A safety whistle. I brought one specifically for use on the bioluminescent kayak tour. If I was drifting off to sea in the darkness, I wanted everyone and their dog to know about it. Our life vests included a built-in whistle though, so I didn’t need to pack mine. That, and we were perfectly safe. Our tour guide kept a close eye on us and we checked in periodically with a group count.

Trip Regrets

I regret my failure to take a photo of the four of us together! I also didn’t do any video filming, but I’m kind of okay with that. The vibe on this trip really didn’t call for a lot of documentation. We spent a lot of quality time chatting and relaxing, and it was nice not to have a camera in my hands as often as usual. At least I do have one photo of everyone at some point.

Reasons To Go Back

I feel like my “Reasons To Go Back” category is often related to food and this time is no exception. Sol Food was out of ham & cheese empanadas and we really wanted to try one! I think we’d also like to see the island another time when it’s completely clear of seaweed.

Favorite Photos

Chris’s favorite photo of Punta Arenas/Green Beach, on the left below, was taken with the iPhone. I love having it handy for quick snapshot like this!

And my favorite image is the one Chris took of my sister and me. We don’t have a lot of pictures together as adults, and I’ll cherish this one.

July 6, 2015