Black Sand Beach

Leaving Esperanza on Route 996, continue until the intersection of route 201. Continue west toward La Hueca about 50 yards and look for the Jaguey sign just before the Casa Vieja Art Gallery. On the left (south), below the yellow guard rail is a dry (except in times of very abundant rainfall) river bed called Quebrada Urbana. Years ago, this quebrada was described by older Viequenses as a flowing river which was rarely dry.

Follow the quebrada through the beautiful dry forest foliage. Along the way, you will see many fruit trees such as mango, tamarind, coconut, papaya and genip. You will find the Black Sand Beach where the quebrada meets the sea, a distance of 0.4 mile (one kilometer).

The jet-black sand beach runs to the west for about for a half mile.

Although most of Vieques formed as a result of limestone deposits, some areas, notably Mount Pirata, is volcanic. Some of this volcanic material is a black crystalline substance called magnetite, which washes down the Quebrada Urbana during heavy rains. This magnetite has collected downwind and down current from the mouth of the Quebrada Urbana and has resulted in the only black sand beach on Vieques. (Magnetite is iron based and the black sand on the Black Sand Beach will be attracted to a magnet, a cool science experiment for visiting schoolchildren.)

From the beach you can see Esperanza and Cayo Afuera to the east, and the undeveloped southwestern coast of Vieques on the west.