For the moment, it's the smaller places to stay that are reaping the benefits of Martineau Bay's arrival. The opening of the resort generated free publicity, which, coupled with the navy's exit, helped fuel the current growth in tourism. Boutique hotels such as Hix Island House, Hacienda Tamarindo, and the Inn on the Blue Horizon are all looking to expand; Blue Horizon is adding 14 villas to its waterfront property.

That's the sort of low-impact development James Weis, Blue Horizon's owner, hopes will be in Vieques's future. "You are going to see an appropriate amount of building that will enhance things here," he says. The task now is to manage the change. "I feel partly responsible for making Vieques a tourist destination," adds Weis, who has operated the inn for more than a decade. "I'd hate to see this ruined."