Snorkeling Desecheo: A Forbidden Island off Rincón, Puerto Rico
Website design By BotEap.comThe towering surf surges through the 12-mile pass between Rincón, Puerto Rico and an uninhabited island. Our dive boat rides the top of the waves time and time again, reaching the summit of the Indigo Hills with ease. We plan to dive off the coast of Desecheo Island, a National Wildlife Refuge that was once home to smugglers and pirates, but is now home to a chunk of brown boobies, three species of lizard found nowhere else. of the world and a healthy population of introduced. rhesus monkeys.
Website design By BotEap.comUnfortunately, the island itself is off limits. During World War II, the United States used it as a firing range, and unexploded ordnance now poses a security threat to visitors.
Website design By BotEap.comAs we close the gap, Desecheo emerges from the notoriously shifting tides and strong currents of the Mona Passage. When his rough shoulders suddenly come into view, we drop anchor at forty feet. I watch the shoreline where the white water funnels through the jagged rocks and crashes against the land. There is something tantalizing about the mystery of an isolated place. I want to investigate the wild hills. Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited to explore the bay, but even as I put on my gear and take a giant step off the dive platform, I’m focused on the small beach just a short swim away.
Website design By BotEap.comThe water closes over my head and for a moment I am suspended at fisheye level, suspended between heaven and earth in a world free of gravity. Visibility is over 80 feet and this is an overcast day. Queen triggerfish float near the boat, perhaps hoping to share our sandwiches. They wiggle their thin ends like little girls tossing their hair. After cleaning my snorkel, I dive facedown into the water, watch a tropical fish dance, and allow the warmth of the sun to seep into my body like Puerto Rican rum. Pink and blue parrotfish tango on the sand and striped sergeant major cha-cha on limestone ledges. A pair of butterfly fish jump in a cascading spiral to greet me.
Website design By BotEap.comThat’s when I notice a barracuda staring at me. Barracuda tend to swim close to the surface and if you are too focused on the distant sea floor, you are likely to miss their menacing presence. Mr. Flashy Teeth is beyond arm’s reach. We stare at each other for a long moment and then it wags its tail and disappears into the blue.
Website design By BotEap.comI allow myself to drift towards the beach. Submerged rocks rise below me and the swell breaks over them, reducing visibility to a bubbly two or three feet. Even if it was safe to set foot on the island, reaching it would be treacherous. I was hoping to at least get close, but not today.
Website design By BotEap.comResigned, I kicked against the current and returned to the safety of deeper water. Our guide is calling everyone back to the boat anyway. Maybe one day I’ll set foot on Desecheo Island. In the meantime, I must admit that the snorkeling off the coast is impressive. And I’m glad that in my longing to explore the reaches of something unattainable, I didn’t miss out on the wild encounter at hand.
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Website design By BotEap.comCONVENIENCE
Website design By BotEap.comA passport is not required for US citizens.
Website design By BotEap.comPuerto Rico uses US dollars.
Website design By BotEap.comEnglish is widely spoken, although Spanish is the traditional local language.
Website design By BotEap.comPuerto Rico phone numbers can be dialed without an international code from US phones.
Website design By BotEap.comCell phone coverage in the US is pretty good, especially along the coast. We didn’t need to do anything extra to use our cell phone and since we have a nationwide plan, we weren’t even roaming!
Website design By BotEap.comGET THERE
Website design By BotEap.comFly into the (BQN) Rafael Hernández Airport in Aguadilla, on the western side of Puerto Rico.
Website design By BotEap.comDesecheo is 13 miles offshore from Rincón, a small surf town on the western tip of the island, 20 minutes from the airport.
Website design By BotEap.comTaino Divers is the only officially licensed dive shop in the waters around Desecheo. You can snorkel, dive, or try a dive discovery class and dive with an instructor.
Website design By BotEap.comWHERE TO STAY
Website design By BotEap.comRincón offers everything from luxurious resorts to budget hotels and private homes that you can rent.
Website design By BotEap.comWHERE TO EAT
Website design By BotEap.comYou’ll find everything from a Spanish-style tapas bar to the famous Lazy Parrot Rum Shack, where there’s reggae night every Wednesday. We enjoyed having lunch and watching the surfers at Tamboo Seaside Grill
Website design By BotEap.comTHINGS TO DO
Website design By BotEap.comVisit an art gallery.
Website design By BotEap.comCheck out Rincón’s 8 miles of beaches, most of which are famous for surfing, especially in the winter months.
Website design By BotEap.comTake surf lessons.
Website design By BotEap.comLearn to navigate.
Website design By BotEap.comGo deep sea fishing. Marlin, sailfish, swordfish, tuna, dorado, wahoo and shark all wait to tangle with you in the blue waters off the Caribbean coast of Rincón.