Snorkeling in Vieques Puerto Rico with Golden Heron by motorboat

Snorkeling in Vieques has it's own unique encounters. You never know what you will find on any given day, but meeting a Queen Angelfish is not hard to do! Rarely in the West Indies will you find Gorgonian forests ( soft corals) in such profusion. Very beautiful, swaying the in the underwater swells.

Some of the last of the Staghorn and Elkhorn corals can easily be seen as well. But not near shore, you need to get to the offshore reefs by boat

To arrange a private boat charter for snorkeling write elena: < biobaynights@hotmail.com >

Snorkeling on your own? The leeward side of Mosquito Pier on the north shore (starting a third of the way out, from the beach, many starfish) and Green Beach ( all the way left and out) are relatively safe and easily accessible places to snorkel. These are not the reputed Gorgonian forests, but interesting snorkeling, all the same. Under the pier in Esperanza and out to Cayo Afuera is good too.

Snorkeling TOURS: NAN SEA Charters by boat, Captain Bill ( 787-508 sail), Blue Caribe ( by kayak) and Black Beard Sports all offer a variety of snorkeling tours..

Elkhorn or Staghorn coral is on the endangered species list and can be seen offshore Vieques

Endangered Species List includes Elkhorn & Staghorn Corals.

Cayo Afuera is the small island to the right as you look out to sea from the town of Esperanza on the South coast of Vieques. In the photo above we are snorkeling off the west side of the little island. We ate our picnic lunch on those large boulders!

How to get to Cayo Afuera: Swim out with mask, snorkel and flippers. Start out under the old cement pier. Incidentallly, the snorkeling under the pier is excellent, good for beginners too. On Cayo Afuera there is a beach to land on, on the closest side to town. Only experienced snorkelers should attempt to swim out and only on a calm day.

Blue Caribe offers the most teasonable snorkeling tour to Cayo Afuera.

Monte Pirata in the distant background.
Esperanza shore to the right.

Snorkeling Tips:

It is important to understand that no rented mask will fit you as well and be as useful to you as one that you buy yourself and bring with you. ... If you are sure you will never use one again then rent one here in Vieques.

If you wear prescription glasses then it will be difficult to see the corals and fish with a rented mask. You can order a mask made with your prescription in it ( before you come) that will enable you to see well underwater. The alternative to that is to use contact lenses.. . bring them with you.

If you have a mustache the mask is going to leak, some divers use Vaseline on their mustache to make a tighter seal. Men who dive a lot and have mustaches sometimes shave just under the nose to make a tighter fit.

Clean your mask out with a strong detergent or toothpaste to prevent it from fogging up.

More important than any other advice: If your snorkel gets water in it or anything at all makes you panic. Take your snorkel out of you mouth. Take it out! Breathe without it then put it back on!

Snorkeling equipment rental for about $12. per 24 hr day including mask, snorkel and fins. Blue Carib in Esperanza and Blackbeards in Isabel II.