Learning about Scuba Diving in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico offers some of the best scuba diving in the world because it is blessed with a wide variety of underwater terrain and diving conditions. With the continental shelf surrounding it on three sides, it has an abundance of coral reefs, caves, sea walls, and trenches for scuba divers to experience. Puerto Rico's scuba diving areas are divided into five different geographical sections: North and East, Culebra, Vieques, South, and Mona and Desecheo.

Scuba Diving In Puerto Rico – North and East

The north coast has only a few dive sites because it is exposed to northerly swells that make scuba diving impossible.

East coast diving is easy as the sites are relatively shallow and the seas seldom rough. The diving terrain typically is made up of fringing reefs with both hard and soft corals, especially bushy gorgonians. This is where the San Juan dive stores take the tourist divers.

Dive sites off the east coast are centered on a series of uninhabited islands; Palomino, Palominitos, and Cayo Diablo. Pure white beaches greet the tourist scuba diver, as well as ancient coral reefs that have been re-colonised by several species of gorgonians, creating a mystical forest interlaced with trails and tunnels. The diver must be very alert in these waters since swells can quickly stir up sediment, and make visibility very poor.

Rainwater run-off from the mainland's rainforest has a large effect on the topography of the surrounding area. Overall visibility through the water can vary widely from 25 to 50 feet.

Scuba Diving In Puerto Rico – Culebra

Because Culebra is a two-hour boat ride, it is easier to take the ferry and dive with a Culebra operator for a day.

Scuba Diving In Puerto Rico - Vieques

This is a great place to dive because there are very few divers, and the maximum depth is 60 feet or less. You are surrounded by coral islands and gently sloping reefs. Traveling from Fajardo to Vieques in the morning, on the ferry, allows you time to make two dives and return in the afternoon. The ferry ride is very inexpensive and the scenery is some of the most beautiful in the world.

Scuba Diving In Puerto Rico – South

The famous "Puerto Rico's Wall" runs parallel to the south coast and is easily accessible by dive boat. The area is quickly becoming a Mecca for scuba diving with resorts and dive stores popping up all over the area.

Scuba Diving In Puerto Rico – Mona and Desecheo

The natives of the area refer to these offshore islands, Mona and Desecheo, as the jewels in the crown. You need to carefully plan your trip to this area because of the unpredictable nature of the whether. You can dive in the northwest side only in calm whether.