RSSWith hundreds of miles of uninterrupted coastline, pristine beaches and offshore reefs, Puerto Rico offers endless opportunities for water sports. You can be on the water experiencing windsurfing, sailing, fishing the deep seas or the rivers, lakes and bays, kayaking on the Tanamá River or the Caribbean Sea, or body surfing down a rushing mountain stream.
Fishing
Winter, which runs roughly from October to early March, is the best fishing season for dolphin, dorado, mahi-mahi, wahoo, white marlin, yellowfin tuna and and occasional sailfish. Blue marlin are easy to catch in the summer, but are always returned to the sea. The north side of the island is known as “Blue Marlin Alley” because of the large number of migrating fish that pass near its shores, especially in the summer. Charters are available from harbors in San Juan, Fajardo, Humacao and Mayaguez.
Kayaking
Although relatively new to Puerto Rico, a kayak or canoe is a marvelous way to sightsee or bird watch on the island’s many man-made lakes, or on its countless coastal inlets, coves and bays. Some of the most popular sites for ocean kayaking are along the coasts of the island municipalities of Vieques and Culebra, Ballenas Bay bordering the Guánica Tropical Dry Forest in the southwest, and the small east coast islets and cays off Fajardo.Diving
Puerto Ricos’s dive sites afford 60 to 75 feet visibility near the shores and up to 100 feet offshore, making this water sport a popular activity for visitors. The northeastern areas Aguadilla and Isabela have impressive shore diving. The most exciting dives are made near Desecheo Island off Rincón, off Mona Island, 50 miles west of Mayaguez, and off Culebra and Vieques.
Snorkeling
The rich marine life below the surface is teeming with coral formational and tropical fish. The pristine waters offer full visibility and divers can enjoy the warm waters that average to early 80s Fahrenheit. For snorkeling, the shallow reefs near San Juan, Dorado, Mayaguez and Humacao are perfect. You can witness sea horses that look like chess set knights, unusual arrow crabs, colorful parrot fish, and octopus, among the endless schools of sergeant majors and other colorful reef fish.
Surfing
World-class surfing can be enjoyed in nearly every part of the island with waves that can reach twenty-five feet high, but particularly in Rincón, site of the 1968 world surfing championships and host to numerous major competitions.
