Snorkel· Ponce· Other Caribbean
Isla de Cardona (Ponce)
17° 57.5′ N · 66° 38.1′ W
The small lighthouse cay guarding the west side of Ponce's harbor entrance, 1.3 nm off Barrio Playa. It has a sandy landing beach, some reef snorkeling and the 1889 Cardona Island Light, and it is a short dinghy or kayak run from the yacht-club anchorage.
Practical
Position: Playa Cayo Cardona as mapped on OpenStreetMap; Wikipedia puts the island at 17.95667, -66.63500 and the light at 17°57.40N 66°38.10W (Fl W 4s, 46 ft, 8 M per the Virgintino PR guide). From the Ponce anchorage it is about 1 nm SW, inside the buoyed entrance, so watch ship and ferry traffic in the channel when crossing by dinghy. Wikipedia describes it as reachable by private boat, popular with kayakers and swimmers, and quotes a travel source on its 'nice snorkeling' and trails; the lighthouse article says the light itself is not open to the public. Ferry trips from La Guancha ran from 2018 and were interrupted by the January 2020 earthquakes, so check locally whether any run now. Land on the beach only, stay off the lighthouse grounds, and take nothing.
Best for
A dinghy snorkel and beach break from the Ponce anchorage
Season
Year-round; calmest in the morning before the trades build
Nearby
- Ponce Harbor Anchorage0.9 NM away
- Ponce CBP Clearance (Puerto Rico)1 NM away
- Ponce Yacht & Fishing Club1 NM away
- Puerto Rico ROAM / CBP Arrival Reporting1 NM away
- Caribbean Images Marina & Tours (La Guancha)1.3 NM away
- La Guancha Boardwalk (Ponce)1.3 NM away
- Walmart Supercenter Baramaya (Ponce)2.4 NM away
- Isla de Ratones (Ponce)2.6 NM away