Punta Águila (Isla Palominos)
Also known as: Punta Águila · Punta Águila, north Isla Palominos · Palominos Reef · Palomino Reef 20 · Cayo Palomino · North · Palominos
Snorkel spotFrom Puerto Rico Dive Sites, the sourced field guide
Punta Águila (Isla Palominos)
| Region | Fajardo & La Cordillera |
|---|---|
| Municipality | Fajardo |
| Access | Access not established |
| Site type | Reef |
| Depth (reported range) | 52–56 ft (16–17 m)Single source (current tier 1–2) |
| Snorkel | Snorkel-friendly |
| Protected area | Arrecifes de la Cordillera Natural Reserve |
| Location | Approximate area shown on the map (within about 300 m).Location evidence: Historical[1] |
| Confidence | Moderate confidence |
| Last researched | 2026-10-17 |
Overview
Punta Águila is a snorkel spot on the fringing reef at the northwest end of Isla Palominos, off Fajardo. In a 1999 survey, coral grew from a base at about 49 ft up to the surface, with boulder star coral ledges, plenty of gorgonians, red hind, snappers and barracuda. A long-term monitoring station sits at 52–56 ft at the base of the fore-reef slope. A local operator includes it among the reefs it picks by weather for its snorkel tours and places its snorkel reefs in La Cordillera reserve; check current DRNA rules.[1][2][3]
Snorkeling
- snorkeling: one of the reefs chosen by weather for an hour of snorkeling on the Icacos tour[3]
- operator places its snorkel reefs in the reserve[3]
What sources say about snorkeling here. Conditions change — check the sea state before you go.
Recent diver reports
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First-hand reports from divers, reviewed before they appear. Conditions change daily; a report describes one day.
Safety considerations
No site-specific hazards are recorded in our sources. That does not mean there are none.
Ocean conditions change daily. Dive within your training, plan with current local information and consider a local professional guide. Water safety guide.
Protected area
Arrecifes de la Cordillera Natural Reserve (Reserva Natural Arrecifes de la Cordillera)
Natural Reserve · Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources · Site position falls inside the official boundary[4]
NOAA's MPA Inventory classifies this area's protection level as "Uniform Multiple Use"; fishing: no site restrictions. Anchoring: restricted.[4]
Regulations change. Check with DRNA (Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales) before diving.
Depth reports by source
| Reported | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 0–49 ft (0–15 m) | Reef Surveys for U.S. Coral Reef Initiative (NOAA) and DNER (hosted by DRNA)[1] | Historical |
| 52–56 ft (16–17 m) | NOAA Institutional Repository / Puerto Rico DRNA (PRCRMP)[2] | Current source |
See also
Straight-line distance only — not travel time, and not necessarily reached from the same departure point.
- Palomino Reef — 0.7 mi
- Sand Slide — 1.3 mi
- Cayo Lobos — 1.4 mi
- Palominitos — 1.5 mi
- Cayo Diablo — 2.5 mi
- Cayo Icacos — 2.7 mi
Sources & verification
Last researched: 2026-10-17 · Last independently verified: not yet field-verified · Confidence: Moderate confidence
- 1.Coral Reef Communities from Natural Reserves in Puerto Rico: a quantitative baseline assessment for prospective monitoring programs. Volume 1: Cordillera de Fajardo, Isla Caja de Muertos, Bosque Seco de Guánica, Bahía de Mayagüez (García-Sais, Castro, Sabater Clavell, Carlo; Reef Surveys) — Reef Surveys for U.S. Coral Reef Initiative (NOAA) and DNER (hosted by DRNA) (2001) · Scientific publication · Tier 1: Primary / authoritative · historical
- 2.Monitoring of coral reef communities from natural reserves in Puerto Rico [2016 survey] (García-Sais, Esteves, Williams, Sabater-Clavell, Carlo; Waddell ed.) — NOAA Institutional Repository / Puerto Rico DRNA (PRCRMP) (2016) · Scientific publication · Tier 1: Primary / authoritative · accessed 2026-10-12
- 3.Icacos Double Dip Power Boat Snorkel & Beach Tour — Sail Getaways · Dive operator · Tier 2: Specialist · accessed 2026-10-17
- 4.NOAA Marine Protected Areas Inventory 2024 (feature service NOAA_MPA_Inventory_2023), State = PR — NOAA NOS Office of National Marine Sanctuaries - MPA Center (2024) · Government dataset · Tier 1: Primary / authoritative · accessed 2026-09-25
Facts are summarised in our own words from the sources above; we do not reproduce operators’ or publishers’ descriptions. How confidence is assigned.