Isla de Ratones (Cabo Rojo)
Also known as: Isla de Ratones · Joyuda, Cabo Rojo · Cayo Ratones · Isla Piñero · Isla Ratones · Ratones · Joyuda · Islote Piñero
Dive & snorkel siteFrom Puerto Rico Dive Sites, the sourced field guide
Access: The cay has been closed to the public since Hurricane María (2017) destroyed its pier. In April 2026 DRNA said the pier will not be rebuilt because the area sank in the 2020 earthquakes. People still snorkel around it.[1][2]
Isla de Ratones (Cabo Rojo)
| Region | West Coast |
|---|---|
| Municipality | Cabo Rojo |
| Island | Isla de Ratones |
| Access | Boat dive |
| Site type | Artificial reef |
| Depth (reported range) | 4 ft (1 m)Single source (current tier 1–2) |
| Snorkel | Snorkel-friendly |
| Protected area | Bosque Natural de Boquerón Natural Reserve |
| Location | Pinned on location: the artificial reef's published position.Location evidence: Official GIS[4] |
| Confidence | Moderate confidence |
| Last researched | 2026-10-17 |
Overview
Isla de Ratones is a small cay off Joyuda, Cabo Rojo, and a dive and snorkel site. Heads up: the cay has been closed to the public since Hurricane María destroyed its access pier in 2017, and on 29 April 2026 DRNA said no pier, gazebos or other infrastructure will be rebuilt because the area sank in the 2020 earthquakes; DRNA's secretary said snorkeling and swimming there remain fine. Coral reefs, red mangrove and seagrass surround the cay, with star corals, nesting hawksbill and green turtles, and manatees nearby. In 2006, ten artificial 'Taíno' reefs and an underwater coral trail were placed at the northeast corner, in about 4 ft of water. It is part of the Bosque Estatal de Boquerón.[1][2][3][4]
Site characteristics
Habitat & marine life
- coral reef system around the cay; red-mangrove forest; seagrass areas[1]
- surrounded by coral reefs[5]
- variety of marine organisms in Thalassia seagrass around the cay (2007)[6]
- hawksbill and green turtles (nesting)[1]
- West Indian manatee near the cay[1]
- starlet coral (Siderastrea), boulder star coral (Orbicella annularis), large star coral (Montastraea cavernosa)[3]
Marine life is what sources report having seen or commonly seeing — not a guarantee.
Access
- Boat dive[6]
- closed to the public since Hurricane María (2017) destroyed the access pier; boats find it hard to land (2022), although people still visit[1]
- 29 Apr 2026 (Primera Hora): DRNA says no pier, gazebos or other infrastructure will be rebuilt because the area subsided in the 2020 earthquakes; FEMA project being withdrawn[2]
- DRNA facility with a small pier; mangrove planting to mitigate erosion (2007)[6]
- 2002: local boat operators carried visitors for a modest price; picnic areas, barbecues, toilets, showers[7]
Snorkeling
- popular for kayaking, scuba diving ('buceo') and snorkeling because it is close to the Cabo Rojo coast[1]
- snorkeling: DRNA secretary says snorkeling and swimming remain fine there (2026)[2]
- snorkeling: described as great for snorkeling, a short distance off Joyuda[5]
What sources say about snorkeling here. Conditions change — check the sea state before you go.
Recent diver reports
Dived here recently? Share a quick report
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
Bosque Natural de Boquerón Natural Reserve (Reserva Natural Bosque Natural de Boquerón)
Natural Reserve · Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources · Reported by a source as within this area[1]
NOAA's MPA Inventory classifies this area's protection level as "Uniform Multiple Use"; fishing: commercial fishing restricted. Anchoring: unrestricted.[8]
Regulations change. Check with DRNA (Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales) before diving.
Depth reports by source
| Reported | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 4 ft (1 m) | NOAA Office for Coastal Management (compiled from state/territory agency sources)[4] | Current source |
See also
Straight-line distance only — not travel time, and not necessarily reached from the same departure point.
- El Negro — 4.5 mi
- Playa Buyé — 5.2 mi
- Pata 'e Palo — 5.6 mi
- Tourmaline Reef — 6.5 mi
- Playa El Combate — 10 mi
- San Cristóbal — 14 mi
Sources & verification
Last researched: 2026-10-17 · Last independently verified: not yet field-verified · Confidence: Moderate confidence
- 1.Al rescate de Isla de Ratones: un paraíso cerca de Cabo Rojo — Primera Hora (2022-07-18) · Other · Tier 3: Corroborating · accessed 2026-10-11
- 2.A la deriva: Isla Ratones se ahoga su reconstrucción — Primera Hora (2026-04-29) · Other · Tier 3: Corroborating · accessed 2026-10-11
- 3.Isla Ratones Mangrove and Reef Restoration Project (Restoration Atlas project 1883) — NOAA Restoration Center (Community-based Restoration Program) with Inter American University of PR, Comité Caborrojeños pro Salud y Ambiente, Gulf of Mexico Foundation (2006) · Government dataset · Tier 1: Primary / authoritative · accessed 2026-10-11
- 4.Artificial Reefs (OceanReports/ArtificialReefs MapServer; Marine Cadastre national artificial reef locations) — NOAA Office for Coastal Management (compiled from state/territory agency sources) · Government dataset · Tier 1: Primary / authoritative · accessed 2026-09-25
- 5.El paraíso submarino de Puerto Rico — Noticel (2015-07-31) · Other · Tier 3: Corroborating · accessed 2026-09-25
- 6.Inventario de áreas para bañistas (Distritos PP) — DRNA – Programa de Manejo de la Zona Costanera (C. Ortiz, N. Álvarez, F. Quintana) (2007-03) · Government · Tier 1: Primary / authoritative · accessed 2026-10-12
- 7.Cabo Rojo (coastal access brochure) — DRNA – Programa de Manejo de Zona Costanera de PR (NOAA-funded) (2002) · Government · Tier 1: Primary / authoritative · accessed 2026-10-12
- 8.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.