Mosquito Pier

Pier wasn't really a pier...in terms of what we are used to. It was more like a large ship dock where you couldn't walk on much of it. The road out there was nice but didn't see much in terms of fish or turtles. Snorkeling at the beach area was okay, but visibility was low.

What a gorgeous Pier; did not find the steps to snorkel though. Did we go right before hurricane Ernesto? Yes. It was the actual day of Ernesto, and we were waiting for the storm to hit. It was breezy, certainly not a day you wanted to snorkel, but none of the ferries were leaving and all of the flights were canceled, and we were hunkered down for the storm. Yet we were eager to get out and walk around before being trapped inside for a bit. So we drove out to the pier in the afternoon. It was deserted at first, because of course, nobody was snorkeling, or even out. The water was already starting to churn. It was oddly beautiful. A few folks came by later, but for a long time we had the pier all to ourselves. Eerie, incredibly. We had to hold onto our cell phones, due to wind, in fact. Still, what a beautiful long pier!! Even if you’re not underneath it, snorkeling, which, of course we did not do on such a blustery day, walking out on the pier itself is magnificent, because it’s so long, and is a beautiful dramatic slab of concrete. Also, there’s plenty of parking. The idea that this could be a longer pier and, at some point, perhaps a bridge to the mainland is enchanting. Perhaps that was just a rumor? The pier is beautifully constructed. Well-maintained, actually. I also heard that it was supposed to be another stop for one of the ferries, but it looks like that idea was abandoned. Near the pier, at the entrance, there’s all sorts of wonderful big rocks to climb on, and so we did so, and took some photos. This may be the area where the steps are going down to the snorkeling area, and we just did not see them. It was tricky to navigate things on such a windy day. But I imagine it would be a wonderful place to snorkel. The water did not look as crystal clear as some others have posted, because again… Storm was brewing. But the pier was still magical to visit.

We’ve visited this per a few times now and the views never get old. This time around we tried some snorkeling before the pier itself. The clarity was perfect and the water was calm. We were able to see various fish species and some corals. There are multiple stops you can pull off the main road to park and there’s one place that had a set of stone stairs that made it really convenient to get in and out of the water.

AMAZING snorkeling under the pier! Highly recommend! We saw several large turtles hanging out under the pier, snacking on the coral. There were also tons of tropical fish, including barracudas. Some other really large fish like 3 feet long. Lots of angel fish. The coral is beautiful with tons of little fishes. You have to swim under the pier itself to see the best wildlife. If you are driving down, there is a bench on your left about 3/4 of the way down. And there close to the bench are stairs that go down for easy access to the water. I recommend bringing some water sandals because it’s a little rocky and there are sea urchins. We rented snorkels, life vests, and flippers from Fun Brothers in Esperanza. We went at 10:30am which was low tide so the water was not too rough and visibility was good. We felt safe! I’m not a strong swimmer so I snorkeled with a life vest. My friend is a strong swimmer and swam it without a life vest.

The views here were really beautiful. I wish that I had the time to snorkel... and that I saw a place to do it that felt like I was supposed to be entering the water. Just to come, sit, enjoy the sound of the water and read would be totally worth it.