Bahía de Ponce
Bahía de Ponce (Ponce Bay) is a bay in Barrio Playa, Ponce, Puerto Rico. The Bay is home to the most important commercial harbor on the Puerto Rico south coast and the second largest in Puerto Rico. The Cardona Island Light is located on the Bay to mark the way into the Bay from the nearby Caja de Muertos Light.
| Bahía de Ponce | |
|---|---|
| Ponce Bay | |
Partial view of Bahia de Ponce, with Isla de Gatas on the left, Isla Cardona on the far background and Punta Peñoncillo on the right (photo taken looking WSW from La Guancha) | |
Bahía de Ponce Bahía de Ponce, in Ponce, Puerto Rico | |
| Location | Ponce, Puerto Rico |
| Coordinates | 17°58′28.5954″N 66°38′9.168″W |
| Type | Bay |
| Etymology | Municipality of Ponce |
| Primary inflows | Rio Matilde |
| River sources | Rio Matilde |
| Ocean/sea sources | Caribbean Sea |
| Basin countries | Puerto Rico |
| Managing agency | Ponce Municipal Government |
| Max. length | 1.5 mi (2.4 km) |
| Max. width | 3.5 mi (5.6 km) |
| Surface area | 5.25 sq mi (13.6 km2) |
| Average depth | 36 ft (11 m) |
| Max. depth | 50 ft (15 m) |
| Salinity | 35.7 |
| Shore length1 | 4.0 mi (6.4 km) |
| Islands | Isla Cardona, Isla de Gatas |
| Settlements | Barrio Playa, Ponce |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Bahía de Ponce is located in southern Puerto Rico, about midway on the southern coast. It has a width of 3.5 mi (5.6 km), a length of 1.5 miles, its shore is about 4.0 mi (6.4 km) and its area is approximately 3,300 acres (13 km2). Typical bay depths are in the 20 ft (6.1 m)-to-40 ft (12 m) range, but these dip to 50 feet (15 m) at the drenched piers.
The Bay provides recreation, sightseeing and tourist attractions. It also provides for commercial and industrial activities. The Rafael Cordero Santiago Port of the Americas is located here as well as the La Guancha Recreational and Cultural Complex, the La Guancha Boardwalk, and Club Náutico de Ponce. The annual Cruce a Nado Internacional swimming sports event is held at this Bay every September.