The World's Longest Pier Stretches a Ridiculous 4-Miles Out Into the Ocean
In a world where records abound, Mexico knows how to set them very well. They have hundreds of Guinness Book of World Records. From baking the longest bread line to having the tallest calavera catrina, Mexico just loves breaking records time after time. One of the records Mexico clinched was having the world’s longest pier.
The Terminal Remota Pier opened in 1989 and stretches out a whopping 4 miles into the Gulf of Mexico. It’s the longest pier in the world and it’s safe to say it’s likely to stay that way. Let’s take a look at the world’s longest pier, the surrounding areas, the wildlife in the area, and other fun facts.
Where is the World’s Longest Pier?
The world’s longest pier is officially called the Terminal Remota, but it’s otherwise and more colloquially called the Progreso Pier. It is located in the city of Progreso, which is in the Mexican state of Yucatán. The pier extends for four miles into the south part of the Gulf of Mexico, on the northwestern side of the state and peninsula.
About Progreso Pier
The Progreso Pier began construction in 1937 and by the time it was finished in 1941, the pier was only 1.2 miles long. The Mexican government wanted to build a pier that would stand the test of time and decided to make it out of concrete. They hired Danish architects for the job and over 23,000 tons of concrete were used. The pier was to replace a wooden structure built in the early 1900s.
In 1985, to attract more tourism and shipping industries, the Mexican authorities decided to lengthen the bridge. The water is shallow by the Yucatán Peninsula and by extending the pier, it would be able to accommodate cargo ships. Throughout the years, additions to the pier and even an adjacent pier have been built to satisfy demand.
The Progreso Pier has stood the test of time, indeed. Even though the concrete used was not of the best quality, it still withstood the barbarous waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The reason for this is it contains nickel stainless steel reinforcement, which is the first concrete structure that contains this in the world.
Wildlife Around Progreso Pier
The Yucatan Peninsula is one of the most diverse places on the planet and thus, Progreso is a city with much biodiversity. The peninsula is vast and that’s why the landscapes change depending on where you are. The northwest part of the peninsula is home to Yucatán dry forests. But as soon as you go south, it will change into more moist forests and finally, the southernmost region of the peninsula is home to lush rainforests. There are also mangroves along the coast of the peninsula. When it comes to fauna, you can find all sorts of animals from howler monkeys and crocodiles to jaguars and white-tailed deer.
The Progreso Pier also borders the Gulf of Mexico, which is home to a greatly diverse marine life. You can spot many species of whales like humpback whales, killer whales, and blue whales. You can also find species of dolphins like the striped dolphin and Atlantic spotted dolphin. There are also thousands of species of fish in the gulf, most notably the red snapper, gulf flounder, tiger shark, and albacore tuna. Sea turtles are known to roam in the gulf waters, too, and those include green turtles and loggerhead turtles. In terms of flora, there are various types of plants like marsh grass and sea algae. You can also find the second-largest coral reef in the world, called the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System.
About Progreso
Progreso, officially known as Progreso de Castro, is located in the northwest part of the state of Yucatán and the port city sits on the Gulf of Mexico. Founded in 1872, Progreso was meant to serve as a port closer to the capital city of Mérida. Mérida is only a thirty-minute drive south of Progreso. The city has a population of about 41,000. The municipality of Progreso also includes other towns of interest like Chicxulub Puerto and Chelem. There is a five-island atoll called Scorpion Reef near Progreso that is very popular with tourists and locals alike. Not only that, many locals in the inland cities of Yucatán visit the cooler weather in Progreso in the summer to escape the heat.
The city of Progreso has long been a fishing community. With the lengthening of the pier, it has become an important port for the entire Yucatán Peninsula in terms of tourism and shipping. Shipping containers arrive at the Progreso Pier and are then distributed to the states of Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Yucatán. This has made Progreso thrive economically.
Climate in Progreso
Progreso has a semi-arid type of climate. However, because it sits on the Gulf of Mexico, it can have a more humid climate. This is especially true in the summer where the average humidity can be as high as 80%. The winters are colder and unfortunately, Progreso does not get a lot of rainfall. Rainfall, on average, is about 36 days in a year. The average high temperature in Progreso is 83 degrees Fahrenheit (28 degrees Celsius). The average low temperature is 73 degrees Fahrenheit (22 degrees Celsius), which means the weather is quite stable year-round.
Things to Do in Yucatan
There is an abundance of things to do in Yucatán. There are things for everyone of all ages, from jungle excursions and museum exploring to checking out pink lagoons and witnessing Mayan ancient civilizations.
Let’s start with the historical and cultural adventures. In the city of Progreso, you have to go to the museum dedicated to Chicxulub Crater. The crater is located in the Yucatán Peninsula. It is the site where the meteor hit and wiped out all the dinosaurs. Next, go south to Mérida where you will be able to learn about the Mayan civilizations in the Mayan World Museum of Mérida. Finally, to underscore your learned growth, go to Chichén Itzá and explore the ancient Mayan civilization.
For those yearning for outdoor activities, the first thing you can explore is Scorpion Reef. It’s an atoll that contains five isles and it’s off the coast of Progreso. You can check out the famed lighthouse and shipwreck, as well as go diving to spot diverse marine animals. Lastly, go to Las Coloradas and explore the Laguna Rosa. It’s a man-made lagoon that is pink due to the algae it contains.
Conclusion
And there you have it, the world’s longest pier that stretches out a ridiculous four miles out into the Gulf of Mexico is the Progreso Pier. Officially known as Terminal Remota Pier, it was opened to the public in 1989. Progreso has become a groovy, new seaside resort popular with tourists from all over the world. Many cruise ships stop and disembark passengers so they can explore cities in the Yucatán Peninsula, as well as the ancient Mayan civilizations like Uxmal and Dzibilchaltún.
Exploring the site where the meteor hit and destroyed the dinosaurs is also a possibility because it’s located in Progreso. There’s an abundance of history in the area worth seeing. Visiting Progreso to see the pier and going on adventures in the surrounding areas sounds like a mind-blowing and mind-expanding experience.