Not expert about travel/scuba, but I've been to Pilar in Ponson(?) and the water there was sooo clear. The route isn't open to tourists, but locals can go there anytime. After the large limestones that divides the land and the sea, is the sea itself, no sandy beach.
There was one cool local fisherman who let us borrow his rowboat and we went meters away from the passageway to the site, it's 2+ meters deep and you can still see seabed with all the coral, sea urchins, seaweeds, and fishes. Some parts has too much dark green seaweeds and is dangerous, there might be some lionfish, the locals said.
We also harvested edible sea urchins attached on the limestone walls by the coast. It's a nice place, I've seen huge fishes and sea cucumubers sold at the market too. Good place for seafood lovers.
RE: Late Afternoons at the Beach