Hammerhead Highway

A submerged ridge extending east from Darwin Island creates a natural funnel for scalloped hammerheads — the tightly packed schools here are among the largest consistently recorded anywhere in the Galápagos, with counts exceeding 300 individuals common during peak season (July through October). The ridge crest at 20 m and the sand channel at 28 m are the focal points; divers drop to depth early and hold position as successive waves of hammerheads sweep overhead. Galápagos sharks and large schools of bigeye jacks fill the mid-water between passes. Current can push hard over the ridge tip.