Academy Bay Reef
Dive site
The reef shelf directly in front of Puerto Ayora is one of the most accessible dives in the Galapagos, and it punches well above its convenience. White-tipped reef sharks rest on the sand, marine iguanas graze algae off the rocks, and golden cownose rays cruise the shallower terraces in formation. The shallow entry and calm conditions make it a practical warm-up dive before the more exposed sites.
Conditions
Depth
5 to 22 m
Open water and up
Current
Usually gentle
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
15 to 25 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
18 to 27°C
7mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| Vis (m) | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 10 |
| Current | Gentle | Gentle | calm | calm | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Galapagos marine iguana
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
White-tipped reef shark
Photo: Craig Fujii · CC BY-NC-ND
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Golden cownose ray
Photo: Jay Clue · © all rights reserved
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Galapagos sea lion
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Field journal
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Gear