Santa Bárbara Reef
Dive site
Santa Bárbara Reef extends from the southern tip of Robinson Crusoe Island into the open Pacific, where the island shelf drops through a series of rocky terraces colonised by the densest assemblages of Jasus frontalis — the Juan Fernández rock lobster — encountered anywhere in the archipelago. These large spiny lobsters, harvested under strict Chilean quotas and integral to the island's small economy, cluster in crevices at 10 to 30 metres in numbers that are astonishing by any standard. The reef itself hosts the full complement of the archipelago's endemic fish community: the Juan Fernández dotterel Aplodactylus punctatus, Cheilodactylus gayi, and the camotillo school in silver shoals through the terrace edges. On clear days the visibility here stretches to 40 metres and the reef structure is visible as a single panoramic seascape.
Conditions
Depth
8 to 40 m
Advanced depths
Current
Can be moderate
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
20 to 35 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
16 to 22°C
7mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| Vis (m) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 25 | 25 |
| Current | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Moderate | Moderate | Strong | Strong | Moderate | Moderate | Gentle | Gentle |
Field journal
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