Guanica Dry Forest Coast Reef
Dive site
The Guanica Biosphere Reserve backs a stretch of sheltered Caribbean coastline where boat traffic is low and reef recovery is measurable. Shore and boat dives wind through elkhorn and brain coral heads, sea fans the size of dining tables, and sponge gardens in deep yellows and purples. The gentle slope means beginners and photo divers stay happy in the shallows while more experienced divers drop to 25 metres on the outer reef edge. Loggerhead turtles graze the turtle-grass beds immediately inshore.
Conditions
Depth
4 to 28 m
Open water and up
Current
Variable
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
10 to 18 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
25 to 30°C
Shorty wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 26 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 26 |
| Vis (m) | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 |
| Current | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Loggerhead sea turtle
Photo: MARC MARTIN SOLA · CC BY-NC
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Queen angelfish
Photo: Phil Garner · © all rights reserved
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
French grunt
Photo: Tim Cameron · © all rights reserved
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Flamingo tongue snail
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Field journal
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