Cabo de Gata-Níjar, the area around Pared de las Gorgonias

Cabo de Gata-Níjar · Spain · Wall

Pared de las Gorgonias

Gorgonian fans lining a wall from 22 to 29 m

Area photo: Konrad Hädener from Thun, Switzerland · CC BY 2.0

Pared de las Gorgonias is the deep dive of the San Andrés cluster: an underwater valley on the western slope of the Cráter de San Andrés where gorgonians grow between 22 and 29 m. Anemones, conger eels and octopus fill the wall, which the Carboneras operator notes continues to 32 m on the south side.

Also known as Gorgonias.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Pared de las Gorgonias: typical dive 22–29 m (72–95 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit22 m29 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

36.9911° N, 1.8866° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The dive descends the western slope of the Cráter de San Andrés into an underwater valley — the wall of the gorgonians. The sea fans begin at 22 m and continue to the 29 m maximum, and the operator's own site list notes the south wall carries on to 32 m, so depth discipline matters more here than anywhere else around the island.

Between the sea fans the wall holds anemones, conger eels and octopus. This is the deep exception among the San Andrés dives — the rest of the island stays much shallower — and because the gorgonians only start at 22 m, the whole dive is spent in a band that eats no-decompression time. It suits divers certified and comfortable beyond entry-level depths.

Marine life and season

  • Octopus & cuttlefish
Month-by-month season rating for Pared de las Gorgonias
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Season follows Cabo de Gata-Níjar: Visitor season peaks spring through summer; surface water swings from 10-15 °C in winter to 21-30 °C in summer, with 22 °C still logged in October.

Questions divers ask

How deep is Pared de las Gorgonias?+

The gorgonians grow between 22 and 29 m, with 29 m the stated maximum; the operator notes the south wall itself continues to 32 m.

Sources

  1. Pared de las Gorgonias dive site — Scubago
  2. Buceo Carboneras — inmersiones (site list) — Buceo Carboneras

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