Islas Catalinas · Costa Rica · Drift · Channel & pass · Coral garden
La Pared
A channel that is home to whitetip reef sharks, then a coral garden
La Pared is a drift from 12 to 21 m (40-70 ft) that passes through a channel where whitetip reef sharks live, then carries divers northwest over a coral garden. Over the garden, giant manta rays, eagle rays and schools of cow-nose rays are seen moving through the water alongside the group.
Also known as The Wall.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Islas Catalinas and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
La Pared stays between 12 and 21 m (40-70 ft). The first stage is a channel that is home to whitetip reef sharks, and divers pass through it with the current, which is sometimes strong at this site. Boats do not anchor at the islands, so the group enters as a drift and the channel is the opening section of a dive that keeps moving from start to finish.
Beyond the channel the drift turns northwest and runs over a coral garden. This open stretch is where the larger animals come through: giant manta rays, eagle rays and schools of cow-nose rays glide past the divers as they drift. The dive is run without an anchor, so it ends wherever the current has taken the group.
Marine life and season
- Reef sharks
- Manta rays
- Eagle rays
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime |
Season follows Islas Catalinas: Manta trips run November to April, with mantas reported into May; the rest of the year the islands dive for sharks, rays and fish schools.
Know before you go
- Current is sometimes strong, and the dive is a live drift with no anchor line to hold on to.
Dive videos
La Pared Catalinas Costa Rica...Shark Alley · Sirenas Diving Costa Rica on YouTube
Questions divers ask
What can divers see at La Pared, Islas Catalinas?+
Whitetip reef sharks live in the channel at the start of the dive, and giant manta rays, eagle rays and schools of cow-nose rays pass over the coral garden beyond it.
Sources
- Dive sites Islas Catalinas-Catalina Island — Deep Blue Diving
More dive sites in Islas Catalinas
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A south-to-north drift along the western side of the islands
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Adult whitetip reef sharks in the deeper water where the drift heads south
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The main site for oceanic manta rays in the winter months
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