Huge fallen rocks standing on end under the west side of the Punta de la Mona cliff, with tunnels between them, overhangs, crevices and ledges. Boats anchor in twelve to fifteen metres and the first twenty are bright; away from the boulders the ground runs to about forty metres, which puts the site on the advanced list rather than beside the bay's shallow rock.
Where it is and how deep
36.7196° N, 3.7332° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
Boats anchor on the west side of the Punta de la Mona cliff, in twelve to fifteen metres. Underwater the site is a jumble of large fallen rocks standing vertically, with tunnels between them, overhangs, crevices and ledges cut where the stone has broken away. The first twenty metres are bright, and the structure reads clearly against the light rather than needing a torch to make sense of it.
Two large cracks running parallel to each other in the cliff wall serve as the reference to work from and to find your way back to. Away from the boulder field the ground falls off, with parts of the site touching forty metres. Candelabra coral grows on the stone, amberjack and dentex pass in the open water beyond it, and conger eels sit back in the cracks.
Marine life and season
- Trevally & jacks
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair |
Season follows La Herradura: Dived all year; December to March sits at 14-16 °C and winter storms cut visibility to 5-10 m for days, while spring and autumn hold the most consistent 15-25 m.
Sources
- Piedras Altas — Scubago (SSI)
- Buceo en La Herradura - Piedras Altas — Buceo Aqualia
- Inmersiones en La Herradura - tabla de puntos — Buceo España
More dive sites in La Herradura
Reef
A shallow cove lap, 6 to 15 m, best reached by boat
A wall dive despite the name, 5 to 19 m
Reef
Blocks down to a 32 m plain, with a grouper under a 44 m overhang
Reef
Shallow Cerro Gordo bottom diving east of Cantarriján
Wall
Wall diving on the Cerro Gordo cliffs, 8 to 22 m
Pinnacle
A square rock in the sand, with old cars on the bottom
Stacked slabs and tunnels between 8 and 18 m
Wall
Wall to three canyons, then routes from 25 to 48 m
Similar dives elsewhere
A rocky slope, a long wall and a tiny cave to finish
Faults and small caves between 5 and 30 m, with groupers and congers in the holes
A statue of Eros on a reef of cavities and a steep drop-off
A swim-through cave at 12 m beside the mooring