The deep dive of the Granada coast: a wall down the point to three canyons, where the team picks a route into the deepest ground off Marina del Este. Published routes run between twenty-five and forty-eight metres depending on the itinerary and the conditions, over a rock-to-sand slope with a gorge between blocks and deep crevices cut into the rock.
Where it is and how deep
36.7191° N, 3.7271° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The dive starts down the wall of the point and follows it until the three canyons appear. That is the decision point: from there the team picks the route down into the deepest area of Marina del Este. Below the canyons the ground is a slope of rock giving way to sand, with a gorge running between blocks and deep crevices cut into the rock face on either side of it.
Routes run between twenty-five and forty-eight metres depending on the itinerary and the conditions, and the deep end is marked by the piedra de la brótola at forty-eight metres. Remains of abandoned nets lie on the slope. Orange coral and candelabra coral grow on the rock, with groupers, dentex, conger eels and morays in the crevices, and at these depths each of them is looked at against a clock.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
| 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.
Know before you go
- Described as the deepest rocky-bottom dive on the Granada coast, it demands care with decompression, gas consumption and current; set turn pressures and depths before the descent.
- Abandoned nets lie on the rock-to-sand slope. Stay off the bottom around them and carry a cutting tool.
Sources
- Punta de la Mona — Scubago (SSI)
- Buceo en La Herradura - Punta de la Mona — 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
Reef
Tunnels and overhangs under the Punta de la Mona cliff
Similar dives elsewhere
A north-south drop-off from a 5 m rock head into 45 m
Rare false black coral on the points at 50 m
A step at 30 m falling to a fan-coral plateau at 45 m
Fields of blue gorgonians from 30 m on a wall dropping to 45 m