La Parguera & Guánica · Puerto Rico · Reef · Cave & cavern
Chimney
A fireplace-shaped cavern and swim-through on an ocean reef
Area photo: Les & Omy · CC BY-SA 3.0
Chimney is an ocean reef off La Parguera named for a small cavern and swim-through shaped like a fireplace and chimney. With a bottom at 22 m (73 ft) it is the deepest of the ocean reef sites, and orange encrusting corals line the cavern entrance while green moray eels patrol the reef.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows La Parguera & Guánica and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
The dive centres on a small cavern and swim-through that looks like a fireplace with a chimney above it, waiting to be crawled into. Orange encrusting corals line the entrance to the cavern. The reef bottom lies at 22 m (73 ft), deeper than any of the other ocean reef sites.
Away from the cavern the reef is full of life. Green moray eels patrol it, led by a resident eel called Betsy, and Caribbean king crabs scurry between the rocks.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good |
Season follows La Parguera & Guánica: No month is reported as best; June to November is hurricane season with near-daily showers, and winter calls for a 3–5 mm suit.
Know before you go
- The cavern and swim-through put rock overhead, and the site is dived only as long as safety rules are followed.
Dive videos
Scuba Diving Chimney Reef in La Parguera, Puerto Rico · OceanWide Explorers on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Chimney dive site in La Parguera?+
The bottom is at 22 m (73 ft), the deepest of La Parguera's ocean reef sites.
Sources
- Dive Sites In La Parguera — Paradise Scuba & Snorkeling Center
More dive sites in La Parguera & Guánica
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Similar dives elsewhere
An inner reef cut by multiple swim-throughs
A canyon of ledges and caves with a rock chimney
A natural rock bridge, 6 metres high, at 20 metres
Black coral colonies and a cave at 23 metres