La Parguera & Guánica · Puerto Rico · Reef
Enrique Reef
A sloping inland reef from 2 m, used for courses and first dives
Photo: Hendee · Public domain
Enrique Reef is an inland reef off La Parguera used mainly for scuba courses, Discover Scuba dives and snorkel trips. Its gently sloping bottom runs from 2 m (7 ft) in the shallows to about 17 m (55 ft), with sea cucumbers, brittle stars, spiny lobster and spotted eagle rays.
Where it is and how deep
17.9443° N, 67.0369° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The bottom slopes from just 2 m (7 ft) in the shallows to around 17 m (55 ft) at its deepest, a very beginner-friendly layout. The shop lists it among its inland reefs, apart from the wall and ocean reef sites, and uses it mainly for scuba courses, Discover Scuba dives and snorkel trips.
Many kinds of sea cucumber live on the reef, along with brittle sea stars and spiny lobster. Spotted eagle rays pass over the slope, and on lucky days a manatee or a pod of dolphins visits the site. The reef also hosts snorkel excursions, and the shallowest part of the slope lies only 2 m (7 ft) down.
Marine life and season
- Eagle rays
| 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.
Questions divers ask
Is Enrique Reef in La Parguera good for beginners?+
Yes. The sloping bottom runs from 2 m (7 ft) to about 17 m (55 ft), and the site is used mainly for scuba courses, Discover Scuba dives and snorkel trips.
Sources
- Dive Sites In La Parguera — Paradise Scuba & Snorkeling Center
- Wall Dive La Parguera — Paradise Scuba & Snorkeling Center
- Predation Pressure by Cyphoma gibbosum on Octocoral Communities off La Parguera, Puerto Rico — International Scholarly Research Notices (2014)
Photo credits
- A yellow NOAA buoy moored beside a small research boat in calm water, with mangrove cays and hills behind by Hendee, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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Sandy channels of resting nurse sharks beside a sheer drop-off
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A sloping wall section crowded with spiny and Spanish lobster
Similar dives elsewhere
Up to ten reef sharks over a 15 m patch reef
Coral bommies from 15 to 24 m, with eagle rays and garden eels
Boulders down to sand at 23 m, elkhorn coral in the shallows
A sloping mini wall from 10 m down to sand at 16–20 m