Loreto Bay National Park · Mexico · Seamount
El Murcielago
Hundreds of king angelfish among huge boulders on a deep seamount
El Murcielago is a seamount off Isla del Carmen crowded with life, dived from 18 m (60 ft) to 30 m (100 ft). Its bottom of huge boulders is home to hundreds of king angelfish, with chromis, morays, triggerfish and occasional sharks. It is fairly deep, needs a blue ascent, and is only for advanced divers.
Also known as Bajo del Murcielago.
Where it is and how deep
25.8526° N, 111.2387° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
El Murcielago is a seamount, and the top of the dive sits at around 18 m (60 ft), so the descent goes straight to the rock. The bottom is made of huge boulders, and the gaps between them shelter hundreds of king angelfish together with chromis, morays and triggerfish. Occasional sharks pass along the seamount.
The boulders continue down to about 30 m (100 ft). The dive is fairly deep, which is why it is only for advanced divers and is better enjoyed with nitrox. It requires a blue ascent: divers leave the boulders and come up in open water, away from the seamount, holding their safety stop in midwater with no rock or line beside them for reference.
Marine life and season
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Loreto Bay National Park: Mobula schools peak May to August, and summer brings the warmest, clearest water; winter north winds can keep boats in harbour.
Know before you go
- The dive is fairly deep, reaching 30 m (100 ft); nitrox and close watch of no-decompression time help.
- The ascent is a blue ascent in open water, away from the seamount, so divers hold their safety stop with no reference beside them.
Questions divers ask
How deep is El Murcielago seamount near Loreto?+
The dive runs from 18 m (60 ft) to 30 m (100 ft) over a bottom of huge boulders, and it ends with a blue ascent.
What certification is needed for El Murcielago?+
It is only for advanced divers, because the dive is fairly deep and requires a blue ascent; it is better done on nitrox.
Sources
- Loreto Bay National Park — Blue Nation Baja
- Loreto Bay National Park (Blue Nation Baja, archived, with island map pins) — Blue Nation Baja
More dive sites in Loreto Bay National Park
Seamount
A remote seamount flooded with creole fish near Isla Montserrat
A WWII minesweeper sunk for divers, with easy penetrations
Reef
An offshore reef with schools of surgeonfish and guitar rays
Sea lions from the local colony and black coral caverns at 30 m
Pinnacle
Three pinnacles with horn sharks among black coral bushes at the base
Wall
Sheer drop-offs with yellow polyp black coral and schooling jacks
Similar dives elsewhere
A hammerhead seamount with nothing showing at the surface
Hammerheads and silky sharks over a seamount peak at 30 m
An isolated seamount that pulls in barracuda and trevally schools
A submerged pinnacle where the sharks hold in the current