Malpelo · Colombia · Wall · Pinnacle
La Gringa
A wall dive to a 27 m crack with sharks at its exit
Area photo: Jdmacarenoq · CC BY-SA 4.0
La Gringa is a pinnacle south of Malpelo whose walls drop to 60 m over a bottom of sand and gravel. The dive follows a wall down to a crack at 27 m that reaches 33 m. A strong current runs at the exit of the crack, where hammerhead and Galápagos sharks, giant snappers and jacks gather.
Also known as La Gringa Pinnacle.
Where it is and how deep
4.0033° N, 81.6076° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The dive descends a wall to about 27 m (90 ft), where a crack opens that reaches down to 33 m (110 ft). Below, the walls of La Gringa continue to 60 m (200 ft) above a bottom of sand and gravel scattered with rocky outcrops.
At the exit of the crack the current is strong, and a large number of hammerhead and Galápagos sharks gather there, along with giant snappers, jacks and groupers.
Marine life and season
- Hammerheads
- Reef sharks
- Trevally & jacks
- Groupers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime |
Season follows Malpelo: Jan-Apr is cooler and drier with a shallow, cold thermocline; May-Dec runs warmer with better visibility and the strongest shark and pelagic activity.
Know before you go
- A strong current runs at the exit of the crack, where the sharks gather.
Dive videos
La Gringa, Malpelo, Colombia - August 2016 · Lisa Zevi on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Where are the sharks at La Gringa?+
Hammerhead and Galápagos sharks gather at the exit of the crack that opens at 27 m and reaches 33 m, where a strong current runs.
Sources
- Guía de buceo de Malpelo — Agenda del Mar
- Diving in Malpelo — La Plataforma del Buceo
- Buceo en Malpelo — Te Moana Expeditions
More dive sites in Malpelo
Seamount
Largest dog snapper school at Malpelo, at 27 to 50 m
Reef
Gentle slopes and compact coral formations with shark schools
Seamount
Current-swept seamount with hammerhead schools in Jan and Feb
Wall
Cleaning stations where hammerheads and Galápagos sharks gather
Cave & cavern
Grotto entrance to the La Chupadera tunnel through Malpelo
Pinnacle
Sea stacks with a tunnel swim-through beneath an islet
Similar dives elsewhere
Twin pinnacles beside a coral-carpeted slope off French Cay
Sheer wall, constant current and two ships draped down the same rock
Hold position at 18–24 m while hammerhead schools pass the plateau
A chimney at the northeast corner of the erg