Máncora & Los Órganos · Peru · Sand slope
Muelle de Los Órganos
Sea turtles that feed around the pilings of a working fishing pier
Area photo: Danielaamunoz Camera location4° 13′ 05.1″ S, 81° 10′ 54.31″ W View this and other nearby images on: OpenStreetMap -4.218 · CC BY-SA 4.0
The pier at Los Órganos is a dive site in its own right. It reaches a maximum of 10 m over a sandy bottom in safe, calm conditions, and sea turtles, drawn for years by the remains from fishing, now swim among divers as part of the pier's daily life.
Also known as Los Órganos pier.
Where it is and how deep
4.1777° S, 81.1346° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The dive stays shallow from start to finish: the bottom under and around the Los Órganos pier is sand, and the maximum depth is 10 m. PADI describes the conditions as safe and calm, perfect for beginners. Visibility on this coast usually runs around 4 m, reaching 7 m on a good day, so the pilings and the turtles tend to appear at close range rather than from a distance.
Sea turtles are the reason most divers come. For many years they gathered at the pier for the remains left by fishing, and they have stayed: today they are part of the pier's life and swim among visitors without fuss. Water temperature off Los Órganos ranges from about 18 °C in September to 23 °C in February, so the cooler months call for a thicker suit on a long, shallow dive.
Marine life and season
- Sea turtles
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Máncora & Los Órganos: July to October is whale season, when whale song is often heard on dives; it is also when the water is coldest, about 18 °C in September.
Questions divers ask
How deep is the dive at the Los Órganos pier?+
The pier is a shallow dive with a maximum depth of 10 m over a sandy bottom, in calm conditions suited to beginners.
Are there turtles at Muelle de Los Órganos?+
Yes. Sea turtles were drawn to the pier for years by the fishing remains and are now a regular part of the site, swimming among divers.
Sources
More dive sites in Máncora & Los Órganos
Artificial reef
An iron oil platform in 60 m of water that has turned into a reef
Green and hawksbill turtles over a coral garden five minutes from the pier
Similar dives elsewhere
The clubs' usual offshore bank, with the city's richest fauna
An offshore sand bank from 20 to 28 m
An offshore sand bank from 24 to 42 m
An offshore sand bank from 24 to 36 m