María la Gorda · Cuba · Wall · Cave & cavern
Yemayá
A chimney fracture in the wall from 12 m down to 33 m
A wall dive named for the Santería goddess of the sea, cut by a chimney-like fracture that runs from 33 m up to 12 m. The dive starts deep on a near-vertical face and finishes on the shallow reef that tops the wall at about 12 m; the dive centre rates it for advanced divers only, with currents that can run strong.
Also known as Yemaya.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows María la Gorda and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
You drop onto a near-vertical wall and take the deep part of the dive first, down to around 30 m. Deep gouges cut into the face make tunnels wide enough to swim through, and the chimney-like fracture the site is known for runs from 33 m at its base up to 12 m. Sponges line the tunnels and the wall — elephant's ear, barrel and encrusting forms — with sea fans and staghorn, black, whip and elkhorn corals on the open face.
Out from the wall is where the fish are: shoals of tuna and jacks, barracuda, and tarpon that scatter the smaller fish ahead of them, with crabs and lobsters tucked under the rocks. Working back up through the fracture puts you on the shallow reef that tops the wall at about 12 m, and that is where the dive ends. Visibility is usually over 30 m, so the face stays in view for most of the ascent.
Marine life and season
- Trevally & jacks
- Tuna
- Barracuda
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime |
Season follows María la Gorda: Nov–Apr is the dry season with the calmest, clearest water; Aug–Oct carries hurricane risk on this exposed western tip.
Know before you go
- The site is rated for advanced divers because currents can run strong along this stretch of wall — check the direction with the guide and stay close to the face if it is moving.
- The fracture and the wall tunnels are overheads with a 33 m floor. Pick your line before you enter, carry a light and watch no-stop time at depth.
Dive videos
Cuba, Maria La Gorda, Yemaya & El Jardin de las Gorgonias · Sergey Usychkin on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is Yemayá?+
The dive centre lists the site at 100 feet, about 30 m. The chimney-like fracture that gives the site its character reaches 33 m at its base and tops out at 12 m on the shallow reef above the wall.
Can beginners dive Yemayá?+
No — the dive centre lists it as suitable for advanced divers only, because the depths exceed 30 m and currents in the area can run strong. It is a wall dive that starts deep and finishes shallow.
Sources
- Yemaya dive site at María La Gorda — María La Gorda International Diving Center (villamarialagorda.com)
- Maria La Gorda Dive Sites and Map Location — María La Gorda International Diving Center (villamarialagorda.com)
More dive sites in María la Gorda
Wall
A two-ton eighteenth-century anchor grown into the coral
Reef
Shoaling reef fish in 3 to 5 m of water
Wall
Blue-water wall of sponges and sea fans at 27 m
Coral garden
A small wall from 6 to 15 m packed with gorgonians
Coral-covered rock heads lined up with two headlands ashore
Wall
Shoals of jacks, tuna and barracuda on a wall from 18 m
Cave & cavern
A reef cavern with three entrances at around 20 m
Similar dives elsewhere
A coral arch on the wall, named for a Cayman photographer
La Catedral, a large cavern lit through a hole in its ceiling
Garden eels on the sand at 15 m, coral arches at 30 m
A crevice over 60 m (200 ft) long, branching into caves and tunnels