Montaña Rusa (Dive Base Coiba)
Conditions & tides
Scored by DiveConnect's site-physics model
Marine forecast via Copernicus Marine. Score is a rule-based guide from swell/wind vs. the site's exposure — always dive your own assessment.
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About this site
Montaña Rusa is an exposed ridge dive in the open sea in Coiba National Park, Panama. From the surface there is little to show where the site is, and the boat finds it by GPS before anchoring.
Divers go down the anchor rope to the top of the reef at about 16 m. From there the ridge drops away in all directions to over 40 m. Divers usually go to about 35 m while managing air and no-decompression time, and then wind their way back up.
The site is exposed, so strong currents can occur. Divers should be in relatively good shape and comfortable in current.
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Often, and especially when the current is stronger, large groups of fish appear: hundreds of huge dog snappers, massive schools of barracuda, bigeye jacks and bluefin trevally. At the right time of year there are lots of longtail stingrays, and hammerhead sharks are possible. Black-tip reef sharks and bull sharks pass by in the blue.
Marine life here
Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.
Reef sharkReef sharkReported here · unconfirmed
StingrayStingrayReported here · unconfirmed
Bull sharkBull sharkReported here · unconfirmed
SnapperSnapperReported here · unconfirmed
BarracudaBarracudaReported here · unconfirmed
Whitetip Reef SharkTriaenodon obesusReported here · unconfirmed
Leptogorgia albaReported here · unconfirmed
Panamic Fanged BlennyOphioblennius steindachneriReported here · unconfirmed
Scissortail ChromisAzurina atrilobataReported here · unconfirmed
Bigscale SoldierfishMyripristis berndtiReported here · unconfirmed
Razor SurgeonfishPrionurus laticlaviusReported here · unconfirmed
TrevallyTrevallyReported here · unconfirmed
Hammerhead sharkHammerhead sharkReported here · unconfirmed
Bull SharkCarcharhinus leucasReported here · unconfirmed
Durable tips from divers — access, hazards, marine life, facilities. For day-of conditions, use the report tool in the conditions card above.
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