El Morro

El Morro lies near the Marietas Islands, an island group off the coast of Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco, Mexico, at the mouth of Banderas Bay. The islands are volcanic in origin and sit within a protected national park area, reached by boat from Puerto Vallarta or nearby Punta Mita. The site is rated advanced, reaching a maximum depth of around 26 metres over a rocky bottom, with visibility described as great. Divers have reported caves and tunnels here along with strong currents, and the terrain rewards those comfortable navigating swim-throughs at depth. Octopus are a regular find on the rock, and divers have also reported dolphins, manta rays, jacks and amberjacks, sea turtles, seahorses, wrasse, and nudibranchs around the site.

Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.

• NudibranchNudibranchReported here · unconfirmed
• Jack / amberjackJack / amberjackReported here · unconfirmed
• Manta rayManta rayReported here · unconfirmed
• DolphinDolphinReported here · unconfirmed
• Sea turtleSea turtleReported here · unconfirmed
• King AngelfishHolacanthus passerReported here · unconfirmed
• Razor SurgeonfishPrionurus laticlaviusReported here · unconfirmed
• Giant DamselfishMicrospathodon dorsalisReported here · unconfirmed
• Sally Lightfoot CrabGrapsus grapsusReported here · unconfirmed
• OctopusOctopusConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• WrasseWrasseReported here · unconfirmed
• SeahorseSeahorseReported here · unconfirmed