Beagle Rocks
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
Beagle Rocks is a boat-access dive site located to the northwest of Santa Cruz Island and south of Santiago Island in the Galápagos, reached in approximately 80–100 minutes from Puerto Ayora. The site takes its name from HMS Beagle, the ship that carried Charles Darwin to the Galápagos, and the three rocks themselves are the eroded remains of a tuff cone.
The dive begins on a shallow platform at 12 metres, which leads to a drop-off wall descending to around 60 metres. The face of the wall is densely covered with black coral and sea fans alongside a wide variety of colourful reef fish, while the terrain beyond the wall opens into open blue water.
Rays, green sea turtles, and sea lions are commonly encountered close to the wall throughout the year. Hammerhead and Galápagos sharks are sometimes seen passing in the blue, away from the wall. During the hot season, from January to May, manta rays are a particular highlight at this site.
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The site carries medium current and requires at minimum an Open Water Diver certification, making it suitable for novice and intermediate divers. The boat journey from Puerto Ayora takes roughly 80 to 100 minutes depending on sea conditions.
Marine life here
Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.
Jack / amberjackJack / amberjackReported here · unconfirmed
Sea turtleSea turtleReported here · unconfirmed
Sally Lightfoot CrabGrapsus grapsusReported here · unconfirmed
Blue-barred ParrotfishScarus ghobbanReported here · unconfirmed
Black Striped SalemaBrachygenys jessiaeReported here · unconfirmed
Green Sea TurtleChelonia mydasReported here · unconfirmed
Giant HawkfishCirrhitus rivulatusReported here · unconfirmed
Panamic Fanged BlennyOphioblennius steindachneriReported here · unconfirmed
Whitetip Reef SharkTriaenodon obesusReported here · unconfirmed
Galápagos Ringtail DamselfishStegastes beebeiReported here · unconfirmed
Galápagos Sea LionZalophus wollebaekiReported here · unconfirmed
King AngelfishHolacanthus passerReported here · unconfirmed
StonefishStonefishReported here · unconfirmed
Manta rayManta rayConfirmed present · 3 independent sources
SeahorseSeahorseReported here · unconfirmed
Hammerhead sharkHammerhead sharkConfirmed present · 4 independent sources
Eagle rayEagle rayReported here · unconfirmed
BarracudaBarracudaReported 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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