Sombrero

Sombrero East is a dive site at the Catalina Islands, off Playa Flamingo in the Guanacaste Province of Costa Rica. It takes its name from the appearance of two rock formations at the surface that resemble sombrero hats. The site is popular as a second dive of the day owing to its easy access and flexibility in depth, making it suitable for all levels of divers including beginners.

The terrain centres on the point where the two sombrero rocks meet, which provides shelter from southerly currents and allows divers to move with any swell present. Heading north, the reef stays between 30–45 ft (9–14 m), with rocky substrate suited to close-up searching. The outside face of the main rock drops to 70 ft (21 m), and towards the north point there is a deep trench large enough to swim through. A small crag of rocks set back from the main formation towards the coast serves as a convenient safety-stop position. The maximum depth is 33.5 m (110 ft) and the bottom is sand.

The shallower northern section rewards careful searching: harlequin shrimp, nudibranchs, seahorses, gobies, blennies, and large numbers of sea stars are regularly found tucked into the rocks. Scorpion fish, eels, octopus, round rays, lobsters, and schools of grunts are also commonly seen across the site. Mantas, eagle rays, and devil rays have been spotted here, and white-tip sharks tend to rest or cruise through the trench near the north point.