Cape Marshall

Cape Marshall is a scuba diving site on the northeastern coast of Isabela Island in the Galápagos archipelago, situated south of the equator near the active Wolf volcano. The site is defined by a dramatic vertical wall of volcanic rock that drops down into open water, reaching a maximum depth of 10.7 m (35 ft). Black coral grows directly on the wall face, adding to the geological character of the dive.

The site is accessible only by liveaboard cruise and is dived as a drift dive along the wall. Currents run from moderate to strong throughout the year and are what drive the exceptional pelagic encounters here; the strong flow makes Cape Marshall suitable for intermediate to experienced divers only.

Marine life at Cape Marshall includes hammerhead sharks, Galápagos sharks, white-tipped sharks, whale sharks, manta rays, giant manta rays, mobula rays, marble rays, sunfish, barracudas, sea turtles, sea lions, and large schools of black-striped salema — a species notably associated with this site. The best season to dive Cape Marshall runs from January through June.