Galapagos Diving - San Cristobal & Surroundings
Located to the far east of the islands, San Cristobal is the capital of the Galapagos Province and the first place Charles Darwin went ashore when he arrived. It is one of two islands with an airport receiving passengers from the continent. It is the starting and ending point of many live-aboard cruises as well as home to several dive sites.
Kicker Rock
The best known of San Cristobal's dive sites, Kicker Rock consists of two towering basalt monoliths raising out of the sea in the shape of a sleeping lion. Home to an impressive amount of bird-life the spot is frequently visited by naturalist cruises of the islands as well as day tours out of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. Though the above surface wildlife is enough to draw interest of other tourists the underwater is truly impressive. There are spotted eagle rays, stone scorpionfish, harlequin wrasse, Galapagos sharks, schools of yellowtail grunts, jacks, barracudas, rainbow runners, salemas, barberfish, creolefish and flag cabrilla. On the rocks you can see black coral, nudibranchs, urchins, octopuses, crustaceans and other invertebrates.
Five Fingers
Located just outside the bay this site features schools of king angelfish, creolefish, snappers, grunts, yellowtail surgeonfish, wahoo, tuna, eels, blennies and gobies. This is one of the best places to see the brightly colored harlequin wrasse.
Isla Lobos
This small rocky islet north of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is named after the sea lions that dominate the area. Frequently used as a snorkel site or a check-out dive for live-aboard cruises beginning in Santa Cruz, the site his home to many sea lions as well as sand dollars, black-blotched stingrays, puffers and sea stars.
Punta Pitt
Located on the northeastern tip of San Cristobal near Roca Bellena, Punta Pitt is a rocky reef that sticks up about 3 feet out of the water. The reef is home for large schools of king angelfish, grunts, snappers, alamo jacks. Mexican goat fish, sea lions, eagle rays, octopi and crustaceans are all popular. In the warmer season Punta Pitt is a good place to happen upon whale sharks and mobula rays.
Caragua Wreck
One of the few wreck diving sites in Galapagos Caragua Wreck is a dive site where the Caragua sank over 100 years ago creating a reef like environment just outside Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. Stingrays, nudibranches, corals, schools of fish and sea lions are all common sites.
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