El Ballenato - Isla de la Juventud
El Ballenato, off Isla de la Juventud, offers a decent Caribbean dive. You'll find a series of small coral heads and some sandy patches, home to the usual reef fish like parrotfish and snapper, along with the occasional moray eel. Visibility is generally good here, making it a comfortable spot for divers looking for a relaxed experience without strong currents. It's a solid choice for a second dive of the day.
- Location
- Isla de la Juventud, Cuba, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 21.579231, -81.632540
Marine Protected Area: Cayo Largo
Best Time to Dive in Isla de la Juventud
The warmest water temperatures in Isla de la Juventud occur in January, averaging 26.8°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 26.8°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 26.8°C (air: 24.1°C)
- February: 26.8°C (air: 24.4°C)
- March: 26.8°C (air: 25.3°C)
- April: 26.8°C (air: 26.4°C)
- May: 26.8°C (air: 27.4°C)
- June: 26.8°C (air: 28.1°C)
- July: 26.8°C (air: 28.9°C)
- August: 26.8°C (air: 29.1°C)
- September: 26.8°C (air: 28.7°C)
- October: 26.8°C (air: 27.7°C)
- November: 26.8°C (air: 26.3°C)
- December: 26.8°C (air: 24.6°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Isla de la Juventud
- ALPHONSE X11 - 2m (wreck)
- ASTORIA - 1m (wreck)
- Baie des cochons
- Bajo Médano
- Banco de Cazones
- Barco Hundido (wreck)
- Bay of Pigs - 21m (reef)
- Cajilone
- Cayo Largo - 17m
- Cayo Piedra Reef - 14m (reef)
- Cenote Cuba Checoslovaquia (cenote)
- Cenote mar (cenote)
- Coral Beach - 11m (reef)
- Cueva de los Peces - 21m (cave)
- IMIAS - 1m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to El Ballenato
Marine Life in Isla de la Juventud
Home to 143 recorded species including 99 reef fish, 28 hard corals, 6 whales & dolphins, 4 seagrass & algae, 2 jellyfish, 2 other.
Notable Species
- Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) - Hard Corals
- Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Lettuce Coral (Agaricia agaricites) - Hard Corals
- Grunt (Haemulon plumierii) - Reef Fish
- Schoolmaster (Lutjanus apodus) - Reef Fish
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) - Hard Corals
- Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
- Bluestriped Grunt (Haemulon sciurus) - Reef Fish
- Cola (Ocyurus chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Sheephead (Microspathodon chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Finger Coral (Porites porites) - Hard Corals
- Doctorfish (Acanthurus chirurgus) - Reef Fish
- Fire coral (Millepora complanata) - Jellyfish
Recommended Packing List for El Ballenato
Based on average water temperature of 26.8°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 27°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories