The Arch - Fajardo & East Coast
The Arch, off Fajardo, is a pretty straightforward dive, ideal for those new to overhead environments. We drop to around 22 meters, right at the opening of a sizable swim-through. Inside, it's open enough that you’re never truly in the dark, with ambient light usually filtering through from both ends. Look out for the usual Caribbean suspects sheltering in the nooks – we often spot lobsters tucked away and sometimes a nurse shark snoozing on the sand below the arch itself. It’s a good spot to build confidence, without any strong currents to contend with.
- Location
- Fajardo & East Coast, Puerto Rico, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 18.318900, -65.353800
- Type
- cave
- Maximum Depth
- 22m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: Canal Luis Peña Natural Reserve
Best Time to Dive in Fajardo & East Coast
The warmest water temperatures in Fajardo & East Coast occur in January, averaging 27.1°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.1°C (air: 24.7°C)
- February: 27.1°C (air: 24.4°C)
- March: 27.1°C (air: 24.7°C)
- April: 27.1°C (air: 25.3°C)
- May: 27.1°C (air: 26.5°C)
- June: 27.1°C (air: 27.1°C)
- July: 27.1°C (air: 27.3°C)
- August: 27.1°C (air: 27.5°C)
- September: 27.1°C (air: 27.5°C)
- October: 27.1°C (air: 27.2°C)
- November: 27.1°C (air: 26.3°C)
- December: 27.1°C (air: 25.4°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Fajardo & East Coast
- Airplane - 16m (wreck)
- Bajo Amarillo - 20m
- Carlos Rosario Wall - 14m (wall)
- Cayo del Agua - 20m
- Cayo Diablo
- Cayo Diablo - 5-18m (reef)
- Cayo Lobo - 15m
- Culebra, Puerto Rico - 14m
- Culebrita South Reef - 5-20m (reef)
- Culebrita West
- Devon’s Drop - 15m (wall)
- El imperio
- Escambron
- INDEPENDENCE SERVICE - 20m (wreck)
- ISLA NENA - 12m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to The Arch
- Black Beard Sports - ["PADI"]
- Culebra Divers
- GypSea Charters
- Scuba Dogs
- Sea Ventures Dive Center - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Fajardo & East Coast
Home to 511 recorded species including 399 reef fish, 40 hard corals, 16 sharks & rays, 12 other, 10 whales & dolphins, 9 seagrass & algae.
Notable Species
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Parrotfish (Thalassoma bifasciatum) - Reef Fish
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Sammy Johnson (Scarus taeniopterus) - Reef Fish
- Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Bicolor Damselfish (Stegastes partitus) - Reef Fish
- Yellowhead Wrasse (Halichoeres garnoti) - Reef Fish
- Great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) - Hard Corals
- Lettuce Coral (Agaricia agaricites) - Hard Corals
- Cola (Ocyurus chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Finger Coral (Porites porites) - Hard Corals
- Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
- Doctorfish (Acanthurus chirurgus) - Reef Fish
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Longspine Squirrelfish (Holocentrus rufus) - Reef Fish
- Sharpnose Pufferfish (Canthigaster rostrata) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for The Arch
Based on average water temperature of 27.1°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