Enrique Reef - La Parguera
Enrique Reef is one of our favourite spots in La Parguera. It’s shallower, typically 5 to 15 metres, which means the light really punches through, illuminating the yellows of the smooth flower coral and the branching fingers. We love to drift over the wide fields of staghorn and elkhorn here, watching the smallmouth gobies perch on coral heads. It’s a great place to slow down. Keep an eye out for the shy yellow jawfish peeking from their burrows, and we’ve often spotted spotted trunkfish methodically picking at the reef. The Atlantic thread herring often school here, shimmering like liquid silver in the sun. This is a relaxed dive, perfect for newer divers or anyone who wants a long, unhurried bottom time to practice their photography. The lack of strong currents makes it an easy drift, letting you focus on the details of the reef. We often combine this with a night dive nearby, but for a daytime chill-out, Enrique takes some beating.
- Location
- La Parguera, Puerto Rico, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 17.940000, -67.030000
- Type
- reef
- Maximum Depth
- 5-15m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: La Parguera Natural Reserve
Best Time to Dive in La Parguera
The warmest water temperatures in La Parguera occur in January, averaging 27.3°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.3°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.3°C (air: 24.4°C)
- February: 27.3°C (air: 24.4°C)
- March: 27.3°C (air: 24.6°C)
- April: 27.3°C (air: 25.5°C)
- May: 27.3°C (air: 27.0°C)
- June: 27.3°C (air: 27.6°C)
- July: 27.3°C (air: 27.6°C)
- August: 27.3°C (air: 27.5°C)
- September: 27.3°C (air: 27.5°C)
- October: 27.3°C (air: 27.1°C)
- November: 27.3°C (air: 25.6°C)
- December: 27.3°C (air: 24.5°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in La Parguera
- CATALINA S. - 1m (wreck)
- Cerro Gordo Beach - 11m
- Los Tubos - 10m
- Mar Chiquita
- Parguera s Wall (wall)
- The Wall - 15-40m (wall)
- TRANSCARIBBEAN - 6m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to Enrique Reef
- La Casa del Buzo - ["PADI"]
- Native Dive PR
- PR Dive - ["PADI"]
- Scuba Dogs - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in La Parguera
Home to 503 recorded species including 413 reef fish, 36 hard corals, 13 sharks & rays, 9 other, 8 whales & dolphins, 5 seagrass & algae.
Notable Species
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- Parrotfish (Thalassoma bifasciatum) - Reef Fish
- Bicolor Damselfish (Stegastes partitus) - Reef Fish
- Sammy Johnson (Scarus taeniopterus) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Yellowhead Wrasse (Halichoeres garnoti) - Reef Fish
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Cola (Ocyurus chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) - Hard Corals
- Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
- Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
- Coney (Cephalopholis fulva) - Reef Fish
- Lettuce Coral (Agaricia agaricites) - Hard Corals
- Graysby (Cephalopholis cruentata) - Reef Fish
- Slippery Dick (Halichoeres bivittatus) - Reef Fish
- Longspine Squirrelfish (Holocentrus rufus) - Reef Fish
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Enrique Reef
Based on average water temperature of 27.3°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