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Catalinas Island, Clásico

Clásico, out past Potrero and Flamingo, is one of those spots we always return to. We usually drop on the western side, tracking north along those rocky riprap formations. The max depth is around 18m, which makes it an easy dive for most, and the average visibility sits at 11m – good enough to take it all in. What makes Clásico a standout for us? It’s the sharks. Not just a fleeting glimpse; we often see white tips cruising through, sometimes resting on the sandy patches between the rocks. Beyond that, the fish schools here are really something. We’ve finned through clouds of silversides, so thick they shimmer, and watched purplemouth grunts forage alongside the ubiquitous Panama sergeant majors. Keep an eye out for the smaller stuff too, like the ornate Cortez rainbow wrasse flitting over the rock faces, or a shy Hancock’s blenny peering from its hole. We've also had some fantastic encounters with eagle rays gliding past, their wings beating slowly against the current. It’s a site that feels consistently rewarding.