HERCULES - Caribbean Coast

The Hercules is our top pick for wreck diving on Guatemala’s Caribbean coast, hands down. We’ve done this dive multiple times and it always delivers a solid experience at a comfortable depth. This old tug, sunk way back in 1974, now sits upright and relatively intact on a sandy bottom at just 12 metres. It’s an ideal spot for newer wreck divers or anyone looking for a relaxed exploration. We love the Hercules for its accessibility. You can spend a good chunk of your bottom time circling the exterior, spotting the prop, and peering into the superstructure. Inside, we’ve often seen big schools of glassy sweepers hanging in the darker spaces, occasionally joined by a lone snapper or two. Keep an eye out for the resident moray eels peeking from crevices. The wreck has become a proper artificial reef, draped in sponges and soft corals, attracting a surprising amount of fish life given the general murk of the Caribbean side here. Visibility averages around 10-15 metres on a good day, but the shallow depth means there’s always enough ambient light to really appreciate the wreck's structure. It’s a great photo opportunity, especially if you can catch it with a shaft of sunlight cutting through the water.

Location: Caribbean Coast, Guatemala, Central America
Coordinates: 15.907778, -88.663330
Type: wreck
Maximum Depth: 12m

Marine Protected Area: Río Dulce

Best Time to Dive in Caribbean Coast

The warmest water temperatures in Caribbean Coast occur in January, averaging 27.7°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.7°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

January: 27.7°C (air: 25.3°C)
February: 27.7°C (air: 25.4°C)
March: 27.7°C (air: 26.6°C)
April: 27.7°C (air: 27.6°C)
May: 27.7°C (air: 28.5°C)
June: 27.7°C (air: 28.1°C)
July: 27.7°C (air: 27.6°C)
August: 27.7°C (air: 27.6°C)
September: 27.7°C (air: 27.8°C)
October: 27.7°C (air: 27.3°C)
November: 27.7°C (air: 26.1°C)
December: 27.7°C (air: 25.1°C)

Nearest Dive Centres to HERCULES

Marine Life in Caribbean Coast

Home to 459 recorded species including 380 reef fish, 32 hard corals, 12 other, 8 sharks & rays, 6 sea urchins, 5 sea snails & nudibranchs.

Notable Species

Redear Herring (Harengula humeralis) - Reef Fish
Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
Thin leaf lettuce coral (Agaricia tenuifolia) - Hard Corals
Grunt (Haemulon plumierii) - Reef Fish
Fray (Jenkinsia lamprotaenia) - Reef Fish
Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
Yellowtail Parrotfish (Sparisoma rubripinne) - Reef Fish
Blue Parrotfish (Sparisoma chrysopterum) - Reef Fish
Threespot Damselfish (Stegastes planifrons) - Reef Fish
Schoolmaster (Lutjanus apodus) - Reef Fish
Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
Cola (Ocyurus chrysurus) - Reef Fish
Broad Shad (Gerres cinereus) - Reef Fish
Slippery Dick (Halichoeres bivittatus) - Reef Fish
Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
Parrotfish (Thalassoma bifasciatum) - Reef Fish

Recommended Packing List for HERCULES

Based on average water temperature of 27.7°C.

Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°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