Cave - Corn Islands
The Galeão Sacramento is a proper dive into history, a Portuguese galleon that went down in 1668 right at the entrance of All Saints Bay. We love how much of the past is still there, scattered across the seabed at 28 metres. Expect to see cannons lying in stacks, some still half-buried, along with massive anchors, all encrusted and looking like they’ve been part of the reef forever. The historical weight of the site really hits you as you swim past the remnants of this old ship. Visibility averages around 16 metres, which is plenty to appreciate the scale of the debris field. As for marine life, it’s a great spot for spotting coney and drummer boys darting in and out of the metal structures. We’ve found morays peeking out of the cannon barrels more than once, and lobsters are often tucked into any crevice they can find. If you’re into wrecks with a real story, and you’re comfortable at depth, this one’s for you. It’s best appreciated by advanced divers, or those on Nitrox, giving you more time to explore without feeling rushed. Try to hit it on a calmer day; the entrance to the bay can get choppy.
- Location
- Corn Islands, Nicaragua, Central America
- Coordinates
- 12.292200, -82.972600
- Type
- wreck
Best Time to Dive in Corn Islands
The warmest water temperatures in Corn Islands occur in January, averaging 28.3°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 28.3°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.3°C (air: 26.7°C)
- February: 28.3°C (air: 26.4°C)
- March: 28.3°C (air: 26.7°C)
- April: 28.3°C (air: 27.3°C)
- May: 28.3°C (air: 27.7°C)
- June: 28.3°C (air: 27.4°C)
- July: 28.3°C (air: 27.4°C)
- August: 28.3°C (air: 27.6°C)
- September: 28.3°C (air: 27.8°C)
- October: 28.3°C (air: 27.5°C)
- November: 28.3°C (air: 27.0°C)
- December: 28.3°C (air: 26.9°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Corn Islands
- ATLANTIC FREEZE - 0m (wreck)
- Baboon Cay
- Baboon Cay (reef)
- Blowing Rock - 10-35m (reef)
- Blowing Rock (reef)
- Boden Reef (reef)
- Cayo Forster (reef)
- Cayo Forster (reef)
- Cayo French Man (reef)
- Cayo French Man (reef)
- Cayo Little Tyara (reef)
- Cayo Little Tyara (reef)
- Cayo Noreste (reef)
- Cayo Noreste (reef)
- Columbilla Cay (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Cave
Marine Life in Corn Islands
Home to 209 recorded species including 173 reef fish, 21 hard corals, 3 other, 3 sharks & rays, 3 sea snails & nudibranchs, 2 starfish.
Notable Species
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Lettuce Coral (Agaricia agaricites) - Hard Corals
- Finger Coral (Porites porites) - Hard Corals
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Sheephead (Microspathodon chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Cola (Ocyurus chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) - Hard Corals
- Great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) - Hard Corals
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
- Spot Snapper (Lutjanus mahogoni) - Reef Fish
- Sammy Johnson (Scarus taeniopterus) - Reef Fish
- Angelfish (Pomacanthus paru) - Reef Fish
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Lesser Starlet Coral (Siderastrea radians) - Hard Corals
- Schoolmaster (Lutjanus apodus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Cave
Based on average water temperature of 28.3°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