Faro - Coiba National Park
Kellys Patch is one of those spots where you really feel the ocean’s power, a proper wall dive that drops away into the deep blue. The reef top is surprisingly narrow and shallow, a busy highway for wrasse and chromis, before it just falls straight down. We love hugging that drop-off, scanning into the blue for red bass or the odd tuna cruising by. It’s got that classic Cocos vibe, lots of schooling fish, and we’ve even spotted a few sharks here, though they tend to keep their distance. The corals up top are healthy, with impressive staghorn formations that catch the light, but the real show is the wall itself. Keep an eye out for polkadot cod tucked into crevices, or the delicate blennies clinging to the rock face. This site is best dived in the summer months when the currents are a bit more forgiving, and visibility averages a clear 23 metres. It’s a great pick for divers who enjoy a bit of drift and the thrill of looking out into the open ocean.
- Location
- Coiba National Park, Panama, Central America
- Coordinates
- 7.693300, -81.639900
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: Coiba
Nearby Dive Sites in Coiba National Park
- Bajo Piñon (reef)
- Bajo Piñon (reef)
- Boca del Drago
- Buffet (reef)
- Buffet (cave)
- Corner Point Ladrones - 15-35m (pinnacle)
- Don Juan (pinnacle)
- El Cholo
- El Porton - 15-30m (pinnacle)
- Frijoles (cave)
- Iglesia (reef)
- Isla Frijoles (reef)
- Isla Granito de Oro
- Islas Secas - Robin Island - 5-20m (reef)
- La lengua (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Faro
- Ankay Conservation SA - ["PADI"]
- Bocas Dive Center - ["PADI"]
- coiba dream divers
- Oceans Pro Divers Golfito - ["PADI"]
- Scuba Coiba
Marine Life in Coiba National Park
Home to 355 recorded species including 317 reef fish, 13 sharks & rays, 7 whales & dolphins, 6 other, 5 hard corals, 2 crabs & lobsters.
Notable Species
- Agujon Needlefish (Tylosurus acus) - Reef Fish
- Caesar (Haemulon aurolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Ring-tailed Surgeonfish (Acanthurus xanthopterus) - Reef Fish
- Orangeside Triggerfish (Sufflamen verres) - Reef Fish
- Cortez Rainbow Wrasse (Thalassoma lucasanum) - Reef Fish
- Spotted Pufferfish (Canthigaster janthinoptera) - Reef Fish
- King Angelfish (Holacanthus passer) - Reef Fish
- Spotted Puffer (Arothron meleagris) - Reef Fish
- Bicolor Parrotfish (Scarus rubroviolaceus) - Reef Fish
- Opaline Lanternfish (Benthosema pterotum) - Reef Fish
- Pufferfish (Arothron hispidus) - Reef Fish
- Mulet (Mugil curema) - Reef Fish
- Butterfish (Eucinostomus melanopterus) - Reef Fish
- Beaubrummel (Stegastes flavilatus) - Reef Fish
- Blue Trim Parrotfish (Scarus ghobban) - Reef Fish
- Cortez damselfish (Stegastes rectifraenum) - Reef Fish
- Barberfish (Johnrandallia nigrirostris) - Reef Fish
- Chameleon wrasse (Halichoeres dispilus) - Reef Fish
- Coral Hawkfish (Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus) - Reef Fish
- Amarillo snapper (Lutjanus argentiventris) - Reef Fish