Big Channel
Protected Area
Jhonny Cay Regional Park
Why dive here
With 71+ marine species recorded in the area - including barracuda and pufferfish - Big Channel offers some of Malpelo Island's richest drift diving. Water ranges 28-30°C, warmest September, October, November.
Malpelo's Big Channel dive site often delivers exactly what its name suggests: a significant channel for pelagic activity. We typically find ourselves looking out into the blue, watching for hammerhead sharks, silky sharks, and the occasional whale shark cruising past. The currents here can be robust, so it's a spot best appreciated by experienced divers comfortable with drift diving and managing their buoyancy in moving water. It’s less about intricate reef details and more about the large animal encounters.
Typical Big Channel Dive Profile
Illustrative profile based on site depth and type. Actual dive profiles vary - always follow your dive computer and training.
Safety Notes
Depth of 20m - Advanced Open Water certification recommended.
Drift dive - carry a surface marker buoy (SMB) and stay with your group. Brief the current direction before entry.
Always perform a 3-minute safety stop at 5m before surfacing.
Nearest Dive Centres to Big Channel
Dive shops near Big Channel
Almacén Stella
Karibik Diving
Blue Life Dive
Scuba San Andres
San Andres Divers
Reviews for Big Channel
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for Big Channel
Big Channel Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for Big Channel, sourced from Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU) - nearest station: Open-Meteo marine grid (12.4, -81.47) (108km away)
October Averages
Sea Temperature
30°C
86°F · Range: 29.3–31.3°C
Current Speed
13.42 cm/s
Direction: NE (63.4°)
Chlorophyll-a
0.094 mg/m³
Very clear (oligotrophic)
Salinity
34.38 PSU
Based on 4 years of monitoring data · Data sources: Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU)
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