Cousin's Rock - Galápagos Islands
Cousin's Rock is a reliable spot, often a stop on Galápagos liveaboards, sitting off Santiago's east coast. It's really just a triangular rock poking about ten metres out of the water, but what it lacks in grand topography it makes up for in density. We've spent dives here just hovering, watching a parade of mobula rays glide by in the blue, while a Galápagos shark might cruise past the reef edge. The shallows are where we usually find the best action, with sea lions often zipping around, playful and curious. It’s a good choice for divers who appreciate a mix of pelagic encounters and close-up reef critters.
- Location
- Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, South America
- Coordinates
- -0.316667, -90.550000
Marine Protected Area: Galápagos
Best Time to Dive in Galápagos Islands
The warmest water temperatures in Galápagos Islands occur in March, averaging 27.3°C. The coolest conditions are in September at 22.7°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 25.2°C
- February: 27.0°C
- March: 27.3°C
- April: 26.9°C
- May: 25.4°C
- June: 24.3°C
- July: 23.8°C
- August: 23.0°C
- September: 22.7°C
- October: 23.1°C
- November: 23.6°C
- December: 23.9°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Galápagos Islands
- Albany Rock
- Bainbridge Rocks
- Barranco Cave - 23-34m (cave)
- Bartolome and Cousins Rock - 30-40m
- Beagle Rocks - 12-60+m
- Cabo Marshall
- Café Scuba
- Cape Douglas
- Cape Marshall
- Carawa Shipwreck (wreck)
- Champion
- Champion Islet
- Champion Rock
- Channel (drift)
- Coamaño
Nearest Dive Centres to Cousin's Rock
Marine Life in Galápagos Islands
Home to 141 recorded species including 108 reef fish, 7 whales & dolphins, 7 sharks & rays, 6 seagrass & algae, 5 hard corals, 3 sea cucumbers.
Notable Species
- Pronghorn Spiny Lobster (Panulirus penicillatus) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Brown Sea Cucumber (Isostichopus fuscus) - Sea Cucumbers
- Green Spiny Lobster (Panulirus gracilis) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Mangrove (Mycteroperca olfax) - Reef Fish
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Sea Bass (Epinephelus labriformis) - Reef Fish
- Barracuda (Acanthocybium solandri) - Reef Fish
- Mexican hogfish (Bodianus diplotaenia) - Reef Fish
- Galapagos ringtail damselfish (Stegastes beebei) - Reef Fish
- Chameleon wrasse (Halichoeres dispilus) - Reef Fish
- King Angelfish (Holacanthus passer) - Reef Fish
- Large-banded Blenny (Ophioblennius steindachneri) - Reef Fish
- Razor Surgeonfish (Prionurus laticlavius) - Reef Fish
- Cortez Rainbow Wrasse (Thalassoma lucasanum) - Reef Fish
- Barberfish (Johnrandallia nigrirostris) - Reef Fish
- Spinster wrasse (Halichoeres nicholsi) - Reef Fish
- Molly Miller (Bathygobius soporator) - Reef Fish
- Blacktip Cardinalfish (Apogon atradorsatus) - Reef Fish
- Sabertooth Blenny (Plagiotremus azaleus) - Reef Fish
- Jack (Seriola rivoliana) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Cousin's Rock
Based on average water temperature of 24.7°C, currents 34 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 25°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins (stiff blade recommended for strong currents)
- 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