Daphne Minor
Protected Area
Galápagos
Why dive here
With 131+ marine species recorded in the area - including dolphins, humpback whales, seals & sea lions, sea turtles and sperm whales - Daphne Minor offers some of Galápagos Islands's richest diving. Water ranges 23-28°C, warmest February, March, April.
Daphne Minor, just off Santa Cruz, is a wall dive we often recommend for its reliable ray encounters. While the plankton can make the water murky, that’s precisely why the manta rays, eagle rays, and juvenile Galápagos sharks hang around. We’ve had mantas glide right over us here, sometimes so close you can count the remoras. Keep an eye on your depth along the wall, but otherwise, the currents are typically mild, making it a good choice for newer divers looking for those big animal encounters without the challenge of a ripping current.
Safety Notes
Strong currents typical this month (avg 36 cm/s). Good buoyancy control essential.
Nearest Dive Centres to Daphne Minor
Dive shops near Daphne Minor
M/V Tiburon Explorer
GALAPAGOS AGGRESSOR III
Dive Center Silberstein
Galapagos People
Macarron Scuba Divers
Galápagos Deep
Reviews for Daphne Minor
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for Daphne Minor
Daphne Minor Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for Daphne Minor, sourced from Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU) - nearest station: Open-Meteo marine grid (-0.32, -90.55) (15km away)
October Averages
Sea Temperature
23°C
74°F · Range: 20.2–26°C
Current Speed
36.24 cm/s
Direction: SW (230.6°)
Chlorophyll-a
0.886 mg/m³
Moderate productivity
Salinity
33.88 PSU
Based on 4 years of monitoring data · Data sources: Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU)
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