reef

Log This Dive

Kicker Rock / Léon Dormido, San Cristobal, Galapagos

Kicker Rock, or León Dormido, is one of those sites that just grabs you, even from the surface. Those two huge volcanic fins jutting out of the Pacific, looking like a sleeping lion. We’ve been a few times now, and it’s always a rush, a proper drift dive through the channel. Dropping in, the immediate sensation is the current tugging you along. You feel it, a steady push that carries you past walls adorned with black coral. Visibility can be a bit variable, sometimes a glorious 20 metres, other times a more modest 10 metres, but it rarely matters. The sheer volume of life compensates. We often spot whitetip reef sharks resting on the bottom or cruising through the channel, and the schools of darkfin amberjack and jacks can be immense, swirling walls of silver. Keep an eye out for olive grouper lurking in the crevices and the vibrant Fire Tentacle Anemones clinging to the rock face. This place truly shines for its pelagics and its dramatic topography, making it ideal for divers who appreciate a lively drift and big animal encounters. We'd suggest going in the morning, before the tour boats really start to stack up.