El Pelado / Islote El Pelado - Isla de la Plata
El Pelado often brings in the bigger stuff, especially during the plankton blooms. We’ve seen manta rays cruising the walls here, and sometimes schools of hammerheads pass through deeper. It’s a drift dive, so good buoyancy helps, and it’s best for divers comfortable with some current looking for pelagics.
- Location
- Isla de la Plata, Ecuador, South America
- Coordinates
- -2.183333, -80.883330
Marine Protected Area: Puntilla de Santa Elena
Best Time to Dive in Isla de la Plata
The warmest water temperatures in Isla de la Plata occur in February, averaging 27.3°C. The coolest conditions are in August at 24.8°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 26.4°C
- February: 27.3°C
- March: 27.2°C
- April: 26.4°C
- May: 26.7°C
- June: 26.4°C
- July: 25.3°C
- August: 24.8°C
- September: 24.8°C
- October: 25.3°C
- November: 25.1°C
- December: 25.3°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Isla de la Plata
- AZOREANA - 4m (wreck)
- BLACK SAND I - 11m (wreck)
- BON BINI - 10m (wreck)
- BP GUAZAR - 2m (wreck)
- DARWIN - 7m (wreck)
- Dive and Surf
- DON VICTOR - 3m (wreck)
- El Pelado
- Isla Salango
- Isla Salango
- Islas Los Ahorcados
- Islas Los Ahorcados
- JAMBELI - 9m (wreck)
- JUAN BAUTISTA - 4m (wreck)
- Llaviucu
Nearest Dive Centres to El Pelado / Islote El Pelado
Marine Life in Isla de la Plata
Home to 148 recorded species including 124 reef fish, 8 whales & dolphins, 5 other, 5 sharks & rays, 2 hard corals, 1 sea cucumbers.
Notable Species
- Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea)
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Mexican hogfish (Bodianus diplotaenia) - Reef Fish
- Brown Sea Cucumber (Isostichopus fuscus) - Sea Cucumbers
- Barberfish (Johnrandallia nigrirostris) - Reef Fish
- Chameleon wrasse (Halichoeres dispilus) - Reef Fish
- Sea Bass (Epinephelus labriformis) - Reef Fish
- Cortez Rainbow Wrasse (Thalassoma lucasanum) - Reef Fish
- Threeband Butterflyfish (Chaetodon humeralis) - Reef Fish
- Acapulco damselfish (Stegastes acapulcoensis) - Reef Fish
- Short-beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis) - Whales & Dolphins
- Bumphead Parrotfish (Scarus perrico) - Reef Fish
- Spinster wrasse (Halichoeres nicholsi) - Reef Fish
- King Angelfish (Holacanthus passer) - Reef Fish
- Razor Surgeonfish (Prionurus laticlavius) - Reef Fish
- Large-banded Blenny (Ophioblennius steindachneri) - Reef Fish
- Black coral (Antipathes galapagensis) - Hard Corals
- Sabertooth Blenny (Plagiotremus azaleus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for El Pelado / Islote El Pelado
Based on average water temperature of 25.9°C, currents 4 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 26°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- 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