El Chuncho - Lima & Palomino Islands

Joeys’ Maze in the Bay of Islands is one of those sites that just feels… playful. We love drifting through the tight canyons and channels that give it its name, feeling the gentle surge nudge us along. It’s a proper maze, too; we’ve definitely taken a few wrong turns over the years, which is half the fun. It’s not a deep dive, maxing out around 16m, but there’s so much to explore. The kelp is thick here, creating shadowy hideouts for olive rockfish and black cod. Keep an eye out for Big-belly seahorses clinging to the stalks; they’re surprisingly camouflaged. Our favourite trick is to spot the patches of clean white sand between the coral and kelp, usually a good indicator of where a southern eagle ray might be resting. Visibility averages around 8m, which feels just right for the intimate scale of the maze. We’d suggest going at slack tide to really take your time poking into every nook and cranny. It’s perfect for open water divers looking for something a bit more adventurous than a simple drift, but still very manageable.

Location: Lima & Palomino Islands, Peru, South America
Coordinates: -12.472400, -76.798600
Type: reef

Marine Protected Area: Sistema de Islas, Islotes y Puntas Guaneras

Best Time to Dive in Lima & Palomino Islands

The warmest water temperatures in Lima & Palomino Islands occur in January, averaging 22.5°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 22.5°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

January: 22.5°C (air: 19.9°C)
February: 22.5°C (air: 20.7°C)
March: 22.5°C (air: 20.8°C)
April: 22.5°C (air: 19.6°C)
May: 22.5°C (air: 17.7°C)
June: 22.5°C (air: 16.8°C)
July: 22.5°C (air: 16.1°C)
August: 22.5°C (air: 15.7°C)
September: 22.5°C (air: 15.4°C)
October: 22.5°C (air: 15.6°C)
November: 22.5°C (air: 16.8°C)
December: 22.5°C (air: 18.0°C)

Nearest Dive Centres to El Chuncho

Marine Life in Lima & Palomino Islands

Home to 40 recorded species including 28 reef fish, 3 whales & dolphins, 3 other, 3 sharks & rays, 1 clams & mussels, 1 sea snails & nudibranchs.

Notable Species

Springer (Mugil cephalus) - Reef Fish
Cabinza Grunt (Isacia conceptionis) - Reef Fish
Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax) - Reef Fish
Punctuated snake-eel (Ophichthus remiger) - Reef Fish
Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - Whales & Dolphins
Jack Mackerel (Trachurus murphyi) - Reef Fish
Pompano (Trachinotus paitensis) - Reef Fish
Allison's Tuna (Thunnus albacares) - Reef Fish
Atlantic chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) - Reef Fish
Mojarra (Eucinostomus currani) - Reef Fish
American Elephantfish (Callorhinchus callorynchus)
Jack (Selene peruviana) - Reef Fish
Savigny's Brittle Star (Ophiactis savignyi)
Common Snook (Centropomus undecimalis) - Reef Fish
Red Scorpionfish (Pontinus furcirhinus) - Reef Fish
Smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena) - Sharks & Rays
Finescale Triggerfish (Balistes polylepis) - Reef Fish
Short-beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis) - Whales & Dolphins
Scad (Trachurus picturatus) - Reef Fish
Californian Needlefish (Strongylura exilis) - Reef Fish

Recommended Packing List for El Chuncho

Based on average water temperature of 22.5°C.

Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 23°C water
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