LA PERLA - Lima & Palomino Islands
La Perla, a dredger vessel resting at a gentle 5 metres, is our kind of wreck dive. It’s not about depth or extreme currents here, but a chance to really slow down and appreciate the intricate life that’s claimed this old girl. We love cruising over her hull, seeing the rust-coloured metal now soft with sponge growth and anemones. Look closely around the mast structure; it's a magnet for tiny crabs and juvenile fish seeking shelter from the open water. You’ll spend your dive poking around the superstructure, maybe spotting a moray eel peeking from a crevice, or a playful sea lion darting past. The low depth means fantastic ambient light, painting the wreck in subtle blues and greens, and it’s perfect for photographers or anyone who just wants a relaxed, extended bottom time. Our favourite time to dive La Perla is mid-morning, after the initial boat traffic has thinned out a bit, and the sun is high enough to really illuminate the deck. It suits divers looking for character over coral, and a different kind of marine encounter.
- Location
- Lima & Palomino Islands, Peru, South America
- Coordinates
- -12.042944, -77.149280
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 5m
Marine Protected Area: Ancón
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)
Nearby Dive Sites in Lima & Palomino Islands
- AMORUSO SECONDO - 5m (wreck)
- Baja Huaman (reef)
- Baja Huaman
- Baja Loca (reef)
- Baja Loca
- Carbón (wall)
- Cerro Partido (reef)
- CHILE - 7m (wreck)
- CHIMBOTE (POSSIBLY) - 10m (wreck)
- DONA AMELIA - 15m (wreck)
- El Chuncho (reef)
- El Dado (reef)
- El Venado (cave)
- Gallinazo
- Grano de Oro (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to LA PERLA
- Globotierra Azul
- KangaruPeru
- Lufes A Diver's
- Naylamp Diving - ["PADI"]
- Pacific Divers - ["PADI"]
- RESKIU S.A.C. - SSI
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 LA PERLA
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