Darwin's Arch (Darwin's Towers)
Wall drift beside the pillars of the arch that collapsed in May 2021, with large numbers of hammerheads, silky and Galápagos sharks.
- Experienced
- Drift
- Whale sharks
Advanced≤30 m
Gordon Rocks
Dive site in Galápagos, Ecuador
- Max depth
- 35 m
- Level
- Advanced
- Best months
- Jun–Nov
- Entry
- By boat
- Current
- Strong
The dive
A pinnacle dive from a boat. Known for whale sharks, galápagos sharks and hammerhead sharks.
Who it's for
Advanced≤30 mSource: galapagosinsiders.com
Recommended minimum: Advanced (PADI Advanced Open Water, N2).
- CurrentCurrent can be strong; you need good air management and buoyancy.
- DriftYou move with the current and surface away from where you started.
- Strong current: dive with a local guide and carry a surface marker buoy.
- The site goes deeper than 30 m: Advanced divers stay above 30 m.
Conditions
- Dive type
- Pinnacle
- Environment
- Open water
- Water
- Sea water
What you might see
- Whale sharks
- Galápagos sharks
- Hammerhead sharks
- Sea lions
- Turtles
- Eagle rays
- Mola mola (sunfish)
Season in Galápagos
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- Best
- Good
- Possible
- Closed
- Not documented yet
Best months: Jun–Nov.
Source: galapagosinsiders.comWhere is the Galápagos?
The point shows the Galápagos area, not the exact dive site.
More dives in Galápagos
Kicker Rock (León Dormido)
- Advanced
- Wall
- Blacktip reef sharks
Drift
down to 25 m
Mosquera Islet
A gentle drift between Seymour and Baltra over a 15-18 m sandy floor, where hammerheads, curious sea lions and turtles pass by.
- Open Water
- Hammerhead sharks
Drift
down to 50 m
Punta Vicente Roca
Cold-upwelling wall off Isabela where mola mola are a signature sighting and seahorses and frogfish hide in the crevices.
- Advanced
- Sea lions
Wall
down to 33 m
Cape Douglas (Cabo Douglas)
- Advanced
- Sea lions
Pinnacle
down to 20 m
Devil’s Crown
- Advanced
- Hammerhead sharks
About this page
Values marked “Estimated” come from our original catalogue and are being checked against published sources one by one. Sourced values link to where they come from. Conditions change with the season, the weather and the tide: confirm with a local dive centre before you dive.
Photo credits
- The two pillars left after the collapse of Darwin's Arch, 2024, Scopoli, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Dive boats beside Kicker Rock (León Dormido), Galápagos, MusikAnimal, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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