Darwins Arch

Darwin's Arch is a submerged volcanic rock formation just off Darwin Island in the Galápagos; the 2021 collapse left two tall rock pillars standing on the seafloor. The site is famous for large pelagic life, notably schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks and frequent Galápagos and silky sharks, with manta rays, occasional whale sharks, sea turtles and pods of dolphins also encountered. Accessible only by liveaboard, divers enter from the boat and descend through open-ocean currents to a steep vertical wall with rocky ledges and an 18 m deep plateau. Bottom depths range roughly from 9 m to over 40 m, visibility typically about 10–24 m, and water temperatures about 22–28 °C with a thermocline often near 20 m. Currents are generally moderate to very strong so divers commonly use reef hooks or hold onto rocks; because of the depth, cold water, surge, strong currents and remote location the dive is considered advanced, with minimum experience often cited around 50 dives.