Devils Claw

Devil's Claw is a boat-access reef-and-wall dive off the leeward west coast of San Salvador near Long Bay, centered on a distinctive triple-crevice coral formation that resembles a claw with a freestanding coral head. The site features coral outcrops, pillar coral colonies, coral caves and large elephant-ear sponges in deeper sections and is widely regarded as one of the island's top dive sites. The reef supports a productive ecosystem; tropical fish are abundant, with groupers and sharks often seen near the deep drop-offs and quillfin blennies common in the lower crevices. Entry is by boat on a fixed mooring buoy; the bottom under the boat starts around 45 ft on hardpan sand. Typical navigation is across the reef into the three parallel crevices, circumnavigating the claw, then swimming northeast along the wall before crossing the top and descending along the wall prior to returning to the boat. Depths range from about 45 ft on the reef to a first drop to roughly 80 ft and a second drop down to approximately 100–150 ft. Visibility is very clear, often exceeding 100 ft. Strong currents are not specifically noted, but the site is treated as an advanced deep dive; divers should be prepared for deep depths and plan appropriate ascent and decompression stops as needed.