Gordon Rocks

Gordon Rocks is a famous offshore Galapagos dive site known for large numbers of Pacific scalloped hammerhead sharks and other pelagic wildlife. The site is the submerged remains of an eroded volcanic tuff cone with three jagged islets above water and a U-shaped crater below. Underwater, steep near-vertical walls and four main pinnacles rise from a sandy crater floor, creating narrow channels, cleaning stations and complex topography. The dive is typically done as a challenging drift dive with very strong currents and surge; boat access is required and there is no shore entry. Typical descents reach about 30 m (crater floor around 35–40 m) and pinnacle tops lie in shallow water near 6–8 m; bottom times are generally 50–60 minutes. Visibility often ranges 10–25 m and water temperatures are roughly 16–20°C in the cool season and the low 20s°C in the warm season. Divers are advised to wear thick wetsuits, be proficient in drift techniques, use rock ledges or deploy surface markers when currents peak, and make safety stops away from the rocks if surge is high.