Antofagasta

Antofagasta Province

Chile

The dive can be bad, depending on visibility.  Seek to go out of the bay or hug the shore. 
The area is quite populated with giant manta rays.  You don't hear of dangerous encounters, but you are sure to find one. 

From Antofagasta, drive to Juan Lopez.  Go to the end of the main road and you will arrive at a small cove called Acapulco.

Acapulco Beach is also known as Juan López Beach, Playa Acapulco.

Acapulco Beach

Enter the water from beach right where the padi flag is shown.  Head west and then follow the walls to the north.  The bottom is sandy beach with rock and kelp islands.  Lots of fish.  Those planing a B-Q may get some fish by snorkelling in the shallows.  The area to the south is still unexplored. go try it out.

From Antofagasta, drive towards Juan Lopes and veer of to the Isla Santa Maria, around Cerro Moreno.  Take a left at the turn off to Caleta Constitucion and drive southward, past the scallop farm.  Stay on the well marked road and go over the pass (4x4 needed), a few switchbacks and head south.  Access Google to take a good look at the road to the site: it looks like a lava tube, but it is well marked by other users.  The place is safe to leave the vehicle at the beach.

Colin's double strike is also known as The Hidden Lagoon.

Colin's double strike

From this beach there are 2 dives.  You go north at about 15 Ft until you reach the drop-off to 50 Ft.  Then either go north-west along the wall.  At the far end it's 92 Ft depth and you turn around or you go North-East.  This side needs good navigators that can find their way back.  The second is notorious for diving among the tall 6-foot kelp.  Excellent for spear fishing your meal.

Drive from Antofagasta to Juan Lopez.  Go around the Cerro Moreno hills to Isla Santa Maria.  Go past the scallop farm and seek a small 4x4 road directly south of the farm that bring you up on the lava plateau.  Head west to the tip that looks over Isla Santa Maria.  Once you get out of the vehicle you'll see a small beach, where the dive starts.  The is a path down.  This beach is excellent for camping...just bring you own wood.
Request Chilegreentours.com to help locate this site

The beach is also known as La Playa.

The beach

This dive starts off at the place one goes to Anemone Wall.  Instead of going south, you head off north-west, keeping the wall on your right.  Stay at 70' and you will com accross a large monolith spire resembling Easter Island's rock carvings of Moai.  Work your way down on the wall and you will see a large cave.  Going back, go through the kelp, the life in it is fascinating and teeming with fish.

Use the Access description of Anemone Wall.  The starting point is the same

The trail of the Moai is also known as El sendero del Moai.

The trail of the Moai

It's a very picturesque dive in that you keep the wall on your right and you pass by a number of rock formations.  One looks like a spire, the kind of a statue of Easter Island, reason for the Moai name.  Look for the cave at 90 feet just north of the Moai.  Come back through the kelp or venture yourself around the island and come back through the channel...a few daredevils have.

From Antofagasta head towards Juan Lopez, go around Cerro Moreno to the Island of Santa Maria. Take a left at the turn off to Caleta Constitucion, stay on the road heading south, past the scallop farm.  Then get off the road and drive on the hard sand and aim to go west.  A steep trail (only accessible with 4x4) takes you to the top of the hill you see from the Scallop farm.  Head west and follow GPS to the dive site.  Park you cart at the top and walk your gear down to the small inlet you see from the road. Same access as Anemone Wall

The Moai Trail is also known as El sendero del Moai.

The Moai Trail

The name is testament of those not making entry during the "calm".  Surges come every 15 min to 18 minutes...you need to time them.  They last 5 to 7 waves.  If you find yourself returning during a "Surge" hug one of the walls. There is a 60 Ft vertical cave at the south west entry point, a one-at-the-time cave, with some turns, make sure you play the smaller swells.  Go around the island in front. Big wall, some sun fish to play with.  There is another dive to the north West. It's called the "Sunken Island".

From Antofagasta, drive towards Juan Lopez, go around Cerro Moreno hills to Isla Santa maria, go south at the turn-off to Caleta Constitucion. Pass the scallop farm, south from there and climb the steep hill to the lava outflows (4x4 needed). Head west.  This spot was also called "Spot 1" by the first divers, being the first of three spots (northen most) in that area.  Anemone wall is "Spot # 3".  You see the spot only if you get out of the vehicle. a 15 second walk awaits you to one of the nicest dives in this area

Cauldron of Death is also known as Olla de la Muerte, Spot #3.

Cauldron of Death

One of the best spots in the area, big and colourfull sponges, schoolfishes, some sea lions, on summer time may see mola mola (pez luna).

Drive north from Antofagasta to Juan Lopez, Isla Santa María after passing La Rinconada Beach, Take Santa María-Caleta Constitución and reach Bolsico (caleta Errázuriz). By Boat aprox 15 minutes to the south.

El Acuario de Santa María

The sunken reef is a superb dive that can test your skills: the Padi flag for this dive has been located at the start, where the cut is to go to Anemone wall.  Go past the cut headed west and keep the wall on your left.  You will soon find that as the sandy bottom keeps dropping, you will level off at 80-90 Ft...don't go any deeper, no need, in fact keep that depth until the reef vanishes, then start coming up and go around the reef, keeping it on your left. the challenge is to find the cut on your way back.  Watch the surges at shallow depth. The reef is full of kelp and fish.  You'll find lots of conger here.

Follow the access seen in Anemone Wall.  The dive site starts at the same spot as Anemone wall.

The sunken reef is also known as El arecife hundido.

The sunken reef

This dive is a long one and you must go south from the dive entry point.  Go through the "cut", a narrow channel visible before you go in...play the surges.  Then one out of the cut, head south.  You will soon reach a deep wall, the anemone wall is at about 70 Ft, at that point the bottom is at about 160;  it's generally crystal clear.  Seven gill sharks have been seen here.  Expect sea lion company.  It's a challenge to find the "cut" on the way back.  To reach the wall, will take you some 20 min.  You'll be back after 45 min.  Temp is 55-62 F

Take road from Antofagasta to Juan Lopez. Go around the hills to Isla Santa Maria.  Go past the scalop farm and with a 4 x 4 go up the hill that leads you west.  You will border lava outflows.  This site is the southern most access by vehicle.  You'll find it by getting out of thge vehicle and checking all access.  You must walk with gear down to the rock outcrop.  Just watch for the recurring 15-18 min surges that last 7 waves.

Anemone Wall is also known as Pared de las Anemonas.

Anemone Wall

This site is frequented by sea lions and otters.  Large fish (Peje Perro).  It's good for beginners if they don't wander off.  The name comes from a feeling one gets once diving the wall, with the lushious kelp and the sandy bottom at 105 Ft, combined with the good visibility, when you cross a channel, you will get vertigo.  Just ensure you change position with your buddy, or keep each other in sight.  At the point past the abyss, you can continue your dive inside the 2 meter tall kelp jungle.  Life in it is breathtaking.  Keep an eye on you time....lots to get side tracked on.

From Antofagasta drive towards Juan Lopez.  Go around Cerro Moreno to the Isla de Santa Maria. At the turn off to Caleta Constitucion, go left, south, past the scallop farm, soth and go up a 50 meter narrow steep (4x4 needed) trail up the hill and follow the lava flows and trails.  Nead west.  This also was called "Spot #2", one of three spots close to each other.  Follow your GPS to the spot.  You can back into the dive place quite close.  You'll recognize it by the long channel.  

The Abyss is also known as El Abismo, Spot #2.

The Abyss

This dive is a difficult one in that there are strong surges and not really a current.  They bring a lot of food around and provides divers a unique opportunity to see schools of "Hacha" fish, similar to the juvenile angelfish in the caribean, except these are about 30 cm diameter.  The bottom has bizarre monoliths like the Portada itself and one can get easily lost.  You enter at about 70 Ft and go towards the Portada.  Just be cautious of the currents.  Don't take cameras, they will get banged up pretty badly. Common visitors are penguins (local name "boys of the sea").

By boat.  You can hire a boat from the Antofagasta market area.  The fishermen will be glad to take you.

Acapulco Beach

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving at Acapulco Beach