Los Coronados – Ensenada & Coronado Islands

Site Overview

Los Coronados is a volcanic archipelago 12 kilometres off the coast of Ensenada offering a unique cold-water diving experience where California Current ecosystems create kelp forests, sea lion colonies, and the colourful California garibaldi that is the state fish of California. The four islands form a protected marine area where nutrient-rich Pacific waters support dense giant kelp forests that create cathedral-like underwater environments with shafts of sunlight filtering through the canopy. California sea lions maintain a permanent colony on the islands, with juveniles regularly approaching divers for curious underwater interactions including playful fin-tugging and bubble-ring blowing. The California garibaldi, a brilliant orange damselfish, adds vibrant colour to the rocky reef environment alongside diverse rockfish species, moray eels, and the giant kelpfish that camouflages perfectly among the kelp fronds. The volcanic geology creates dramatic underwater topography with walls, boulder fields, and swim-throughs descending from the surface to 25 metres. Water temperatures range from 14°C in winter to 22°C in summer requiring a 7mm wetsuit with hood year-round. The kelp forest ecosystem provides a dramatically different diving experience from the tropical reefs of southern Mexico, with the towering kelp creating a three-dimensional underwater forest teeming with life. Despite the cooler water and variable visibility, the abundance of marine life and guaranteed sea lion encounters make Los Coronados the premier dive destination in the Ensenada region and a favourite for divers visiting from nearby San Diego seeking something beyond tropical reef diving.