María la Gorda
Cuba · Caribbean
Perched at Cuba's remote western tip, María la Gorda sits where the Gulf of Mexico meets the Caribbean — delivering some of the island's richest wall diving, black coral gardens, and a legendary cathedral cavern draped in sponges.
How this reef is doing
ⓘ How we measure thisReef state
Live science signals for this reef are still being gathered.
Coral cover
Fish life
Heat
Fishing
Open to fishing, and the water is fairly quiet.
Sources · Global Fishing Watch and reef gravity
What you will see
17 species across the dive sites here
Giant Caribbean Barrel Sponge
Seen 6 months ago
at Black Coral Garden
Nurse Shark
Seen 6 months ago
at Monkey Reef
Vulnerable
Atlantic Sergeant Major
Seen Mar 2025
at Black Coral Garden
Least concern
West Indian Fuzzy Chiton
Seen Mar 2025
at Black Coral Garden
Atlantic Blue Tang
Seen Mar 2025
at Black Coral Garden
Least concern
Loggerhead Kingbird
Seen Mar 2024
at Black Coral Garden
Least concern
Atlantic Goliath Grouper
Seen year round
at Monkey Reef
Vulnerable
Atlantic Spadefish
Seen year round
at El Farallón
Least concern
Black Coral
Seen year round
at Black Coral Garden
Caribbean Reef Shark
Seen year round
at El Farallón
Endangered
Caribbean Spiny Lobster
Seen year round
at The Cathedral
Creole Wrasse
Seen year round
at Black Coral Garden
Least concern
Green Moray
Seen year round
at El Farallón
Least concern
Horse-eye Jack
Seen year round
at The Cathedral
Least concern
Orange Elephant Ear Sponge
Seen year round
at The Cathedral
Queen Parrotfish
Seen year round
at Monkey Reef
Least concern
Caribbean Bluehead Wrasse
Rare sighting
at Black Coral Garden
Least concern
Dive sites
Black Coral Garden
black coral · creole wrasse · giant caribbean barrel sponge · atlantic blue tang
The Cathedral
horse-eye jack · caribbean spiny lobster · orange elephant ear sponge · atlantic blue tang
Monkey Reef
nurse shark · atlantic goliath grouper · queen parrotfish · atlantic blue tang
El Farallón
atlantic spadefish · caribbean reef shark · green moray · atlantic blue tang