El Planchón
Gorgona Island · Colombia
El Planchón is a flat-topped seamount rising from 30 metres to within 10 metres of the surface, acting as a cleaning and feeding station for the largest pelagics in Gorgona's waters. Whale sharks visit regularly from June through November, gliding over the plateau to take advantage of the plankton blooms generated by upwelling, while manta rays perform slow barrel rolls above the rocky summit as reef fish remove parasites. The seamount's walls drop sharply into deep blue water where silvertip sharks patrol alongside the occasional tiger shark.
Conditions
Depth
10 to 40 m
Advanced depths
Current
Often strong
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
15 to 30 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
22 to 28°C
5mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 |
| Vis (m) | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 10 |
| Current | Moderate | Moderate | Gentle | Gentle | Moderate | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Western Basilisk
Last confirmed Mar 14, 2026 · 17 records
Very likely
Most dives
Painted Ghost Crab
Last confirmed Aug 23, 2025 · 5 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Ecuadorian Hermit Crab
Last confirmed Aug 23, 2025 · 6 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Silvertip Shark
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Central American Boa
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Whale Shark
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Giant Oceanic Manta Ray
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Blue Anole
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear