Spotted Eagle Ray

Photo: Julian Jimenez · CC BY-NC-ND

Eagle rays cruise past El Farito in singles and small groups, often circling the pinnacle several times before moving on to feed on buried molluscs in the surrounding sand. Their white-spotted dorsal patterning makes them instantly recognisable as they bank against the blue, and encounters at the cleaning station occasionally involve rays that hover briefly to have parasites removed. Sightings are most frequent in morning hours when reduced boat traffic leaves the water calm.