Roja Piedra
Paracas · Peru
Roja Piedra — Red Rock — is a submerged volcanic rock formation that juts into the open Pacific swell, where the full force of the Humboldt Current funnels along its flanks and attracts cold-water pelagics to the site. Hammerhead sharks and common thresher sharks patrol the blue water on the current-exposed side, while the lee side shelters a dense community of invertebrates and cold-adapted reef fish. This is Paracas' most advanced site, best suited to experienced divers comfortable in open-water current conditions and temperatures that regularly drop below 15 degrees Celsius.
Conditions
Depth
10 to 40 m
Advanced depths
Current
Often strong
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
15 to 25 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
12 to 21°C
7mm wetsuit or drysuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| Vis (m) | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 |
| Current | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Humboldt Penguin
Last confirmed Jun 30, 2026 · 213 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
American Oystercatcher
Last confirmed Jun 30, 2026 · 85 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Sally Lightfoot Crab
Last confirmed Jun 30, 2026 · 83 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Ruddy Turnstone
Last confirmed Apr 20, 2026 · 74 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Scalloped Hammerhead Shark
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Common Thresher Shark
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear