El Ancla (The Anchor)

A broad rocky plateau at the southern tip of Wolf Island named for a rusting anchor wedged into basalt at 18 m. The flat shelf funnels the Cromwell Undercurrent into an upwelling that aggregates whale sharks from June through November and draws schools of scalloped hammerheads in numbers regularly exceeding 200 individuals. Galápagos sharks patrol the mid-water column while eagle rays cruise in formation overhead. Surge can be moderate but conditions are calmer than the exposed north face, making this the preferred site when swell exceeds 2 m.