EL BAJON

El Bajón is El Hierro's most celebrated dive site and widely regarded as one of the top three shore-accessible dives in the Canary Islands — a volcanic pinnacle rising from 40 meters to within 8 meters of the surface off the island's southwestern tip, positioned in current-exposed open ocean that attracts pelagic species rarely seen elsewhere in the Canaries. El Hierro's status as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and a Marine Reserve has made this a well-protected and biologically rich dive. The pinnacle is circumnavigated as a drift or explored with a reverse profile, depending on current direction. The volcanic rock is sculpted into vertical walls, overhangs, and small caves, all covered in encrusting sponges, red corals, and gorgonian fans. Schools of amberjacks, bonitos, and small tunas patrol the pinnacle, and the deeper flanks attract large pelagic predators including occasional whale sharks, manta rays, and pilot whales that regularly pass the island. Marine life is characteristic of Canarian open-water diving. Dense schools of mackerel, jacks, and damselfish swirl around the pinnacle, while resident species include large groupers, moray eels, and the rare blacktail comber. Trigger fish, parrotfish, and wrasses populate the reef, and the volcanic walls shelter small cleaner shrimps, nudibranchs, and octopus. Sea turtles are common, and the site has recorded occasional sightings of hammerhead sharks and whale sharks during summer upwellings. El Bajón is Advanced Open Water diving due to the offshore position, potential strong currents, and the pinnacle's open-ocean exposure. Reached by boat from La Restinga dive operators (5-15 minutes). Visibility typically 25-40 meters (exceptional for the Canaries), water temperatures 19-24°C (cooler than the eastern islands). Best conditions May through November, with August-October peak for pelagic sightings. All dive operators on El Hierro operate under strict marine reserve rules.