Mosquera is an ideal location for both swimming and snorkelling, with an array of beautiful marine life to be enjoyed in the crystal clear and calm waters.

On the eastern shoreline, large rocks form a boulder slope that terraces down into the water from depths between 6 and 15 meters. The sandy sea bed is home to an incredible collection of exciting marine life, including diamond and marbled rays, octopus, moray eels and white tipped reef sharks.

Other marine life to look out for includes schools of Peruvian grunts, yellowtail grunts, blue-striped snappers, Galapagos grunts and surgeonfish.

Sally lightfoot crabs can often be seen scampering along the rocks and tide pool areas in search of food.  They follow the line of the tide, eating the remains of any algae and detritus left behind. The fascinating crabs are very sensitive to movement around them and as such are quick to escape from any potential threat posed by their natural predators of herons, moray eels and hawkfish.  This swift escape mechanism is in stark contrast to that of the laid back marine iguanas of which the sally lighfoot crab clambers over on route.  The dazzling reddish orange crabs look stunning against the black lava backdrop and make for an interesting photograph.

The island is inhabited by large colonies of sea lions which spend their days lazing on the beach or swimming playfully with snorkelers.

Photographs kindly provided by Alexis Mackleworth, Eric-Jan Rijkhorst & Dan Holmes

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