Black Coral I & II
Two separate dives on a reef whose top lies at about 24 m over a sandy bottom at 30 m, crossed by channels that run perpendicular to the coast and reach the drop-off. The operator reports a resident group of more than 30 reef sharks that approach divers closely, plus sleeping stingrays, parrotfish, big black groupers and many jacks. Another Avalon trip report places Black Coral I at about 26 m on a coral mound.
Facts
- Region: Jardines de la Reina (Gardens of the Queen) – Cuba
- Area: Avalon operating area (southern shelf edge)
- Depth: 24–30 m
- Level: intermediate
- Current: low
- Type: reef, wall
- Coordinates: 20.755, -78.99 (approximate)
- Highlights: resident group of 30+ reef sharks, sleeping stingrays, black groupers, parrotfish, jacks
- Permit: Gardens of the Queen is a no-take national park (marine reserve since 1996, national park since 2010) with strictly limited visitor numbers: Avalon is the only operator licensed to take divers there (its site says up to 3,000 divers a year; another source says about 2,000), so there is no independent access by private boat or day trip - you must book a liveaboard/houseboat package with Avalon or a travel agent selling it. No separate park fee is published in the sources used; check what the package includes when booking.
- Issuer / contact: Avalon Diving Center / Cuban Diving Centers (Avalon Outdoor)
- Phone: +1 (707) 819 6660
- Email: diving@avalonoutdoor.com
- Website: https://cubandivingcenters.com/
- Phone/WhatsApp and e-mail as printed on the operator's own site (the park page of the same site prints info@cubandivingcenters.com). The sales office is in Argentina; no street address is published.
- Unverified: The exact mooring is not published; the marker is an estimate inside the park's Avalon operating area and is for orientation only.
- Tips: Liveaboard-only access: dive from the Avalon tenders with the group's guide. Sharks are used to divers - keep calm, do not chase or touch them.