Pipín
Coral reef at about 15 m at the mooring, cut by canyons and caves that run perpendicular to the coast and fall away to the drop-off at about 24 m. The operator lists big schools of grunts, many jacks, silver tarpon in groups of 10-50, turtles and eagle rays along the wall, occasional great hammerheads, and silky sharks that often come up near the surface during the safety stop.
Facts
- Region: Jardines de la Reina (Gardens of the Queen) – Cuba
- Area: Avalon operating area (southern shelf edge)
- Depth: 15–24 m
- Level: intermediate
- Current: low
- Type: reef, wall, cave
- Coordinates: 20.775, -78.9 (approximate)
- Highlights: canyons and caves, grunt schools, jacks, tarpon, turtles, eagle rays, great hammerhead (occasional), silky sharks at the safety stop
- 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. Depths and wildlife are from the operator's own description 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.