Marine life profile
Eels
Recorded at 99 dive sitesWhere divers encounter it
Explore Eels around the world
Eels are ray-finned fish belonging to the order Anguilliformes, which consists of eight suborders, 20 families, 164 genera, and about 1000 species. Often territorial around a chosen crevice, it watches passing divers and emerges farther when hunting after dark.
Meet the species
What to look for
How to Recognize It
Look for an elongated body emerging from reef holes or moving with a smooth, ribbon-like wave.
How It Behaves
Often territorial around a chosen crevice, it watches passing divers and emerges farther when hunting after dark.
Special Ability
A flexible body lets it hunt deep inside cracks that most reef predators cannot enter.
Dive responsibly
Share the water well
How to Approach
Remain outside the shelter, keep fingers clear and use a steady light rather than pushing a camera into the opening.
Safety
Never feed or handle an eel. Its bite is defensive, fast and capable of causing a serious injury.
Worth knowing
The detail you remember
Interesting Facts
Eels undergo considerable development from the early larval stage to the eventual adult stage and are usually predators.
Where to Find
Inspect reef cracks, wreck openings, rocky ledges and rubble fields, particularly during dusk and night dives.
Known countries
Sightings map
Eels locations
Plan a dive
Dive sites with reported encounters
Deep/multilevel dive. 90 ft maximum depth. Decent line. Scuttled in October of 2000, this WWII era US Navy gun ship is now fully encrusted in coral growth. Home to sting rays, eels and barracuda. When in season, spotted eagle rays can be seen flying over the wreck. Schools of bait fish and their predators can often be seen.
Aquarium
Mexico
Intermediate site. 47 feet maximum depth. No decent line. Also know as Jardines or finger reef, this site is expansive with many routs through its riches of life. Mini canons (fingers) of coral where you can drop down out of the current and be surrounded by healthy reef, but good buoyancy control is key. Large schools of pork fish and grunts, eels, rays and sometimes turtles can be seen here.
The barge carrying cars and trucks from the 50s, were sunk in the early 70s to create an artificial reef and encourage marine life back into the area. The cars and trucks are now totally integrated into the reef - look out for moral eels swimming through car headlamps, and check out your reflection in the chrome bumpers... Car Pile starts at approx 45 ft / 13m and gets increasingly interesting the deeper you go so watch your depth! Explore the shallow reef on your way back for a super-long and very pretty safety “go”. Easy, sandy entry at The Dive Bus house reef, Pierbaai
Cliff
Caribbean Netherlands
Entry at second gate Hamlet Oasis. Easy rocky entrance and you will find a pipe on your right (navigation marker) running down the reef. The reef starts straight from the shore. Follow the reef to the South, after about 10 minutes the reef becomes a huge vertical wall covered with beautiful plate corals and whip corals. Lots of creatures hiding in and on the wall. if you continue following the wall at around 18-meter depth you will come across some big elephant ear sponges. Keep an eye out for jacks and tarpons in the deeper part. When good on air you can continue to the little wreck of "La Machaca" which you will found at around 15-meter depth 30 to 35 minutes into the dive. This makes a good return point, head back in the shallower parts where you will find an abundance of life. Once you find back the pipe, that's you exit point. Perfect for the advanced course, with skills such as deep, navigation, fish ID, etc. Great for a night dive.
Leybourne Lake
United Kingdom
Scuba Diving at Leybourne Lakes offers a serene and accessible experience for divers, particularly those seeking training opportunities or relaxed dives in a natural setting. Located in Kent, this popular inland dive site is part of Leybourne Lakes Country Park, a scenic area featuring multiple lakes surrounded by lush greenery. The dive lake at Leybourne reaches depths of up to 14 meters, making it an excellent location for beginners and intermediate divers looking to hone their skills. Its clear, calm waters provide ideal conditions for training and leisurely exploration. The lake also features various submerged attractions, including training platforms, small wrecks, and other underwater objects, creating a fun and engaging environment.
Mosquera
Ecuador
Mosquera (NORTH) Site Conditions: Normally there are no strong currents, sandy bottom between 10 meters with garden eels and pelagic species. North Mosquera presents a sandy rock area that connects with Seymour channel where must be found reef fishes and tintoreras rest. Activity: Hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, black-tipped reef sharks, white-tipped reef sharks, sea lions, turtles, barracudas, reef fishes, stingrays, eagle rays, mobulas, Galápagos eel, variety of invertebrates. MOSQUERA (SOUTH) Site Conditions: There are no strong currents; a big reef of 5 meters with an inclination ravine of 18mtr with black coral and mollusks invertebrates; there is also a submarine cany on from18 meters with pelagic species. Activity: Hammer head sharks, black-tipped reef sharks, white-tipped reef sharks, sea lions, turtles, barracudas, reef fishes, sting rays, eagle rays, mobulas, Galápagos eel, variety of invertebrates.
Zamami Island
Japan
Head South to go deep or run along the shoreline. Bottom is a mix of reef and san bottom. Not abnormal to see a few turtles in the area. Plenty of fish and eel. As well as an occasional reef shark.
Amfiteatre dive
Croatia
Amfiteatre dive is a drop-off dive of best sort. It can be a dive for highly advanced divers and beginners as well, just depends on depth you go over the wall. Ine part of the wall is in overhang and looks like amfiteatre.
Baia do Pocâo
Portugal
Nice dive site close to the rocky shore. This is a boat dive. Depth varies from 10 to 18 meters. Prismatic rock formations with some sandy bottoms. Nice to follow the shoreline during the dive.
Black Forest - Grand Cayman
Cayman Islands
Perched on the edge of the drop off are massive coral heads, with sloping sandy bottom to the drop off. Big canyon ways to swim around and explore.
Black Forest - Grenada
Grenada
Named for the Black Gorgonians that are found from halfway down the 40ft slope to the bottom at about 73 ft / 21 mtrs. There are numerous holes and this also is the start of the large Orange Elephant ear sponges lending their colour to this magnificent reef.
Flat Rock
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Just 20 minutes drive from the dive centre is the dive at Flat Rock, it has a maximum depth of 21m/70ft, and is typically dived as a drift dive from North-South and ending on a beautiful sloping reef for the safety stop.
Frogner
United Kingdom
Frogner was a Norwegian steamship that sank 25th April 1918. The depth is at 35m. It’s been extensively salvaged but still a great wreck to dive, although it’s deep location makes it best for advanced divers.
Gili Layar Corner
Indonesia
Ten minutes from Lombok Eco Dive Resort. Mini wall start from 5m to 20m. White sandy bottom and soft corals. Mild current sometimes can be present on this site.
Greenstone Beach
New Zealand
Greenstone Beach features a rocky shoreline starting at 5 meters depth with a sloping 45 degree rocky reef with large boulders dotted along the coastline.
Jeff Rocks
Virgin Islands, British
Located on east side of Carrot Rock, this dive site offers vertical rock towers and pinnacles. Overhangs offer lots of shelter for schooling reef fish and eels. Best dived from a boat with a little current running to the south.
L’Anse Chemin/Long Point
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Around a 30 minute drive from the dive shop is the beautiful L’Anse Chemin or Long Point dive site. Advanced divers use the often strong currents to drift along this beautiful steeply sloping reef, down to max depth of 30m/100ft, shallowing up along the point to complete a safety stop.
Los Nidos
Mexico
Good Check Out Dive for Sea of Cortez/Midriff Islands Liveaboards. Max depth 65 FT, water temp 80-82 in August. Little to no current. A lot of macro, small sting rays, and schools of fish.
lunbo giri
Maldives
Lumboa Giri is located quite close to Kuda Giri, and it’s a quite similar dive site, although smaller and without the wreck. A nice pinnacle, with an interesting configuration, it boasts with nice hard & soft corals, a good fish life, and makes for an interesting macro option.
Maccallum Girls
Honduras
Roatan is characterized by its abundance in Barrier Reefs. This type of coral reef usually runs parallel to the shoreline and divers can experience barrier reefs all around the island of Roatan. More info to come.
Metlikova
Croatia
Approach from diving school: 25 minutes, beautiful steep wall between 10 - 40m, very nice plateau with gold sponge meadow and varied shallow area.
Midnight Snapper Run
Indonesia
7 minutes from Nabucco Islands in south-southeast direction is this beautiful dive site. A steep slope with a sandy plateau at 23-28 meters adjacent steep wall. Dive with the left shoulder to the wall.
Nemo Base
Poland
In the center of Giewartów, we turn towards the church on the council. about 200 on the left we have a gate to the “Palace“. We open the gate is usually postponed but not closed. After entering, we go to the “Palace: informing that for diving and the fee is 10 PLN per car. (Not divers 20 PLN)
Paradise Eilat,פראדייס אילת
Israel
Surrounding one of the most popular site in Eilat (“The Satil“), is a vast field of coral reef.Entrance is in front of the Marina divers club.This is a deep dive, for advanced divers.