El Cabrón (Arinaga Marine Reserve)

El Cabrón sits on the east coast of Gran Canaria at the Punta de la Sal headland, so the Canaries' dominant NW Atlantic groundswell is largely shadowed by the island landmass, leaving the western and northwestern sectors blocked. The site faces open water toward the east and ESE and is fully exposed to easterly and southeasterly swell, and to the wind-waves driven by the persistent N-NE trade winds that funnel down this coast. On a forceful swell the rocky entry becomes hazardous and surge builds inside the caves and arches, so divers pick the more sheltered swim-throughs and time dives to calmer days.