Our Lanzarote hotel was situated on a rocky cliff overlooking a small bay. In the photo below you can see the small floating dock they have for diving and fishing. Even at low tide you are in 8-10 feet of water right off the dock.

I managed to snorkel off the dock at least once a day while we were there, and found that I preferred the conditions in the mid-morning, around 10-11a for calm water and good light.  Within about 20-30 yards of the dock in either direction you’d start to see more sea life. Here are some of our favorites.

sea hare- about the size of an American football!

ornate wrasse checking me out

I think these were anchovies

Salema porgies

underwater landscape

Snakelocks Anemone

  
pufferfish and lizardfish

Canary damsel aka Neon riffbarsh – very cheeky, and quite intrigued by my camera

underwater ecosystem

Water temperatures were fairly cool but because the dock was less than a three-minute walk from our room, I could snorkel in 30 minute bursts. I was surprised at the amount of sea life so close to a developed shore, and I’d love to return and try out additional sites in the future.