CASTORE - Aruba Leeward Coast
The Castore is a dive for proper wreck hounds, sitting upright at 30 metres. It’s an old Italian cargo vessel, torpedoed by a German U-boat back in 1943, and the history just adds to the atmosphere. We love how much of the ship is still intact; the bow and stern are remarkably well-preserved. You can peer into open holds, imagine the cargo, and swim along the superstructure. Look out for barracuda lurking in the shadows, and schools of grunts and snapper darting through the rusted metalwork. It’s a slightly deeper dive, so good buoyancy control is key, but the visibility here usually means you can see the whole wreck appearing out of the blue as you descend. It’s our pick for a dive that offers both history and some serious exploration.
- Location
- Aruba Leeward Coast, Aruba, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 11.550000, -70.833336
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 30m
Best Time to Dive in Aruba Leeward Coast
The warmest water temperatures in Aruba Leeward Coast occur in January, averaging 27.7°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.7°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.7°C (air: 26.7°C)
- February: 27.7°C (air: 26.5°C)
- March: 27.7°C (air: 26.8°C)
- April: 27.7°C (air: 27.5°C)
- May: 27.7°C (air: 28.0°C)
- June: 27.7°C (air: 28.4°C)
- July: 27.7°C (air: 28.4°C)
- August: 27.7°C (air: 28.9°C)
- September: 27.7°C (air: 29.5°C)
- October: 27.7°C (air: 29.0°C)
- November: 27.7°C (air: 27.7°C)
- December: 27.7°C (air: 27.4°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Aruba Leeward Coast
- Airplanes (Wreck) (cave)
- Airplanes (Wreck) (wreck)
- Antilla (Wreck) (wreck)
- Antilla (Wreck) (reef)
- Antilla Wreck - 5-18m (wreck)
- Arashi Reef - 5-15m (reef)
- Arashi (Wreck) (wreck)
- Arashi (Wreck) (reef)
- Aruba (wreck)
- Aruba (reef)
- Barcadera Reef (reef)
- Barcadera Reef (reef)
- Blue Reef / Debbie II (Wreck) (wreck)
- Blue Reef / Debbie II (Wreck) (wreck)
- BORBURATA - 22m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to CASTORE
- Aqua Windies
- Aruba Watersafety Institute - SSI
- Fly and Dive
- JADS Dive Center - ["PADI"]
- Nautilus Dive Center Aruba - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Aruba Leeward Coast
Home to 92 recorded species including 55 reef fish, 7 sea snails & nudibranchs, 7 hard corals, 6 crabs & lobsters, 4 other, 4 seagrass & algae.
Notable Species
- Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
- Bay Whiff (Citharichthys spilopterus) - Reef Fish
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- killer alga (Caulerpa taxifolia) - Seagrass & Algae
- Yellowline Arrow Crab (Stenorhynchus seticornis) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Hieroglyphic Cone (Conus hieroglyphus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Elegant Brittle Star (Ophiolepis elegans)
- Sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca) - Seagrass & Algae
- West Indian Alphabet Cone (Conus spurius) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Orca (Orcinus orca) - Whales & Dolphins
- Blackspot Grenadier (Coelorinchus caelorhincus) - Reef Fish
- Atlantic Midshipman (Porichthys plectrodon) - Reef Fish
- Common Atlantic Grenadier (Nezumia aequalis) - Reef Fish
- Sand Dollar (Clypeaster subdepressus) - Sea Urchins
- Pacific Spotted Scorpionfish (Scorpaena plumieri) - Reef Fish
- Eyed Flounder (Bothus ocellatus) - Reef Fish
- Shortnose batfish (Ogcocephalus nasutus) - Reef Fish
- Lesser Starlet Coral (Siderastrea radians) - Hard Corals
- Finger Coral (Porites porites) - Hard Corals
Recommended Packing List for CASTORE
Based on average water temperature of 27.7°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories