SANTO DOMINGO - María la Gorda
The Santo Domingo wreck in María la Gorda sits in just three metres of water, a real shallow treat. This old steamship lies broken up, its hull plates and superstructure scattered across the sand, making for an easy, relaxed dive. We’ve found plenty of schooling fish darting through the rusted metal, and the occasional stingray likes to bury itself nearby. It’s perfect for a second dive or even a snorkel, and the open nature of the site means you can really explore without any penetration.
- Location
- María la Gorda, Cuba, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 22.064167, -83.897500
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 3m
Marine Protected Area: Cayos de San Felipe
Best Time to Dive in María la Gorda
The warmest water temperatures in María la Gorda occur in August, averaging 30.8°C (up to 31.8°C). The coolest conditions are in February at 26.6°C.
The calmest sea conditions are typically in September with average wave heights of 0.70m. Average current speed: 5.0 cm/s.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 26.7°C (air: 26.2°C)
- February: 26.6°C (air: 26.4°C)
- March: 26.8°C (air: 26.5°C)
- April: 27.6°C (air: 27.4°C)
- May: 28.7°C (air: 28.2°C)
- June: 29.4°C (air: 28.8°C)
- July: 30.4°C (air: 29.4°C)
- August: 30.8°C (air: 29.5°C)
- September: 30.4°C (air: 29.5°C)
- October: 29.8°C (air: 29.0°C)
- November: 28.7°C (air: 27.9°C)
- December: 27.5°C (air: 26.8°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in María la Gorda
Nearest Dive Centres to SANTO DOMINGO
- Blue centro de buceo
- Blue Scuba Dive Club
- Centro de buceo Caballeros de Mar - Federación Cubana de Actividades Subacuáticas
- Centro de Buceo Cuba Ocean Diving
- Centro de Buceo Cuba Ocean Diving - La Habana
- Club de Buceo
Marine Life in María la Gorda
Home to 109 recorded species including 85 reef fish, 9 hard corals, 6 sharks & rays, 4 other, 3 whales & dolphins, 2 sea snails & nudibranchs.
Notable Species
- Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
- Silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis) - Sharks & Rays
- American Manatee (Trichechus manatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) - Hard Corals
- Bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) - Reef Fish
- Blue Marlin (Makaira nigricans) - Reef Fish
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Graysby (Cephalopholis cruentata) - Reef Fish
- Blackfish (Melichthys niger) - Reef Fish
- Crow de brass star (Carcharhinus longimanus) - Sharks & Rays
- Marlin (Kajikia albida) - Reef Fish
- Barracuda (Acanthocybium solandri) - Reef Fish
- Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) - Reef Fish
- Grooved brain coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis) - Hard Corals
Recommended Packing List for SANTO DOMINGO
Based on average water temperature of 28.6°C, visibility 23 nmi, currents 8 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°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