Los Coches de Marina del Este - Cabo de Palos
Los Coches, off Marina del Este, isn't just a dive; it’s a peek into a different kind of history, one that settled on the seabed long ago. We’ve always found this site oddly compelling, partly because the wreck itself is so accessible, even for newer divers getting their first taste of something more than rock formations. You’ll find the remains of two old cars, reportedly pushed into the sea decades ago – a quirky artificial reef that’s completely unique. The cool thing here is the way the Mediterranean life has completely taken over these old vehicles. Moray eels peek from engine blocks, their heads swaying gently, and octopuses often sprawl across the rusted chassis, almost camouflaged. We love kicking around the perimeter, spotting schools of damselfish flitting through the open windows, and if you’re patient, you might even spot a nudibranch or two grazing on the algae. It’s a gentle dive, perfect for photographers wanting to capture something a little offbeat, and a great spot to practice buoyancy around a compact structure. The visibility can be excellent on a calm morning, letting you take in the whole scene from a distance before you descend closer.
- Location
- Cabo de Palos, Spain, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 36.721610, -3.727922
- Type
- wreck
Marine Protected Area: Acantilados y Fondos Marinos de La Punta de La Mona
Nearby Dive Sites in Cabo de Palos
- AMISTADA - 24m (wreck)
- ANA M'PORTILLA - 5m (wreck)
- Anthias
- Bajo de Emilio - 24m
- Bajo del Faro - Isla Benidorm - 20m (reef)
- Bajo de Piles II Marine Reserve - 22m
- Bajo de Piles I Marine Reserve - 22m (reef)
- Bajo el Descargador - 15m
- Bajo La Morra - 22m
- Bajo las Palomas Reserve - 19m (reef)
- Cabo San Antonio
- Cabo San Martin
- Cabo Tinoso
- Cala Abierta - 20m
- Cala Cortina
Nearest Dive Centres to Los Coches de Marina del Este
Marine Life in Cabo de Palos
Home to 193 recorded species including 138 reef fish, 12 sharks & rays, 11 octopus & squid, 7 whales & dolphins, 5 other, 5 crabs & lobsters.
Notable Species
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Blue-white Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) - Whales & Dolphins
- hake (Merluccius merluccius) - Reef Fish
- dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula) - Sharks & Rays
- Bogue (Boops boops) - Reef Fish
- Mullet (Mullus barbatus) - Reef Fish
- Pollock (Trachurus trachurus) - Reef Fish
- Brown Comber (Serranus hepatus) - Reef Fish
- Common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) - Octopus & Squid
- Boarfish (Capros aper) - Reef Fish
- dory (Zeus faber) - Reef Fish
- red mullet (Mullus surmuletus) - Reef Fish
- Black-bellied angler (Lophius budegassa) - Reef Fish
- Red Band-fish (Cepola macrophthalma) - Reef Fish
- Curled octopus (Eledone cirrhosa) - Octopus & Squid
- Horse Mackerel (Trachurus mediterraneus) - Reef Fish
- Deep-body Pickarel (Spicara smaris) - Reef Fish
- Gunner (Pagellus bogaraveo) - Reef Fish
- conger (Conger conger) - Reef Fish
- axillary sea-bream (Pagellus acarne) - Reef Fish