Cementerio de Barco (Mole) - Canary Islands
The Cementerio de Barco, or ‘Mole’ as many call it, is one of those surprisingly satisfying dives. We’re talking shallow, only 6m at its deepest, but don’t let that fool you. This isn’t just a pile of metal; it’s a proper ship graveyard, a dozen or so fishing boats scuttled over the years, now forming a fantastic artificial reef. We love hovering above the main boat, peeking into the wheelhouse where damselfish dart in and out of the broken windows. You can spend a solid hour just exploring the twisted metal and wooden ribs, each wreck a miniature ecosystem. Look closely and you’ll spot octopuses tucked into crevices, their eyes watching you warily, while schools of sardines shimmer between the hulls. Our favourite part is the way the sunlight slices through the gaps in the wrecks, illuminating clouds of juvenile barracuda. It’s an easy dive, perfect for beginners, photographers, or anyone who just wants a relaxed, interesting explore without worrying about depth or current. Hit it on a calm morning; the visibility really pops.
- Location
- Canary Islands, Spain, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 28.391200, -13.856000
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 6m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: Fuerteventura
Best Time to Dive in Canary Islands
The warmest water temperatures in Canary Islands occur in September, averaging 23.7°C. The coolest conditions are in March at 19.3°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 20.1°C
- February: 19.5°C
- March: 19.3°C
- April: 19.8°C
- May: 20.6°C
- June: 21.8°C
- July: 22.6°C
- August: 23.1°C
- September: 23.7°C
- October: 23.5°C
- November: 22.4°C
- December: 21.3°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Canary Islands
- Abakas I - 15m
- AFRICAN VIOLET - 24m (wreck)
- AL MOTAWAKIL - 7m (wreck)
- AMERICAN STAR - 4m (wreck)
- Añaza - 18m
- Anchors Canary - 23m (wreck)
- Anfi Beach - 7m
- Anfiteatro - 20m
- ANGELA PANDO (FWD PART) - 20m (wreck)
- AOW Deep - 22m (wall)
- Arguineguin Reef - 16m (reef)
- ARONA - 30m (wreck)
- Arrecifal (reef)
- Artificial - 20m (wreck)
- Artificial - Block2 - 20m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to Cementerio de Barco (Mole)
- Acuarios Jandia - PADI, SSI
- Apnea Academy West Europe
- APNEA CANARIAS
- Aqua-Marina - ["PADI"]
- Aquanautic Club Lanzarote
- Aquarius Dive Center SL - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Canary Islands
Home to 80 recorded species including 50 reef fish, 9 whales & dolphins, 8 sharks & rays, 2 octopus & squid, 2 crabs & lobsters, 2 worms.
Notable Species
- Ornate Wrasse (Thalassoma pavo) - Reef Fish
- Parrotfish (Sparisoma cretense) - Reef Fish
- monkfish (Squatina squatina) - Sharks & Rays
- Damsel fish (Chromis limbata) - Reef Fish
- Bogue (Boops boops) - Reef Fish
- Bastard Grunt (Pomadasys incisus) - Reef Fish
- White Seabream (Diplodus sargus) - Reef Fish
- Sharpnose Puffer (Canthigaster capistrata) - Reef Fish
- Yellow Barracuda (Sphyraena viridensis) - Reef Fish
- Comb grouper (Mycteroperca fusca) - Reef Fish
- Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) - Whales & Dolphins
- Salema (Sarpa salpa) - Reef Fish
- red mullet (Mullus surmuletus) - Reef Fish
- Diamond Lizardfish (Synodus synodus) - Reef Fish
- Blacktail Bream (Diplodus vulgaris) - Reef Fish
- Oman Porgy (Diplodus cervinus) - Reef Fish
- Dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) - Reef Fish
- Wide-eyed Flounder (Bothus podas) - Reef Fish
- axillary sea-bream (Pagellus acarne) - Reef Fish
- common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) - Octopus & Squid
Recommended Packing List for Cementerio de Barco (Mole)
Based on average water temperature of 21.5°C, currents 7 cm/s.
- Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 21°C water
- 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