AURIENTE
Why dive here
With 33+ marine species recorded in the area - including sperm whales - AURIENTE offers some of Mar del Plata's richest wreck diving. Water ranges 10-21°C, warmest January, February, March.
The Auriente. We love this wreck, not for its deep-sea drama or vibrant coral, but for its sheer accessibility and the story it tells. It’s barely two meters deep, right off the coast of Mar del Plata, which means it’s perfect for a long snorkel or a very shallow dive when the conditions are just right. We’ve spent hours here, letting the small swell push us gently over the remains of the cargo ship, feeling the texture of barnacles under our fingertips. What you'll see is less about big pelagics and more about the small, resilient life that colonizes metal in temperate waters. Schools of silversides shimmer through the deck structures, and the occasional spider crab scuttles past a rusted porthole. It’s a photographer’s dream on a sunny day, with the light playing off the broken hull, creating shifting patterns in the sand. Our best advice? Go on a calm morning, maybe an hour after sunrise, before the beach gets busy and the water gets stirred up. It’s a unique experience, a quick dip into history and marine life that you won’t find just anywhere.
Typical AURIENTE Dive Profile
Illustrative profile based on site depth and type. Actual dive profiles vary - always follow your dive computer and training.
Safety Notes
Wreck site - avoid penetration without wreck diving certification. Watch for sharp metal and entanglement hazards.
Cold water this month (avg 14°C). Drysuit or thick wetsuit (7mm+) recommended.
AURIENTE Wreck History
Vessel Type
unknown
Cause
grounding
The Auriente rests in the extreme shallows off Mar del Plata, Argentina, a testament to the unforgiving nature of the coastline. At a depth of only 2 meters, it was almost certainly a victim of grounding, driven ashore by a storm or a navigational miscalculation. Its position makes it accessible not just to scuba divers, but to snorkelers and freedivers as well, offering a rare opportunity for anyone to explore a shipwreck. Constant exposure to powerful wave action and surge has likely broken the vessel apart completely. Divers should heed its 'Dangerous wreck' classification and be mindful of sharp, twisted metal and the strong water movement, but on a calm day, the Auriente provides a fascinating look at how the sea reclaims a vessel.
Nearest Dive Centres to AURIENTE
Dive shops near AURIENTE
La Casa del Buceador
Argentina YMCA
CENTRO BUCEO SUR
Mermaid Paradise and Freediving
OKI-PIOKI DIVERS
IN ACQUA BUCEO
Reviews for AURIENTE
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for AURIENTE
AURIENTE Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for AURIENTE, sourced from Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU) - nearest station: Open-Meteo marine grid (-38.05, -57.5) (0km away)
October Averages
Sea Temperature
14°C
56°F · Range: 11.1–16.9°C
Current Speed
2.83 cm/s
Direction: SE (135°)
Salinity
0 PSU
Based on 4 years of monitoring data · Data sources: Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU)
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