B/V (AR) SCOTT - Mar del Plata

The B/V (AR) SCOTT isn't your typical deep wreck dive, and that's exactly why we love it. Sitting in just two metres of water right off Mar del Plata, this old fishing vessel offers a genuinely unique perspective. Forget your BCD and heavy gear, this is a snorkel or freedive site, perfect for a relaxed afternoon exploring history. You'll float above the hull, clearly seeing the stern and engine room, which are surprisingly intact given the shallow depth and Atlantic waves. We've spent hours here, just drifting, watching the kelp sway around the broken superstructure like underwater flags. Schools of anchovies dart around the rust-stained metal, and we often spot spider crabs scuttling over the plates. It’s a photographer’s dream, especially on a sunny day when the light dances through the surface chop and illuminates every detail of the wreck. Our favourite time to visit is mid-morning, just after the sun has warmed the water a bit, making the surface glare less intense. It’s not about big pelagics here, it’s about the intimacy of a shallow wreck, a piece of maritime history reclaimed by the sea.

Location
Mar del Plata, Argentina, South America
Coordinates
-34.474000, -57.917830
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
2m

Wreck History - B/V (AR) SCOTT

Year Sunk
1981
Vessel Type
fishing vessel
Cause
storm

The B/V Scott was a 25-meter steel-hulled fishing vessel that met its end during a violent storm on February 15, 1981. Battered by fierce waves while trying to enter the port of Mar del Plata, the ship was overcome and sank just off the southern breakwater. The wreck now rests in the shallows, making it an accessible, albeit challenging, site due to its location in the surf zone.

Lying at a maximum depth of just 2 meters, the Scott is heavily broken up after decades of being worked over by the relentless surge. Divers and snorkelers can explore the scattered remains of the hull, engine, and other machinery spread across the sandy bottom. Though fragmented, the wreck has become a small but lively artificial reef, attracting schools of fish and other local marine life, offering a dynamic and interesting shallow water exploration for those prepared for the coastal conditions.

Best Time to Dive in Mar del Plata

The warmest water temperatures in Mar del Plata occur in January, averaging 26.7°C. The coolest conditions are in July at 11.0°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

  • January: 26.7°C
  • February: 25.8°C
  • March: 24.1°C
  • April: 20.3°C
  • May: 16.3°C
  • June: 13.0°C
  • July: 11.0°C
  • August: 12.2°C
  • September: 14.8°C
  • October: 18.2°C
  • November: 22.3°C
  • December: 24.8°C

Nearby Dive Sites in Mar del Plata

Nearest Dive Centres to B/V (AR) SCOTT

Marine Life in Mar del Plata

Home to 33 recorded species including 19 reef fish, 7 sharks & rays, 3 whales & dolphins, 2 other, 1 crabs & lobsters, 1 sea snails & nudibranchs.

Notable Species

Recommended Packing List for B/V (AR) SCOTT

Based on average water temperature of 19.1°C, currents 3 cm/s.

  • Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 19°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