wreck

Log This Dive

CATALINA PAINO

The Catalina Paino isn’t a deep dive, not even close, but it’s a brilliant one for what it is. Sitting in just two metres of water, it’s less a dive and more a snorkel, but don’t let that put you off. This old fishing trawler, reportedly sunk intentionally in the 1960s to create a breakwater, now acts as an artificial reef right off the coast of Mar del Plata. We love how accessible it is, literally a few fin kicks from the shore. What you get here is pure, unadulterated wreck exploration, albeit in miniature. The hull is still surprisingly intact, forming crevices and overhangs that are now home to a surprising number of critters. We’ve seen blennies darting between the rusted plates, tiny crabs scuttling over the kelp-covered deck, and even small schools of silversides shimmering in the shafts of light that pierce the surface. It’s a great spot for macro photography, especially on a calm day when the water is clear and the sun is high. We’d suggest going early in the morning before the beach gets too busy; the light is softer then, and you’ll often have the whole wreck to yourself. The shallow depth means you can spend ages just floating, observing the life that has claimed this piece of history.