Argentina YMCA - Mar del Plata
The team at Argentina YMCA are the kind of people you want teaching you to dive, or helping you take that next step in your career. We’ve always found them professional, but with a warmth that makes the whole experience feel personal, not transactional. They’re a PADI 5 Star IDC centre, which means they’re serious about instruction, all the way up to instructor development. We love them for their local knowledge around Mar del Plata. Sure, the diving here isn’t the flashy, coral-encrusted stuff you see in the tropics. It’s a different vibe entirely – rugged, often a bit chilly, and full of character. Think kelp forests swaying in the surge, the occasional curious sea lion darting past, and a real sense of adventure. We'd suggest getting there early on a calm morning; the light filtering through the kelp can be stunning. Our favourite time to dive with them is late spring, before the summer crowds, when the water starts to warm up a touch and visibility tends to be decent. They’re brilliant at matching you to the right conditions and making sure you’re comfortable, whatever the Atlantic throws at you.
- Location
- Mar del Plata, Argentina, South America
- Coordinates
- -34.602890, -58.372467
- Phone
- +54 9 11 5626-8379
- [email protected]
- Website
- http://www.ymcabuceo.com.ar/
- Certification Agencies
- ["PADI"]
- Courses
- PADI 5 Star IDC [padi:17327]
- Address
- Reconquista 439, Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires, 1003 Buenos Aires, No State, Argentina
Dive Sites Near Argentina YMCA
Argentina YMCA provides access to 15 dive sites in Mar del Plata.
- 192 - B - 4m (wreck)
- 201 - A - M.O.P. - 8m (wreck)
- 245 C - 7m (wreck)
- 252-C - 5m (wreck)
- 256 B - 3m (wreck)
- 325 C - 6m (wreck)
- ABucear - Centro de Buceo
- ABucear - Scuba Diving Center
- ADMIRAL GRAF SPEE - 8m (wreck)
- A.H.V.R NO.4 - 3m (wreck)
- ALBA - 5m (wreck)
- ALDOSIVI - 2m (wreck)
- Aldykir II - 1m (wreck)
- Alejandro Marcos B - 7m (wreck)
- ALFA II - 1m (wreck)
Other Dive Centres in Mar del Plata
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
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 Marine Life
- South Atlantic Elephant-seal (Mirounga leonina) - Whales & Dolphins
- Bluewing Searobin (Prionotus punctatus) - Reef Fish
- Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Porgy (Pagrus pagrus) - Reef Fish
- American Elephantfish (Callorhinchus callorynchus)
- Bangamary (Macrodon ancylodon) - Reef Fish
- Elf (Pomatomus saltatrix) - Reef Fish
- Silverside (Odontesthes incisa) - Reef Fish
- Filetail Fanskate (Sympterygia lima) - Sharks & Rays
- Atlantic Lookdown (Selene vomer) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Mar del Plata
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