DONA CAYETANA PARISI - Mar del Plata
Dona Cayetana Parisi, sunk just off Mar del Plata, is a shallow wreck, only ever sitting at 5m, making it a perfect spot for newer divers, or those looking to extend their bottom time without worrying about deco. We love how accessible this wreck is, an easy entry often with calm conditions, though we'd always suggest checking the local conditions before heading out – Mar del Plata can get a bit sporty. The wreck itself is a lighter vessel, a small workhorse boat now broken into sections. You’ll find the hull largely intact in places, and we always enjoy poking around the ribs and bulkheads. It’s not a grand, imposing wreck, but its broken nature makes for fantastic swim-throughs, tight squeezes that feel like proper wreck diving, but in daylight. Look for schools of juvenile fish darting amongst the twisted metal, and we’ve spotted plenty of crabs tucked into crevices. It’s a site that changes with the seasons, too; in the warmer months, the growth on the metal can be surprisingly lush. Our favourite approach is to take it slow, really exploring each broken section. Bring a torch, even in 5m; the shadows under the hull are perfect for spotting bottom dwellers.
- Location
- Mar del Plata, Argentina, South America
- Coordinates
- -34.380000, -58.004166
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 5m
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
- 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)
Nearest Dive Centres to DONA CAYETANA PARISI
- ABucear - Centro de Buceo
- ACUATIKOS
- Alfa Buceo - ["PADI"]
- AM DIVE
- Amphibio
- Aquabaires Buceo - ["PADI"]
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
- 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
- Blueback Mullet (Mugil liza) - Reef Fish
- Smallnose Fanskate (Sympterygia bonapartii) - Sharks & Rays
- Kingfish (Menticirrhus americanus) - Reef Fish
- American Harvestfish (Peprilus paru) - Reef Fish
- Ronco (Micropogonias furnieri) - Reef Fish
- Chilean Angel Shark (Squatina armata) - Sharks & Rays
- South-American Silver Porgy (Diplodus argenteus) - Reef Fish
- Apron Ray (Discopyge tschudii) - Sharks & Rays
- Eyespot skate (Atlantoraja cyclophora) - Sharks & Rays
- Moray (Muraena helena) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for DONA CAYETANA PARISI
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