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EL ZARATE

El Zarate isn’t your typical Caribbean wreck dive. We’re talking about a tugboat that went down in 1959, just off the coast of Mar del Plata. It sits shallow, only 3 meters deep, which makes it incredibly accessible but also means the visibility can be a bit hit-and-miss. On a good day, when the coastal currents are playing nice, you get enough light to really see the hull. What we love about El Zarate is its history, a quiet echo of Argentina’s maritime past. You can easily spend an entire dive exploring the remains – the engine room is usually open enough for a peek, and the old bridge structure still holds a lot of character. We’ve seen conger eels poking out from shadowy corners, and schools of silversides often shimmer around the deck, darting in and out of the rusted metalwork. It’s not about huge pelagics here; it's about the small stuff, the way the ocean reclaims human endeavour. Our pick for visiting is definitely a calm morning, before the boat traffic picks up.