Garota - Mar del Plata

Garota, just off Mar del Plata, is one of our favourite dives in Argentina, especially for newer wreck divers. It’s shallow, only six metres, so you get incredible bottom time. The stern of the wreck, a fishing trawler that went down in the 80s, is the most intact section, still upright and surprisingly substantial. You can swim around the prop and rudder, feeling the slight surge, then move into the collapsed mid-section where the hold once was. What we love here is how the metal framework has become an apartment block for marine life. Look closely and you’ll spot crabs tucked into every nook and cranny, and small schools of silversides flitting through the skeletal remains of the superstructure. Visibility can be a bit variable, but on a good day, when the sun filters down, the rust colours glow. We’d suggest going at high tide; it tends to be calmer and the entry from the boat is a bit easier. It’s a gentle introduction to wreck diving, letting you get comfortable with overhead environments without any real penetration.

Location
Mar del Plata, Argentina, South America
Coordinates
-35.917390, -57.250070
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
6m

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 Garota

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 Garota

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