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Naufrágio Pinguino

The Naufrágio Pinguino, sitting snug in Sítio Forte cove, is one of those wrecks we keep coming back to in Arraial do Cabo. It’s not about grand history or deep exploration here, it’s about the sheer life that’s colonised every rivet and plate. We love drifting over the main structure, seeing dusky groupers peering out from shadowed openings and schools of mullet swirling like liquid silver around the mast. At a maximum depth of 16m, it’s an easy, relaxing dive, perfect for warming up or for less experienced divers keen to get a feel for a wreck. The average visibility of 8m means the Pinguino often appears from the blue with a satisfying suddenness. Look closely into the nooks and crannies for the smaller stuff – ringneck blennies are always bobbing about, and we’ve spotted orangespotted filefish flitting among the coral growth. It’s a busy, bustling little ecosystem, and a genuinely lovely dive for seeing how nature reclaims man-made structures.