wreck

Log This Dive

JUAN BAUTISTA

The Juan Bautista wreck isn't about deep dives or big pelagics, it’s about history you can touch and a shallow, vibrant ecosystem. We love that it’s essentially an accessible museum, right at the surface. This tanker, sunk after an engine room fire in '76, now lies broken but remarkably intact in parts, making it perfect for an extended snorkel or a very relaxed dive. What you get here is a close-up encounter with metal-turned-reef. Schools of iridescent cardinalfish dart through the skeletal superstructure, and the stern, especially, is a tangle of soft corals and anemones. Look closely in the shadowed crevices for moray eels and the occasional scorpionfish blending in perfectly. Our favourite part is spotting the octopus, often tucked right into the engine room, its camouflage near-flawless. Being so shallow, usually 4m, you can spend ages just soaking it all in. We’d suggest going early in the morning for the best light penetration and calmer conditions. It’s a gentle site, ideal for newer divers or anyone wanting to slow down and really observe the smaller inhabitants that have claimed this old ship.