Cominoto el Velero - Los Roques Archipelago
Cominoto el Velero in Los Roques is one of those wrecks that just keeps giving. We’ve explored her many times, and each dive feels like finding new passages. She’s a pretty old vessel, a fishing boat sunk decades ago, and what we love most is how the ocean has completely reclaimed her. You’re not just looking at a wreck; you’re swimming through a living, breathing reef that happens to have a steel skeleton. The hull is coated in thick sponges and colourful encrusting corals, and we always find big schools of snapper hanging out in the darker sections. Look for the resident green moray eel that often pokes its head from a pipe near the bow – a real character. Penetration is possible for experienced divers through a few of the larger holds, which is where you often find nurse sharks resting on the sandy bottom, completely unfazed by divers. Our favourite time to dive Velero is early morning, just after sunrise, when the light filters through the clear Los Roques water and illuminates the wreck's structure beautifully, making the chrome yellow sponges glow. It’s a great dive for anyone who appreciates the blend of history and thriving marine life, and it’s usually quite sheltered from any strong currents.
- Location
- Los Roques Archipelago, Venezuela, South America
- Coordinates
- 11.210818, -63.764670
- Type
- wreck
Marine Protected Area: Laguna Blanca o del Morro
Best Time to Dive in Los Roques Archipelago
The warmest water temperatures in Los Roques Archipelago occur in January, averaging 27.5°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.5°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.5°C (air: 26.4°C)
- February: 27.5°C (air: 26.2°C)
- March: 27.5°C (air: 26.2°C)
- April: 27.5°C (air: 26.7°C)
- May: 27.5°C (air: 27.2°C)
- June: 27.5°C (air: 27.5°C)
- July: 27.5°C (air: 27.6°C)
- August: 27.5°C (air: 28.1°C)
- September: 27.5°C (air: 28.7°C)
- October: 27.5°C (air: 28.6°C)
- November: 27.5°C (air: 27.8°C)
- December: 27.5°C (air: 27.2°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Los Roques Archipelago
- Boca de Cote - 10-30m (drift)
- CARMINA - 20m (wreck)
- Cominoto el Hoyo - 10-25m (reef)
- Cubagua - 5-20m (reef)
- CUMANA - 9m (wreck)
- CUMANA (POSSIBLY) - 8m (wreck)
- Dos Mosquises - 5-18m (reef)
- Farallon
- Gran Roque West
- Ichao el Tunal
- INDEPENDENCE - 40m (wreck)
- La Ensenada - 5-15m (reef)
- La Guasa
- La Pecha
- La Penia - 5-20m (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Cominoto el Velero
Marine Life in Los Roques Archipelago
Home to 342 recorded species including 288 reef fish, 24 hard corals, 17 sharks & rays, 3 other, 3 seagrass & algae, 3 whales & dolphins.
Notable Species
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) - Hard Corals
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Sheephead (Microspathodon chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Blueman (Scarus vetula) - Reef Fish
- Stripy (Katsuwonus pelamis) - Reef Fish
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Cola (Ocyurus chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Sammy Johnson (Scarus taeniopterus) - Reef Fish
- Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
- Schoolmaster (Lutjanus apodus) - Reef Fish
- Bluestriped Grunt (Haemulon sciurus) - Reef Fish
- Allison's Tuna (Thunnus albacares) - Reef Fish
- Fire coral (Millepora complanata) - Jellyfish
Recommended Packing List for Cominoto el Velero
Based on average water temperature of 27.5°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- 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