Dive-site story
Resting off the southern tip of Isla de Las Palomas in Tarifa, the San Andrés is a historic paddle steamer that foundered in the nineteenth century. The wreck lies broken on a sandy and rocky seabed in the dynamic waters of the Strait of Gibraltar Natural Park, where Mediterranean and Atlantic currents converge. Divers navigate exposed engine blocks, boiler machinery, and scattered hull plates that serve as an artificial reef structure.
Well-preserved nineteenth-century steam engine machinery and boiler remnants
Frequent encounters with ocean sunfish during seasonal transitions
Dense colonization of structural ironwork by orange coral and encrusting sponges
Location
Use the map to plan with your operator and confirm the exact entry point on the day.
Seasonality
Summer and early autumn provide milder wind windows and improved thermal conditions.
Marine life
| Species | Likelihood | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean SunfishMola mola | Seasonal | ||||||||||||
| European Conger EelConger conger | Common | ||||||||||||
| Mediterranean MorayMuraena helena | Common | ||||||||||||
| Dusky GrouperEpinephelus marginatus | Common | ||||||||||||
| Spiny Spider CrabMaja squinado | Common |
Marine forecast
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