WRECK DIVE · PUNTA RASCA

El Condesito Wreck, Tenerife

A cargo ship broken across the sandy seabed off Punta Rasca at just 6-20 metres, an easy, atmospheric wreck reachable by a short boat ride from Los Cristianos.

DIVE SITE OVERVIEW

REGION

South Tenerife

ACCESS

Boat dive · ~20 min from Las Galletas

RECOMMENDED LEVEL

Open Water

TYPICAL DEPTH

6-20 m

MAXIMUM DEPTH

20 m

VISIBILITY

15-25 m

WATER TEMPERATURE

18-24°C

Why We Love El Condesito

El Condesito proves that a wreck dive doesn't need to be deep or difficult to be memorable. Its shallow depth means longer bottom times and simpler dive planning, while the scattered wreckage still gives divers plenty of structure to explore.

Over five decades underwater, the fragmented hull has become a fully established reef, encrusted with algae and marine growth: a wreck that has quietly turned itself into a thriving habitat.

El Condesito is one of the most accessible wreck dives in Tenerife, a 1945 cargo ship resting broken across the sandy seabed off Punta Rasca on the island's south coast. At just 6-20 metres, it's a wreck that newly certified divers can enjoy alongside more experienced ones.

Reached by a short boat ride from Las Galletas, the wreck's scattered structure (stern, hull ribs, cargo hold sections, boiler and engine components) remains clearly identifiable more than fifty years after it sank.

THE STORY

The story of El Condesito

Launched in 1945 as the coastal cargo vessel Marujín, this steel-hulled freighter carried cement and general cargo between mainland Spain and the Canary Islands for nearly three decades. On 27 September 1973, en route from Arguineguín to Los Cristianos with a load of cement, engine failure in rough conditions drove it onto the rocks off Punta Rasca, where it sank.

MARINE LIFE

Marine life you might see

Bream & Sardines

YEAR-ROUND

Schools gather around the metal surfaces of the wreck, along with damselfish clustered on the exposed structure.

Moray Eels

YEAR-ROUND

Found tucked into the collapsed sections of the hull, especially around the boiler and engine components.

Octopus

YEAR-ROUND

Common in the crevices between scattered wreck sections.

Rays & Angel Sharks

YEAR-ROUND

Occasionally spotted on the sandy seabed surrounding the wreck.

CONDITIONS & SUITABILITY

Visibility

Typically 15-25 metres.

Current

Usually mild.

Temperature

Approx. 18°C in winter to 24°C in summer.

Best season

Year-round.

Exposure protection

5 mm is comfortable for most divers year-round.

PERFECT FOR

Newly certified Open Water divers, wreck diving beginners, and anyone looking for an easy, atmospheric boat dive.

NOT RECOMMENDED FOR

None in particular. This is one of the more accessible wreck dives in Tenerife for all levels.

💡

BARBARIAN INSTRUCTOR TIP

Look closely at the scattered hull sections rather than swimming past them quickly: moray eels and octopus tuck into gaps that are easy to miss at a glance.

Frequently asked questions

How deep is the El Condesito wreck?

El Condesito lies at a depth of 6 to 20 metres, broken and scattered across the sandy seabed.

Is El Condesito suitable for newly certified divers?

Yes, its shallow depth makes it one of the more accessible wreck dives in Tenerife for Open Water divers.

How do I get to the dive site?

By boat, around 20 minutes from the harbour of Las Galletas.

What will I see at El Condesito?

Schools of bream and sardines, damselfish clustered on the metal surfaces, moray eels in the collapsed sections, octopus in the crevices, and rays and angel sharks on the surrounding sand.