Las Galletas, Canary Islands, Spain

El Condesito Wreck

The El Condesito is a 22 metre cement carrier that ran aground and sank in 1971 off the Punta Rasca lighthouse near Las Galletas, on Tenerife's southern coast. The wreck rests on a sand and rubble bottom in 22 metres of water with the structure rising to 16 metres, and over fifty years of colonisation have made it a thriving artificial reef. Most of the original cargo of cement bags is still visible inside the broken hull. The structure is heavily encrusted with yellow encrusting anemone, sponges and small black coral patches, and resident inhabitants include dense schools of bastard grunt, large barred hogfish, ornate wrasse, trumpetfish, octopus and the occasional electric ray. The shallow depth, easy navigation and consistent visibility around 25 metres make this Tenerife's signature wreck dive and a favourite training site for entry-level wreck specialty courses. The Canary Islands sit on the eastern edge of the Atlantic and benefit from the cool, nutrient-rich Canary Current that flows south along Africa, keeping water temperatures between 18 C in late winter and 23 C in late summer and supporting a mixed Atlantic and macaronesian fauna with confirmed Canarian endemics. The archipelago is the last reliable European stronghold of the angel shark Squatina squatina, classified as critically endangered by the IUCN, and dive operators contribute regular sightings to the Angel Shark Project monitoring programme. Local dive centres operate year round and most sites can be accessed with one short boat or shore transfer.