Las Galletas, Canary Islands, Spain

Las Mascotas (Cleaning Station)

Las Mascotas, sometimes called the friendly stingray dive, is a sandy plateau interrupted by low volcanic outcrops a short boat ride from the Las Galletas marina on Tenerife's southern coast. Depths range from 14 to 22 metres, and the bottom is patrolled by half a dozen resident common stingrays that approach divers without prompting and are often visited by trumpetfish using their wings as a hunting ambush. The rocky outcrops act as cleaning stations where Canarian wrasse and small cleaner gobies service larger predators including amberjack and groupers. Octopus dens are common between boulders, and the sand can hide flatfish and torpedo rays. Because the site is shallow and protected from the prevailing northeast trade winds, conditions are easy and currents are usually light, making it an excellent intermediate dive and a popular night dive thanks to abundant Atlantic shovelnose lobster activity after dusk. 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.