Tabaiba

Overview

Tabaiba is a small coastal town on the eastern side of Tenerife, and it boasts one of the island’s most famous and accessible wreck dives. The wreck of the El Peñón, a 35-meter long tugboat, was deliberately sunk in 2006 to create an artificial reef and a playground for divers.

What you’ll see

The wreck is mostly intact and sits upright on a sandy bottom, surrounded by the typical rocky volcanic reef of the Canary Islands.

• Large schools of barracuda often circle the wreck’s mast.
• Octopus and cuttlefish hide among the rocks on the swim out.
• Flocks of Trumpetfish use the wreck structure to ambush prey.
• The wreck itself is covered in marine growth, making for excellent wide-angle photography.

The Dive Experience

This is a shore dive. You enter via steps cut into the rock, swim out over a shallow volcanic reef for about 5 minutes, and then drop down onto the wreck. The top of the wreck sits at around 18m, while the propeller rests at 32m. It is an excellent site for Wreck Diver and Deep Diver specialty training.

Getting There

Tabaiba is about a 20-minute drive south from the capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, or a 45-minute drive north from the main southern resorts (like Las Americas). Dive centers usually drive there, park near the sea wall, and gear up out of the back of the vans.