Isla Mujeres · Mexico · Wreck · Artificial reef
C-58 Minesweeper
A 1944 US Navy minesweeper, split in two at 26 metres
Area photo: Andy Blackledge from Scottsdale, AZ, USA · CC BY 2.0
The most popular wreck in the area, a short ride from either Isla Mujeres or Cancún and sitting at 26 metres. The hull is an Admirable-class minesweeper launched in Portland, Oregon in 1944 as USS Harlequin, transferred to the Mexican Navy in 1962 and sunk at the end of a long second career to create an artificial reef. She now lies split in two.
Also known as C-58 Gunboat, USS Harlequin, ARM Aldabaran.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Isla Mujeres and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
This is the wreck the boats out of Isla Mujeres and Cancún run to first, and the ride is short enough that it works as an ordinary tank rather than a special trip. She sits at 26 metres and is split in two, with the ship's rooms open to divers, so the dive is worked as a tour of the breaks and the interior rather than a single pass along the hull. Manta rays, barracuda and groupers use her, and visibility here averages around twenty metres.
What you are swimming over is a working career of more than fifty years. She was launched on 3 June 1944 by Willamette Iron and Steel Works of Portland, Oregon, an Admirable-class minesweeper of 56.24 m, went to the Mexican Navy on 2 October 1962 as ARM DM-20, sailed later as ARM Oceanográfico and then as ARM General Pedro María Anaya, and was finally converted to a school ship as ARM Aldabaran. Only then was she sunk to make a reef.
The wreck
- Vessel
- USS Harlequin (ARM General Pedro María Anaya)
- Type
- Admirable-class minesweeper
- Length
- 56.24 m (185 ft)
- Built
- 1944
- Cause
- Sunk deliberately to create an artificial reef
- Lies
- Split in two at 26 m, with the ship's rooms open to divers
Harlequin was launched on 3 June 1944 by Willamette Iron and Steel Works in Portland, Oregon, an Admirable-class minesweeper of 184 ft 6 in (56.24 m) displacing 650 long tons. She was transferred to the Mexican Navy on 2 October 1962 and renamed ARM DM-20, later serving as ARM Oceanográfico and ARM General Pedro María Anaya; some time after April 1999 she was rearmed and converted to a school ship as ARM Aldabaran (BE02). She was sunk afterwards to create an artificial reef, which is now a popular dive site.
Marine life and season
- Manta rays
- Barracuda
- Groupers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Prime | Prime | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Good |
Season follows Isla Mujeres: Whale sharks aggregate Jun–Sep, peaking in July and August; sailfish work baitballs Jan–Mar. Both are snorkel-only. Reef diving runs all year.
Dive videos
#CancunWreck C-58/Eagle Rays.divePro Cancun Diving · Miguel Cachoa on YouTube
C-58 Shipwreck Dive · Nick Anthes on YouTube
Questions divers ask
What ship is the C-58?+
An Admirable-class minesweeper launched in 1944 as USS Harlequin, transferred to the Mexican Navy in October 1962 and serving under several names, including ARM General Pedro María Anaya, before ending as the school ship ARM Aldabaran. She was later sunk to create an artificial reef.
How deep is the C-58 wreck?+
26 metres, with Advanced Open Water listed as the required experience level. The hull is split in two and the ship's rooms are open, so it is dived as a tour of the breaks rather than a single pass.
Sources
- USS Harlequin — Wikipedia
- List of ships of the Mexican Navy — Wikipedia
- Wreck Diving Near Isla Mujeres — Mexico Divers
- General Anaya C58 Shipwreck — Mexico Divers
In The Logbook
- Ships sunk on purpose, and where to dive themWrecks · 14 min read
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