Lanzarote & Museo Atlántico · Spain · Artificial reef
Barca / La Patera
A dive that starts at a submerged boat and runs to 40 m
Area photo: Julien Renoult · CC BY 4.0
A deep dive in Puerto del Carmen that starts at a small submerged boat, which is where the name comes from. The catalogue does not identify the vessel, so it reads as a feature on the bottom rather than a wreck dive. The route runs between 25 and 40 metres at most, and in winter the angel shark is the animal divers come down here for.
Also known as Barca, La Patera.
Where it is and how deep
28.9186° N, 13.6691° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The dive starts with the submerged boat that gives the site its name, the first thing you reach after the descent. The catalogue does not say what the boat was or how it came to be there, so it is a feature to look at rather than a wreck dive. From there the route runs on between 25 and 40 metres at most, which keeps bottom time short and means the plan is agreed on the boat rather than adjusted in the water.
There is a specific reason to come in winter: the angel shark, the species this island is known for, is met on the site in the colder months, and it is what local divers watch the sand for. The rest of the dive is a straightforward run at depth, with the boat at the start as the one fixed feature to work around.
Because the shallowest point of the route is 25 metres, the ascent is part of the plan rather than an afterthought. Groups work back up towards the shallower ground above and make the stop there rather than out in open water. Gas and no-decompression time, not the terrain, decide when the dive turns.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good |
Season follows Lanzarote & Museo Atlántico: Divable all year in 18–24°C water; Jun–Oct is warmest and calmest, and angel sharks are most reliably seen Nov–Mar.
Know before you go
- The whole dive sits between 25 and 40 metres, so gas planning and no-decompression limits, not the terrain, decide when it ends.
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Barca dive in Lanzarote?+
The dive takes place between 25 and 40 metres. The submerged boat that gives the site its name is at the start of the route.
When can you see angel sharks at Barca?+
In winter. The angel shark the Canaries are known for is met here in the colder months, which is when local divers expect to see it.
Sources
- Barca / La Patera dive site — Scubago
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