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Sea caves cut into a yellow sandstone cliff above a sandy beach, with green algae on the rocks at low tide — Las Grutas

Las Grutas · Argentina · Reef

Tercera Bajada platform

Rock at 3 to 6 m off a dive platform, home of the town's intro dives

Area photo: emiliokuffer · CC BY-SA 2.0

In front of the Tercera Bajada beach access in Las Grutas, a dive platform leads to a submerged rock formation at 3 to 6 m. It is where the town's traditional intro dives take place, and the rock is home to a large share of the underwater species of the Patagonian coast.

Also known as Tercera Bajada.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Tercera Bajada platform: typical dive 3–6 m (10–20 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit3 m6 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

40.8154° S, 65.0882° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The dive starts at the platform in front of the Tercera Bajada, from which divers reach a submerged rock formation. The rock sits between 3 and 6 m deep, so the whole dive stays shallow.

This is where Las Grutas runs its traditional intro dives, the first dive for visitors trying scuba. The rock is populated by a large share of the underwater species of the Patagonian coast.

Marine life and season

The sources we used don't single out particular species here.

Month-by-month season rating for Tercera Bajada platform
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PrimePrimePrimeGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodPrime

Season follows Las Grutas: Diving runs all year; December to March is summer and the high season, with the water averaging about 19 °C in February against 10 to 11 °C in August.

Questions divers ask

Where do intro dives take place in Las Grutas?+

Intro dives run from the dive platform in front of the Tercera Bajada beach access, on a submerged rock formation 3 to 6 m deep.

Sources

  1. Buceo — Las Grutas Turismo

More dive sites in Las Grutas

Wreck

Chiarpesca 59

A 36 m fishing boat at about 22 m with a hull prepared for entry

to 22 mintermediate

Wreck

Don Félix

The park's shallowest hull, at about 18 m and minutes from town

to 18 mbeginner

Wreck

Magdalena María II

A 45 m hull on sand at 28 m, about five storeys tall

to 28 mintermediate

Wreck

Mariana Rojamar

A 35 m fishing boat at about 24 m, prepared for divers to enter

to 24 mintermediate

Wreck

Polar Borg I

A fishing boat sunk in 2020, lying at about 28 m

to 28 mintermediate

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Ilha Comprida

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Ilha dos Meros

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