Máncora & Los Órganos · Peru · Artificial reef
Plataforma MX-1
An iron oil platform in 60 m of water that has turned into a reef
Area photo: Danielaamunoz Camera location4° 13′ 05.1″ S, 81° 10′ 54.31″ W View this and other nearby images on: OpenStreetMap -4.218 · CC BY-SA 4.0
MX-1 is an iron oil platform standing in 60 m of water 2 nautical miles off the coast, 15 minutes by boat from the Los Órganos pier. The structure has become an artificial reef that is home to a wide variety of marine species, and it is one of the few oil platforms in the world that can be dived.
Also known as MX-1 platform.
Where it is and how deep
4.1594° S, 81.1593° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The boat runs 15 minutes from the Los Órganos pier to the MX-1 oil platform, which stands 2 nautical miles off the coast. The structure is iron and stands in 60 m of water, so the dive follows the platform itself: the frame is the reef, and the depth of each dive is set by the plan, not by the bottom.
Over time the platform has become an artificial reef and a home for a wide variety of marine species. Oil platforms that can be dived are rare anywhere, and MX-1 is the most important in northern Peru. Visibility on this coast usually runs around 4 m and reaches 7 m on a good day, so divers stay close to the structure, and Chelonia Dive Center offers a PADI specialty course dedicated to diving it.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Máncora & Los Órganos: July to October is whale season, when whale song is often heard on dives; it is also when the water is coldest, about 18 °C in September.
Know before you go
- The structure stands in 60 m of water with no bottom to stop a descent; divers hold to a planned depth and stay in contact with the frame.
- Visibility is often only around 4 m, so divers keep the platform in sight and stay close to the guide.
Dive videos
Plataforma Los Organos MX1 2015 · SpondylusDiveCenter on YouTube
Buceando en la Plataforma MX1 - Los Órganos (Visitando a un Lobo Marino) · Oscar Saldaña Núñez de La Torre on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is the MX-1 oil platform off Los Órganos?+
The MX-1 is an iron structure standing in 60 m of water, 2 nautical miles offshore. Dives follow the platform down rather than reaching a seabed.
How far is the MX-1 platform from Los Órganos?+
It lies 2 nautical miles off the coast, about 15 minutes by boat from the Los Órganos pier.
Sources
- Plataforma MX-1 dive site — PADI
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