Wreck Diving
Wreck diving and the new artificial reef project in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico, contribute significantly to the local marine ecosystem and provide exciting opportunities for divers. In 2022 the first ship the Santos was sunk as the first of nine planned wrecks in San Carlos. The project is called the Sistema Arrecifal Artificial Sonorense (SAAS). This amazing project was designed to help support local marine live and bring in divers from all over the world and we are surely hooked!
In San Carlos we will soon have nine wrecks for divers of all levels. The smallest wreck is roughly 50′ in length and the longest wrecks that will be sank in late 2025 or early 2026 are nearly 400′ long with a height of 90′ with multiple decks for interior penetration and exterior survey. The wrecks all vary in depth from 50′ to 120′ and provide divers of all skill levels with the ability to explore some amazing spaces and enjoy the marine life that calls these artificial reefs home. Lot’s of the ships saw WWII service with the US Navy and then service in the Mexican Navy.
What makes this unique is that with nine wrecks in such a small space we can conduct wreck courses for all levels of divers from the recreational wreck diving specialty to advanced penetrations with rebreather in technical wreck diving. This is one of the few places in North America and the only place in Mexico where you can offer this level of wreck diving training. The team at Dive San Carlos by Paragon Dive Group can teach all levels of wreck courses including technical wreck instructor courses. We also offer guided dives of these amazing ships. As a wreck diver this is a wreck diving haven! You can complete your initial wreck diving certification or your TDI Advanced Wreck and SSI Technical wreck all in one place!
The older wrecks are teeming with marine life, while the newer wrecks are starting to attract more marine life making them fascinating dive sites. You can dive them over and over again and the longer they are down they more you can observe the growth. it is really an amazing thing to watch. World class wreck diving in the state of Sonora right here in San Carlos, Mexico!
Santos Wreck – Sunk 3/3/2022
The Santos was the first artificial wreck placed in San Carlos. It was broken in two pieces during a storm shortly after sinking which I think makes it a very interesting dive. The stern section is upright with great access to swim through. The bow lies on the starboard side. This wreck is now full of life. The ship is 221′ long with a 32′ beam so it take multiple dives to truly explore this wreck. You can find schooling fish, octopus, eels, and a ton of nudibranchs on this wreck!
Suchiate Wreck – Sunk 3/15/2024
The Suchiate wreck is one of my favorite wreck to dive in San Carlos and I call the penetration opportunities a little more advanced than those on the Santos. The Suchiate is 174′ long with a 32′ beam and was used as a noise monitoring ship and water tanker in service with the US and Mexican Navy. The Suchiate sits bolt upright and acces to the interior is via holes cut for the sinking. This is another wreck that will take 2-3 dives to fully explore.
El Tanin Wreck – Sunk 3/30/2025
The wreck of the El Tanin is the smallest of the current wrecks in San Carlos. It has a length of only 43′. She may not be the largest but is certainly interesting. A diver can swim from bow to stern and pop up in the cockpit of this former patrol boat. It is also close enough to the Santos that if you get tired of this wreck and your navigation skills are good you can swim over the Santos for two wreck dives in one.
La Fuente Wreck – Sunk 4/12/2025
The La Fuente wreck is a former Azteca-class patrol vessel that was built between 1976 and 1980. The ship is roughly 110′ long with a 23′ beam. This is a great wreck for newer wreck divers looking to dip their fins into penetration. Their is plenty of access and the interior spaces are massive making this a great wreck to explore. She is the newest addition to the Sonoran Artificial Reef System (SAAS)