Dive· Cartagena· Other Caribbean

Bancos de Salmedina Dive Sites

10° 22.8′ N · 75° 39.9′ W

An offshore reef bank about 5 nm west of Tierra Bomba - one of the three main dive areas around Cartagena, with named sites El Ancla, Barco Seco, Buque Faro and Burbuja.

Belize Barrier Reef

Practical

OSM position for the Bancos de Salmedina reef (way 1343925926); OSM also maps the Faro Salmedina light at 10.37834 N, 75.65134 W, and GeoNames records the historical Salmedina light vessel nearby. The national cruising guide names Bajo Salmedina (sites El Ancla, Barco Seco, Buque Faro and Burbuja) as one of the three favorite dive areas around Cartagena, alongside Barú (off the Ciénaga de los Vásquez: Imelda, Montañita, La Playita, El Nico, Octubre Rojo and Las Palitas) and the Rosarios (Alex Place, Pavitos, Caribani, Punta Brava, Las Botellas). Dive it with a Cartagena operator (see Cartagena Dive Operators) rather than on your own keel - it is open ocean, exposed to the NE trades, and also a hazard to keep well clear of when approaching Bocachica from the north or west.

Best for

Reef diving close to Cartagena

Season

Calmer conditions May–Nov between fronts; rough in Dec–Apr trades

Nearby