Isla del Sec

Three boats, one islet, a single dive to plan. The standard route at Isla del Sec starts on a rocky plateau at 5-7m and follows the reef wall as it slopes toward 20m, passing the Clara — the shallowest of the three sunken hulls at around 18m — while barracuda schools circle the structure in the open water. Groupers, morays and octopus work the reef and wreck frame; the Clara is open and close to the ambient light. A second dive option targets a different hull as the centrepiece, working the structure for cuttlefish and sea bass before circling back to the reef. A third, for AOW divers, descends to the wooden Regina Maris at around 29m on the sandy bottom — quieter, more enclosed, with the characteristic atmosphere of the deeper wrecks.

All three hulls are open structure rather than penetrable cargo ships, so the dives are about fish-attracting architecture and wreck atmosphere rather than technical navigation. Currents are negligible in this enclosed bay. What needs attention is overhead: west Palma Bay carries boat traffic, and an SMB and a controlled ascent are standard practice here.

Most wreck dives offer one ship. Isla del Sec gives three, spread across a 5-30m depth range. A mixed boat can put a beginner on the plateau and the Clara, and an advanced diver on the Regina Maris, without splitting to different locations. That practical range is part of the draw — but the marine life is the main story. Reserve protection has filled the surrounding water with the same species that make El Toro famous, and the wrecks concentrate the barracuda. The schools here are consistently described by centres as among the densest in the area. The Clara's structure, visible and shallow, makes the barracuda-and-grouper combination accessible to Open Water divers without requiring depth.

Isla del Sec was made into a dive site on purpose. Old fishing boats were sunk off the islet to build artificial reef structure — a deliberate tactic that concentrates fish and gives divers something to explore that the surrounding sandy bottom would not otherwise offer. The Clara and the Regina Maris are the named hulls; a third, unnamed boat sits at 25-30m. A tourist submarine, "Nemo", operated from the islet in earlier years, bringing non-divers face-to-face with the same fish through porthole glass. The Sec islet was incorporated into the Reserva Marina de les illes del Ponent de Mallorca in 2025. The deliberate sinkings pre-date that designation; the reserve status followed the dive reputation.

Ask your centre which wreck you are targeting before entering the water — the 11-metre difference between the Clara and the Regina Maris is significant for certification and gas planning. A reserve authorisation is required; operators include it. Deploy an SMB before ascending and ascend slowly: west Palma Bay has boat traffic throughout the day. The deeper wreck sits below the thermocline at 15-18C in summer — bring a layer if you plan to dive to 29m. A torch helps around and inside the wreck openings. Isla del Sec is frequently paired with El Toro as a second dive on the same morning — two different experiences in a single half-day.