Slow Diving La Herradura

Slow Diving La Herradura is an established diving operation located at the Puerto Deportivo de Marina del Este. With more than ten years of professional experience in the region, the centre has built its reputation on the pillars of safety, trust, and quality. It serves as a strategic gateway to the diverse marine environments of the Alborán Sea.

The centre is deeply committed to sustainable diving and the protection of local ecosystems through education. This ethos is reflected in their approach to every dive, aiming to showcase the unique biological importance of the La Herradura enclave while ensuring minimal impact on the seabed.

The centre is built on a decade of expertise in recreational diving. Their approach is structured around providing high-quality instruction and guided dives that respect the local environment.

They offer a wide range of training programmes, from initial introductions to professional-level certifications, ensuring that divers of all experience levels can progress safely within the local conditions.

The training catalogue is comprehensive, catering to everyone from those taking their first breaths underwater to aspiring professionals. For beginners, the centre offers Bautizo de Buceo and the Open Water Diver course.

For those looking to advance their skills, they provide the Buceador Avanzado (Advanced Open Water Diver) course, as well as several specialties including Nitrox, Deep Diver, Night Diver, and Buoyancy. They also offer the ReActivate programme to help divers refresh their skills.

Professional training is available through the DiveMaster programme, and the centre provides instruction for the Buceador de Rescate (Rescue Diver) course, which includes EFR training.

The centre operates the Cheyet, a Cobra 799 Diving semi-rigid. This vessel features a deep-V hull designed to provide a stable and comfortable platform even when navigating open water.

The boat is well-equipped for both recreational and technical divers, featuring high cylinder racks for easy handling. There is also dedicated space on board for lighter equipment and underwater camera gear. The Cheyet is used for guided explorations, night dives, and various training sessions throughout the area.

Full equipment hire is available on-site for divers who do not wish to travel with their own kit. This includes a complete range of necessary diving gear to suit different needs.

Nitrox is available for use, making it easier to plan longer bottom times during your dives in the region.

The marine life in this area is remarkably diverse, supported by the influence of Atlantic currents and freshwater from the Sierra Nevada. You will regularly encounter various species of dolphins, including common dolphins, striped dolphins, and bottlenose dolphins.

The rocky reefs and walls are home to a wealth of invertebrates and small creatures. Look closely to find Nudibranch (Chromodoris willani), sea anemones (Actiniaria), sponges (Porifera), and various types of starfish (Asteroidea). You may also spot sea squirts, spirographs, and several types of colourful corals, including candelabra coral and orange coral.

In the water column and around the structures, you can find a variety of fish such as Bogue (Boops boops), white seabream, Salema porgy (Sarpa salpa), and various species of wrasse (Labridae). Larger pelagic fauna and groupers (Epinephelus) are also part of the local ecosystem, alongside rays (Batoidea) and octopuses (Octopus vulgaris).

La Herradura serves as a natural refuge within the Alborán Sea due to the protective shape of the coastline. This positioning often allows for diving even when conditions in the wider sea are less favourable.

The area is influenced by Atlantic currents and freshwater input from the Sierra Nevada, which contributes to the unique biological richness of the local waters.