The Bantxa del Oeste is a submarine shallow that is located at the entrance of the port of Pasaia, in front of the lighthouse of La Plata. It is an underwater low that makes difficult the access to the boats to this port, since its top is located a few meters from the surface. It is signposted, formerly with a post, that due to the storms, has already fallen several times, and at the moment a small floating buoy of green color has been placed.
This is a dive for divers with a high level of orientation, since it is very important to go out at anchor, because we are diving in the channel where the ships pass.
The anchorage is located at the top of the shallows, at a depth of about 10m. Once at anchor, we will place ourselves on the south face of the shallows, and take an easterly course, leaving the shallows on my left arm. Immediately, we will see the remains of the works that had to be done to place the different signaling turrets of the bajo. It is an area that is about 14-16 m. deep, and in it we can see the remains of the fallen turret, huge concrete rings, chains with huge links, … It is a nice area to see.
We will pass under the turret and continue our course to the east. We will reach an area of boulders, which form passages inside, where we can find lobsters, lobsters and conger eels and a large admiralty anchor. Here we will be more or less at about 30 m. At this point we are in the middle of the channel, that is, the most dangerous point. We leave this area and return towards the shallows heading west, paying close attention to the walls, because there are usually some conger eels and there is a possibility of seeing spider crabs.
Once in the shallows, we can return either along the wall or along the top, heading west. Along the way we will see plenty of nudibranchs.
We will pass by the green buoy signaling the bantxa, of which we will see its attachment, huge chains. The site is impressive because of the wear and tear of the rock due to the movement of the chains. A little further ahead we will have the anchor of our boat.
Gorgonians, spider crabs, lobsters, lobsters, sunfish, nudibranchs, octopus, monkfish, cuttlefish, conger eels, and many others.
