On the Atlantic coast of Chubut, where the untamed sea merges with wild beauty, lies Camarones, a town that holds one of Patagonia’s best-kept secrets: a pristine underwater paradise, still largely unexplored.
For José Luis Orlando, born and raised in this place, the sea is not just a landscape: it is memory, identity, and purpose.
Diving in Camarones: icy challenge, infinite reward
An intact ecosystem that invites you to immerse yourself in the purest nature.
Since his first dive in 2009, José Luis discovered a world that transformed him. Diving in Camarones involves low temperatures, strong currents, and rigorous preparation, but it also offers a unique experience: marine life in its natural state, without artificiality or human structures.
- Colorful snails
- Starfish of all sizes
- Sea anemones, octopuses, salmons, and schools of silversides
- Algae forests illuminated by underwater sunbeams
“When there is good visibility, you are in an algae forest and you see the light coming in. It’s a beautiful feeling,” José Luis recounts.
An underwater paradise with history and purpose
From the placement of plaques on the Villarino steamship to the creation of protected areas.
Together with his mentor Eugenio “el Tano” Borsi, José participated in placing a commemorative plaque on the Villarino steamship, sunk off Isla Blanca, and collaborated in the creation of the three Underwater Tourism Areas enabled in Bahía de Camarones. But his greatest treasure is having dived with his son, daughter, and partner, sharing the magic of the sea as a family.
Camarones, an underwater paradise in Chubut
A project that connects tourism, community, and conservation
Together with a group of friends, José plans to open a local diving operator, aiming to offer safe, educational, and environmentally friendly experiences.
The proposal seeks to integrate townspeople and visitors in an authentic nature tourism that values the environment and strengthens the local economy.
“Diving marks you forever. It opens your eyes to an incredible world,” says José.
Camarones: coastal identity and marine legacy
Camarones does not offer decorations or artifices. It offers marine truth, unspoiled landscapes, and a coastal mystique that is transmitted in every story.
In José’s words, a vision of the future resonates: a town that grows with respect, a sea that allows itself to be seen, and a legacy that invites you to dive deeply, to return transformed.
By Diego Crova
