Small rocky beach with pioneering artificial reef on Gibraltar’s west coast.
Camp Bay, also known as El Quarry, is a small rocky beach on Gibraltar’s west coast, off Rosia Road, overlooking the Bay of Gibraltar. Overlooked by Parson’s Lodge Battery, it is home to what is claimed to be Europe’s first artificial reef, attracting thousands of divers each year.
Camp Bay, sometimes called El Quarry in Llanito, is a small rocky beach in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It lies off Rosia Road on Gibraltar’s west coast, overlooking the Bay of Gibraltar. The northern end of the bay is overlooked by Parson’s Lodge Battery. Camp Bay is notable as the site of what is claimed to be Europe’s first artificial reef. The reef was created by activists who were concerned about the scarcity of marine life in the area. Early experiments involved floating out and sinking derelict cars, but these attempts demonstrated the power of local storms and currents. A second phase instead used ships that were no longer required. Some of these vessels would otherwise have been abandoned in deep water, but activists persuaded owners to sink them in shallower waters at Camp Bay. Significant donations included floating harbours and a large cable ship known as the 482. These sunken ships now create a haven for marine life. The artificial reef at Camp Bay has become a destination for thousands of divers each year, adding recreational and ecological interest to this small coastal area of Gibraltar.
