ISLAND OF SANTA MARIA

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF DIVE AROUND THE ISLAND OF SANTA MARIA. THIS IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE DIVERSE GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS OF THE AZOREAN ARCHIPELAGO – CAVES, TUNNELS AND SAND BOTTOMS AROUND THE COAST, IN LOW LYING AREAS CLOSE TO THE COAST OR IN SUBMARINE MOUNTS OR PEAKS FURTHER FROM THE COAST.

SOME DIVING LOCATIONS...
TO THE WEST

ILHÉU DA VILA | BEGINNERS

BAIXA DA CAGARRA | BEGINNERS

CABEÇO JOÃO LOPES | EXPERTS

AMBRÓSIO | EXPERTS

BAIXA DE FORA | INTERMEDIATES

TO THE EAST

PEDRINHA | BEGINNERS

BAIXA DA CRÉ | BEGINNERS

BAIXA DA MAIA | INTERMEDIATES

PEDRINHA DA MAIA | INTERMEDIATES

PINHEIRO | EXPERTS

IMPORTANT NOTE:
FOR SAFETY REASONS, PROOF OF CERTIFICATION OR EXPERIENCE ARE A MUST IN OUR CENTER AS IS THE COMPLETION OF A MEDICAL QUESTIONNAIRE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING.

Natural Reserve of Formigas and Dollabarat Bank

DUE TO OUR CLOSE LOCATION TO THE NATURAL RESERVE OF FORMIGAS AND DOLLABART, CONSIDERED BY MANY AS THE BEST DIVING LOCATION IN EUROPE, IS OUR FEATURED DIVING SPOT PAR EXCELLENCE. THE RESERVE IS LOCATED 20 MILES NORTHEAST OFF THE ISLAND OF SANTA MARIA.

THE ISLETS OF FORMIGAS CONSIST OF 8 LOW LYING ROCKS THAT RISE ABOVE THE WATER SURFACE THAT FEATURE A LIGHT HOUSE. AROUND THE ROCKS THERE ARE VARIOUS DIVING LOCATIONS, THE MOST SOUGHT OUT BEING THE SHIPWRECK “OLYMPIA” ON THE SOUTHWESTERN SIDE AND AN AREA WITH CRACKS AND HIGH GRADIENTS ON THE SOUTHEASTERN SIDE.

APPROXIMATELY THREE MILES TO THE SOUTHEAST, THE SUBMARINE MOUNT DOLLABARAT RISES TO ABOUT FIVE METERS BELOW SEA LEVEL. IT IS VISIBLE THROUGH AN INTENSE BLUE TURQUOISE RESULTING FROM ITS SPECTACULAR ROCK FORMATION. THE MAIN FEATURE IS THE LARGE FLAT ROCKS COVERED IN CARPETS OF KELP.

BOTH LOCATIONS, SITUATED IN THE “OPEN SEA”, ARE SUBJECT TO STRONG CURRENTS AND ARE HOME TO GREAT DEPTHS. FOR THIS REASON, DIVING IS RECOMMENDED TO EXPERT DIVERS AND ONLY UNDER GOOD ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS.

A VAST NUMBER OF SUB-AQUATIC SPECIES MAY BE OBSERVED HERE: GREATER AMBERJACK, SEACHUB, MORAY EEL, CONGER EEL, DUSKY GROUPER, ISLAND GROUPER, BARRED HOGFISH, BLACK CORAL, ETC. BUT, THE BIG ATTRACTION IS THE DIVERSITY OF THE PELAGIC SPECIES THAT PASS THROUGH HERE – GREATER AMBERJACK, ATLANTIC BONITO, YELLOW MOUTH BARRACUDA, SKIPJACK TUNA, MANTA RAYS, WAHOOS AND SOMETIMES SEVERAL SPECIES OF SHARKS. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF SIGHTINGS OF THE PELAGIC SPECIES TAKES PLACE IN THIS AREA OF THE ARCHIPELAGO.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
FOR SAFETY REASONS, PROOF OF CERTIFICATION OR EXPERIENCE ARE A MUST IN OUR CENTER AS IS THE COMPLETION OF A MEDICAL QUESTIONNAIRE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING.