dive sites

Our diving sites!
IPIMAR WRECK
GRETA & PÉ DE TERRA REEFS
Depth: – 14m to – 19m
Dive sites: rocky outcrops, shipwrecks and
artificial reefs. The majority of dives are 1-2
miles off the coast. Depths vary between - 5mts
and - 40mts.
Fauna: The typical Atlantic species are present:
common bream, sea bass, sea bream, zebra
bream, moray and conger eels, damselfish etc.
With winds from Southeast (levante), warm water
species are common. Due to a high biodiversity of
benthonic organisms, bottoms are colourful. Many
species of sea slugs live in this area.
Temperature: from 13ºC to 21ºC, influenced by
the predominant winds.
Depth: -22 m to -29m
Characteristics: iron trawler sunk in 1995 by the
Portuguese Fishery Investigation Institute
(IPIMAR). It lies on a sand bottom, turned to
starboard. The wreck is complete and the
interior was cleaned before it was sunk.
Fauna: great shoals of bibs, small breams, and
other fish surround the wreck. The great conger
eels are the main attraction on this dive.
Currents: surface currents, light to average.
Winds: main wind is southwest (60%); southeast
(30%) and of other quadrants (10%).
ARTIFICIAL REEFS
Exploitation and Protection blocks
Visibility: average 5-7 meters. Southeast winds
bring warm water and a significant improvement
of visibility, which can reach 15 mts or even more.
Diving season: All the year. Better conditions
with southeast winds.
Ria Formosa: part of the
boat trip, is made through
the channels of Ria
Formosa, a protected wet
land. A great number of
aquatic birds, residents
or passing by, can be observed: egrets, flamingo,
northern gannet, spoonbill, plovers, grebes,
sandpipers, etc.
Depth: -24 to -31m (exploitation); -20 a -22mts
(protection)
Characteristics: Project of artificial reefs placed
throughout 67km of the Algarve coast by
IPIMAR, consisting of various sets of concrete
structures with the purpose of creating setting
and shelter areas for fish and other fauna.
Fauna: Big conger-eels are always present. Also
common are shoals of big sea breams and bibs.
It’s possible to see common bream and meagre.
Characteristics: Remains of the old cost line,
with 1 mile long. It has a labyrinth structure
formed by big blocks and endless canyons.
Fauna: It shelters various species of fish:
bream, sea bass, sea bream, zebra bream,
common bream, bibs and damselfish. Its
configuration allows setting of a great variety
of
invertebrates.
We
can
find
big
concentrations of sea fans, with different size
and colours as well as sea slugs, sponges and
anemones with different forms and colours.
B-24 LIBERATOR (PB4Y)
Depth:
-20 m a -22m.
Characteristics:
Remains
of
an
American
bomber
of World War II. It’s possible to see the
complete structure of the wings (34 m) in an
upside down position, the engines and the
landing gear sockets. In the debris field, we
can see the propellers and a vertical helm. The
rest of the fuselage remains incognito.
Fauna: while the wing structure shelters a
school of bibs, the internal structure it’s used
by moray and conger eels, crabs and a lobster,
among other fishes and invertebrates.
ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE – FARO-A
ANZOL REEF
Depth: –15m to -18m
Characteristics:
Rocky reef, hook shaped. It
has a sharp line, with many
cracks and holes.
It is
possible to swim across to
the Pyramid and “Rodão dos
Mulatos”, other reefs, west
bound from this rock.
Fauna: Great variety of small fish including an old
resident common bream. Many other sea breams,
moray and conger eels, octopuses, sea slugs,
crayfish, anemones share this place.
LIGHTHOUSE TOWBOAT
Depth: - 5 a -7m.
Characteristics:
Small iron towboat (20
mts) sunk in front of the
Lighthouse Island.
Fauna: many species of
blennies, gobies and small
octopuses. It’s usual to
see parrot fish and small
breams inside the wreck
where they hide. Sea
bass is quite common as well as crabs, sea slugs,
sponges and anemones. Near the sand, we can see
cuttlefish, some flat fish and sometimes squids.
Depth: - 19 m to -22m.
Characteristics: Presumed ship of unknown
identity from the 17th century. This dive site has
a nucleus with vestiges of the load (bars of iron)
and some iron cannons, also dispersed in a debris
field of 100mts. In 2004 a protocol with IPA
(Portuguese Institute of Archaeology) was
celebrated allowing guided visits to the place.
Fauna: on this site there are always a big school
of bibs. The openings of the load section are used
as shelter for conger eels and crayfish of
respectable dimensions.
• Other dive sites (Faro): Almas, Armação Nova, Barra Velha,
Barrocas, Molhe do Farol e Caldeirinha, ODAS, Zimbral
• Outros dive sites (Sagres): Cajado, Gigante, Foz dos
Fornos, Balcão, Falésia, Ilhéus do Martinhal, Lajes do
Barranco, Mareta, Ponta do A do Sol, Vapor 19, Vapor Leo,
Vapor Francês, Estação, Pontal Gordo, Pontal dos Corvos
More informations: www.hidroespaco.com
HIDROESPAÇO – Formação, Desporto e Aventura, Lda
Urb. das Laranjeiras, C. C. Horta, Lt.1, Lj.2 8000–489 FARO
TEL: 289 862 500
FAX: 289 864 875
TELEMÓVEIS: 919 495 782 / 919 938 711
mail@hidroespaco.com
Our dive sites
in
FARO