Diving in the Azores
Lying in
the heart of the Atlantic Ocean, the Azores Archipelago features nine islands
and a sea of emotions that are waiting to be discovered. The most remote
islands of the North Atlantic are just a few hours away from mainland Europe
and North America, offering a huge variety of dive sites and a rich and
abundant marine life. From diving with the world’s largest fish (whale shark)
in crystalline waters to finding yourself surrounded by dozens of graceful
devil rays and agile blue sharks, everything is possible in this oasis of
marine life.
The archipelago’s location in the North
Atlantic Ocean, in a transition zone between the nutrient-rich currents from
the north and the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, turns this group of islands
into a true sanctuary for a large and varied number of marine species. Featuring
a rich and unique marine biodiversity, the Azorean waters host five species of
sea turtles, over 24 different species of cetaceans, and about 600 species of
fish, including large schools of pelagic fish, several species of sharks,
graceful manta and devil rays, and friendly dusky groupers.
Despite the Azores being considered one of the
world’s top locations for whale watching and the sperm whale being the region’s
most iconic image, there is an increasing number of divers who venture
themselves down here and find out that this group of islands, which features
mild waters with an amazing visibility, hides some of the best underwater
experiences in Europe and in the world. Above water, the volcanic landscapes of
the archipelago – green hillsides cut out by cliffs, fajãs (flat, low-lying
strips of land by the sea), lakes and waterfalls where tranquillity, harmony,
peace and quietness reign supreme – turn a visit to these islands, which
National Geographic Traveler considered one of the best summer destinations in
2011, into a unique experience.
You can dive on all the islands of the
archipelago, which offer experiences as diverse as coastal dives, wreck dives,
cave diving, diving with sharks, and the most intense diving experience that
the Azores have to offer – diving in remote seamounts, where you will often
find dozens of devil rays and large schools of pelagic fish. Under water, the
islands are as different as on land, with whale sharks on an island and blue
sharks on another, or with a World War II shipwreck on an island and the
remains of 15th and 16th century shipwrecks on another. Coastal dives have,
however, some elements in common. Witnesses of the volcanic origin of the
archipelago, the Azores Islands feature a coastline with a very diverse seafloor
relief, giving the dive sites an added geological interest with impressive
arches formed by ancient lava flows and deep caves, often formed by several
interconnecting chambers.
Coastal marine life is characterised by the
presence of friendly dusky groupers, curious schools of grey triggerfish, as
well as several species of small, colourful nudibranchs, octopuses and moray
eels that hide between rocks. Small fish give colour to the black rock
seafloor, such as the Mediterranean rainbow wrasse, the ornate wrasse, the
Azores chromis, the Mediterranean parrotfish and many others. At greater
depths, the red scorpionfish, the barred hogfish and reef fish can be found
often along large stretches of black coral. But don’t be distracted by the
species that roam the seafloor, because the water column is often filled by
schools of yellowmouth barracudas, Almaco jacks, white trevallies and, for the
more fortunate, a majestic devil ray, turtle or ocean sunfish. However, the
seamounts far from the coast are undoubtedly the best places to spot large
pelagic fishes, with schools of sometimes thousands of beautiful, large Almaco
jacks patrolling the seafloor and hundreds of large yellowmouth barracudas
still in the water column observing the divers. It is in this Atlantic depth
that the Azores stand out and become a unique destination for diving.
Thanks to the volcanic origin of islands, which
lie along the chain of submarine volcanoes of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, there are
underwater elevations in the Azores sea that rise from the great depths of the
ocean floor (sometimes greater than 1,000 metres) up until just a few metres
from the surface; these elevations are called seamounts. Some of them once were
islands that were swallowed by the sea, and many others are either too far from
the islands or too deep to be visited. But there are seamounts that can be
reached by divers, including the Princess Alice Bank, the Dom João de Castro
Bank, the Formigas Islets, and the Dollabarat Reef. They feature a unique
variety of marine ecosystems ranging from the abundant number of the most
common species of the Azorean seafloor to large schools of pelagic fish, dozens
of graceful devil rays and even some species of cetaceans.
Dive in the Azores and discover a sea of
emotions!
Download the brochure here.
Source: Azores Tourism
