Baixa da Sr.ª da Guia

Off the coast of Graciosa, the Baixa da Sr.ª da Guia lies near the village of Praia, about 200 metres away, and right next to the Ilhéu da Praia, approximately 50 metres distant. You can reach it by boat in just a few minutes, two minutes from Praia Port and around fifteen minutes from Santa Cruz da Graciosa Port. Since the seabed descends from 3 to 32 metres, you can adjust the dive profile to suit each diver’s level, making this spot accessible to any diver. The current is usually weak and the location is ideal for underwater photography and snorkelling.

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The top of the reef forms a shallow platform, between 3 and 8 metres, teeming with small, colourful fish circling the summit. Rainbow wrasse (Coris julis) and peacock wrasse (Thalassoma pavo) pass through here, along with damselfish (Chromis limbata) and various moray eel species. In the barnacles hide blennies (Parablennius incognitus) and there are plenty of striking colonies of yellow coral (Parazoanthus axinellae), with abundant life right at the reef’s surface.

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Beyond the platform, the wall drops vertically. Around 16 metres, a small cave opens up and a well-developed canopy of black coral (Antipathella wollastoni) grows there. With some luck, you might encounter a grouper (Epinephelus marginatus), more easily spotted in the deeper part of the dive, around 30 metres.