Ilhéu da Urzelina

Less than 150 metres from Urzelina Harbour, in São Jorge, this is one of the mergulhos most accessible in the area. The dive site begins near the islet itself and descends to a maximum of 14 metres, with weak currents and an average depth around 10 metres, making it ideal for certification dives, night dives and snorkelling. Access is by boat, approximately 20 minutes from Velas Harbour.

Around the islet, the seabed sits at around 10 metres and marine life is not particularly abundant here. The exception is one of the walls facing south, where a small cave concentrates considerably more activity. Inside it is common to encounter a dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus), as well as moray eels, cardinalfish (Apogon imberbis), yellowtail damselfish (Chromis limbata) and rainbow wrasse (Thalassoma pavo).

Moving a few dozen metres westward, you will find two small stone archways, each approximately 10 metres wide. Near these formations, schools of salema (Sarpa salpa), black seabream (Serranus atricauda), ballan wrasse (Labrus bergylta) and parrotfish (Sparisoma cretense) tend to gather, with the red-mouthed goby (Bodianus scrofa) also appearing occasionally.