Restinga do Freire

In Graciosa, the Restinga do Freire dive starts right next to the Santa Cruz pier, a well-sheltered spot that is especially useful on days when the sea conditions prevent diving at other locations on the island. You enter at around 7 metres depth, and from there the seabed slopes quite steeply until reaching 15 metres. With weak currents and easy access from the harbour coast, it’s a comfortable site for any diver, highly sought after for certification dives, night dives and also for snorkelling.

Despite being within a port zone, the shallower section surprises with the quantity of juvenile fish that grow there. Among them stand out colourful fish such as the rainbow wrasse (Thalassoma pavo), the Mediterranean rainbow wrasse (Coris julis) and sea breams (Diplodus sargus), which offer great opportunities for those who enjoy underwater photography.

As you follow the slope downwards, various moray eels and octopuses (Octopus vulgaris) appear hidden in crevices, while large schools of salema (Sarpa salpa) cross the route almost from beginning to end. Already near the 15-metre mark, in the deeper section, it’s possible to find groupers (Mycteroperca fusca) and dusky groupers (Epinephelus marginatus) of considerable size.