Alcatrazes Archipelago · Brazil · Wall
Parcel das 5 milhas
Open-sea granite walls to 60 m with big schools and strong current
Area photo: Marcos Simanovic · CC BY-SA 3.0
Parcel das 5 milhas is an open-sea dive of granite walls and large boulders from 8 to 60 m, where the valleys between the rocks are grown over with algae and bryozoans. Big schools and larger passing fish dominate. Strong currents, no mooring and a 60 m bottom make it a deep and technical site for experienced divers.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Alcatrazes Archipelago and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
This is an open-sea site with no mooring buoy, and anchoring on the bottom is not allowed anywhere in the refuge, so the boat stays adrift above the group throughout the dive. It only runs in good sea conditions, with swell under 1 m. Strong currents run over the site, so teams descend together and stay close to the rock.
The structure is granite walls with large boulders that form valleys, grown over with algae and bryozoans. The top sits at about 8 m and the walls drop to 60 m, well past recreational limits, so the depth each team reaches is set by its training and gas. Passing fish dominate here, with big schools and larger fish along the walls.
Marine life and season
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good |
Season follows Alcatrazes Archipelago: October to April is the better half of the year; February to April brings calmer sea and weaker currents, and September the coldest water.
Know before you go
- Strong currents run over the site; descend as a team, stay close to the rock and carry a surface marker for the drifting boat.
- The walls drop to 60 m; the deep section needs technical training and gas planning.
- The site only runs when swell is under 1 m; the crew calls it off in rougher sea.
Dive videos
Mergulho em Alcatrazes · Oceano VideoSub on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is Parcel das 5 milhas?+
Parcel das 5 milhas runs from 8 to 60 m on granite walls and boulders. It is a deep and technical site with strong currents, dived only when swell is under 1 m.
Sources
More dive sites in Alcatrazes Archipelago
The refuge's low-difficulty mooring, shallow enough for try-dives
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The exposed mooring, with walls and boulders from 10 to 25 m
The densest brain coral cover in the Alcatrazes archipelago
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Reef, walls and a cave on one mooring, from 4 to 30 m
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