Mallorca · Spain · Reef
Punta de la Avanzada
Seahorses, cuttlefish and rays in the sand and posidonia at 12 m
Area photo: Bengt Nyman · CC BY 3.0
A sheltered, easy site at the point protecting the Bay of Pollença, with a maximum of 12 m: the route follows a rocky wall with big fallen boulders and small passages in plenty of natural light, then crosses sand and posidonia. Scuba Mallorca rates it easy, for all divers, and the sand and seagrass are where the cuttlefish, octopus, rays and seahorses are.
Also known as Punta de l'Avançada.
Where it is and how deep
39.9018° N, 3.1096° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
Punta de la Avanzada is the point that shelters the Bay of Pollença, and the dive sits in its lee, which is why the operators rate it for all divers. The boat drops you by the rock and the route follows a rocky wall with large fallen boulders at its foot, small passages between them and plenty of natural light, at a maximum of 12 m. There is nothing to rush; it is a slow tour along the rock with the boulders as landmarks and the surface never far above you.
The sand and posidonia below the wall are the other half of the dive. Cuttlefish sit on the sand, octopus watch from their holes, rays lie in the open patches and seahorses hold onto the seagrass, so this is a slow, close-looking dive rather than a swim. Schools of seabream, damselfish and wrasse move over the rock in between. Finish by working back along the wall to the boat in the shallows, which at this site means most of the dive can double as the safety stop.
Marine life and season
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Macro critters
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Mallorca: May to October is the season, with boats out daily; the Alcúdia centre dives all year. Water peaks at 26°C in August and falls to 14–15°C in February and March; winter is wet and windy.
Questions divers ask
Is Punta de la Avanzada good for beginners?+
Yes. Scuba Mallorca rates it easy and suitable for all divers, with a maximum depth of 12 m, a sheltered position and plenty of natural light along the wall.
What can you see at Punta de la Avanzada?+
Octopus in their holes, cuttlefish on the sand, rays and seahorses among the sand and posidonia, and schools of seabream, damselfish and wrasse over the rock.
Sources
- Punta de la Avanzada — Scubago
- The Dives — Scuba Mallorca
More dive sites in Mallorca
Wreck
The Ghost Ship: an intact 20 m motor-sailboat on sand at 38 m
Drop-off to 40 m with boulders and swim-throughs on an exposed cape
Vertical walls to 50 m with barracuda schools and hunting amberjack
Cave & cavern
Surface inside a stalactite-hung air chamber reached through a gallery
Cave & cavern
Narrow swim-throughs and a small air pocket inside the rock, 18 m max
Cave & cavern
Vertical chimneys with sunbeams in a 12 m shore-entry cavern
A long arch descending the wall next to the Formentor islet
An arch and a cave with barracuda schools, over sand and posidonia
Similar dives elsewhere
Shallow slabs at 7 m, a site for navigation practice
Black volcanic rock in 3–11 m, with octopus through the holes
A sheltered 7 m dive beside the Deux Frères rocks
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A 4-6 m bank 400 m off the beach, used for first dives