Azores · Portugal · Pinnacle · Reef
Ilhéus da Madalena
A swimthrough under the longer of the two islets
Area photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0
Two islets standing in the Faial-Pico Channel just off Madalena harbour, formed in a volcanic eruption and now the eroded remains of a submarine volcano. The water between them is the old crater, tuff-walled and about 20 metres deep, with lava fingers running off the rock and a swimthrough under the longer islet.
Also known as Madalena Islets.
Where it is and how deep
38.5338° N, 28.5440° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The dive is built around the gap between the two islets. That water is the sunken crater of the eruption that raised them, walled in tuff rock and running to roughly 20 metres, and it is the sheltered part of the site: the small bay is where experienced divers are pointed. Boats come out from Madalena harbour, about half a nautical mile away, so the run is short and the site works as a channel-side dive rather than an expedition.
Below, the rock breaks into lava fingers reaching out from the islets, and the fish work in and over them — groupers, needlefish and Atlantic bonito are all reported around the islets, with common bottlenose dolphins in the surrounding channel water. A swimthrough runs under the longer of the two islets for anyone who wants it. Stay inside the bay unless your guide takes you out: the moment you leave that shelter you are in the Faial-Pico Channel, with its currents and its boat traffic.
Background
The islets are the exposed remains of a submarine volcano, worn down by the sea and by seismic activity and built mainly of compacted palagonite tuff; the channel between them is what is left of the crater. Since June 1995 they have been recognised as a protected Natura 2000 site by the European Environment Agency under the Habitats Directive.
Marine life and season
- Dolphins
- Groupers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Off-season |
Season follows Azores: Jun–Sep brings warm water, calmer Atlantic swell, and peak mobula and shark activity at the seamounts; winter storms shut down offshore boat trips.
Know before you go
- Strong currents run in the Faial-Pico Channel immediately outside the sheltered bay between the islets — plan the dive to stay in the lee unless the guide calls otherwise.
- Ferries and other vessels work the channel over the site, so ascents need a deployed marker and a careful listen before surfacing.
Questions divers ask
How deep is the dive at Ilhéus da Madalena?+
The old volcanic crater between the two islets is about 20 metres deep, and that is the depth published for the site. The dive is centred on that bay rather than on the open channel outside it.
Is Ilhéus da Madalena suitable for new divers?+
It is described as a site for experienced divers. The bay between the islets is sheltered, but the surrounding Faial-Pico Channel carries strong currents and ferry traffic, so it asks for divers comfortable with current and boat entries.
How do you get to the site?+
By boat from Madalena on Pico. The islets sit about 0.5 nautical miles (0.93 km) from the harbour, directly offshore in the Faial-Pico Channel.
Sources
- Ilhéus da Madalena - Scubago — Scubago (SSI)
- Madalena Islets — Wikipedia
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