Berlengas & Peniche · Portugal · Reef · Wall
Baixa do Broeiro
A platform at 25 m on the north side before the drop to 40 m
Area photo: Alexkom000 · CC BY 4.0
Baixa do Broeiro is a reef structure that extends from 40 metres deep to 5 metres shallow, with a platform on the northern side at 25 metres, the average depth of the dive, before the drop. Currents come through hard enough to limit when it can be dived, which is why it is rated moderate to advanced. Moray and conger eels live in the rock, and summer brings triggerfish, amberjacks and sunfish.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Berlengas & Peniche and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
The reef structure extends from 40 metres deep to 5 metres shallow, so the site is a depth menu rather than a fixed route and the decision gets made before you leave the boat. The northern side is the classic line: a platform at 25 metres, which is also the average depth of the dive, gives somewhere to gather the group and set the profile before the ground drops away to 40. Currents are present and can shut the dive down entirely.
On the rock itself, moray eels and conger eels sit in the holes while seabreams and schools of small fish work the water above. Through the summer months the list grows, with triggerfish, amberjacks and sunfish all seasonal visitors, and they tend to be off the structure rather than on it, so it is worth turning away from the reef every so often. The shallow end at 5 metres makes an easy safety stop.
Marine life and season
- Reef fish swarms
- Trevally & jacks
- Mola mola
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Off-season | Off-season |
Season follows Berlengas & Peniche: Jun–Sep is the practical season; Atlantic swell and 14°C water shut the crossing for most of the rest of the year.
Know before you go
- The site experiences currents strong enough that it is not always diveable; take the skipper's call on the day and carry a surface marker for the pickup.
Sources
- Baixa do Broeiro Berlengas dive site — Portugal Dive
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