Berlengas & Peniche · Portugal · Cave & cavern · Reef
Cova do Sono
The archipelago's simplest dive, 6 m average in a sheltered bay
Area photo: Tiago Thedim · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cova do Sono is described as the simplest dive in the Berlengas: a sheltered bay whose shallow water often reaches just 2 metres, with an average depth of 6 and a maximum of 12. Cave galleries in the granite house large forkbeards and lobsters, and the rock formations either side are full of cracks and crevices worth working slowly.
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
This is the shelter dive of the archipelago. The bay is shallow enough that parts of it reach just 2 metres, the average depth over the dive is around 6 and the deepest point is 12, so the constraint is cold and gas rather than no-stop time. It is called the simplest dive in the Berlengas and is accessible for divers of all experience levels, which here is worth stating plainly.
The interest is in the rock rather than in the depth. Cave galleries run into the granite and house large forkbeards, with lobsters backed into the same shade, and the formations either side are cut with numerous cracks and crevices. That rewards a slow pace and a torch: covering ground quickly gets you nothing here, while working one wall properly will fill a dive at 16 to 20 degrees.
Marine life and season
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Off-season |
Season follows Berlengas & Peniche: June to October is the high season; from December to February the Atlantic swell allows diving only on occasional calm days.
Questions divers ask
What is the easiest dive in the Berlengas?+
Portugal Dive calls Cova do Sono the simplest dive in the archipelago: a sheltered bay with an average depth of 6 metres and a maximum of 12, accessible for divers of all experience levels.
Sources
- Cova do Sono dive site — Portugal Dive
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