Cabo Verde · Cabo Verde · Cave & cavern
Buracona
Sunbeams drop through a collapsed roof into the cave
Photo: Cayambe · CC BY-SA 3.0
Buracona is a volcanic cove on Sal, the best known on the island, with a natural siphon in the rock where part of the roof has collapsed. The gap lets sunlight down into the cave, and the light is the reason divers come. It is a shore entry, the dive runs to a maximum of 28 metres, and sharks, turtles, dolphins and whales are among the sightings recorded here.
Also known as Blue Eye.
Where it is and how deep
16.7985° N, 22.9938° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The site is a cove cut into volcanic rock, the best known on Sal, and you go in from the shore. Below the surface the rock forms a natural siphon, and the roof over part of it has fallen in, so instead of the flat gloom of a closed cavern there is an opening overhead that the sun comes through. Divers come for that light, and the character of the dive changes with the hour and the angle of the sun.
Sunbeams come down through the collapsed section, which is what makes the site worth a slow pass rather than a lap. The dive bottoms out at 28 metres, so keep an eye on your gas and no-stop time in the deeper part and save the shallow rock for the end. Sharks, turtles, dolphins and whales all appear on the site's list of sightings, though the rock and the light are the reliable part.
Marine life and season
- Sea turtles
- Dolphins
- Whales
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Good |
Season follows Cabo Verde: Apr–Jun and Oct–Nov bring the calmest seas and best visibility; Jul–Sep swell affects exposed sites, and Jan–Feb trade winds cool the water.
Know before you go
- This is an overhead environment lit through a single collapsed opening: stay in sight of the way out and turn the dive on gas rather than on the light.
Photos from Buracona
Iwoelbern · Public domain
Dive videos
Dive in Buracona · hendrik miguel Almeida on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Can beginners dive Buracona?+
Not on a standard Open Water card. The dive reaches 28 metres, past the 18 m recreational entry-level limit, and it is an overhead site, so it suits divers with a deep qualification and cavern comfort.
How deep is Buracona?+
The maximum depth on the dive is 28 metres. The sunlit part of the cave, under the collapsed section of roof, is what divers come for, and the shallow rock makes a good end to the profile.
Sources
- Buracona Dive Site - Cape Verde — PADI Travel
- Buracona, Sal, Cabo Verde (natural pool) — OpenStreetMap
Photo credits
- Surf bursts through a collapsed lava roof at Buracona's volcanic cove on Sal by Cayambe, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Waves breaking through the black volcanic rock arch at Buracona, Sal by Iwoelbern, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
In The Logbook
- Why is the sea blue? Water filters out redOcean science · 7 min read
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