Azores · Portugal · Pelagic & blue water · Reef
Baixa do Amigo
Almaco jacks and barracuda hunting clouds of blue jack mackerel
Baixa do Amigo is a coastal reef of large slabs about 200 m off the Lomba quay on the east coast of Flores. Its top lies at 15 m and the reef falls to 40 m, and divers come to wait for passing schools of pelagic fish that feed on the dense clouds of blue jack mackerel around it.
Also known as Friend Reef.
Where it is and how deep
39.4121° N, 31.1465° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The reef top begins around 15 m, and the slabs between 15 and 25 m can be explored by divers with little experience; below them the reef drops to 40 m, a section for experienced divers only. Divers settle on the slabs to wait for schools of almaco jacks, yellowmouth barracuda, white trevally and Atlantic bonito that arrive to feed on the blue jack mackerel.
Marine life and season
- Trevally & jacks
- Barracuda
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Azores: June to September is the best time to dive; the clearest water lasts into October, spring water turns green, and in winter the Corvo ferry sails only when the weather allows.
Know before you go
- The current over this coastal reef is usually moderate.
Sources
- Baixa do Amigo — Visit Azores
- Baixa do Amigo — byAçores
- Diving South Flores Island — Just Gotta Dive
More dive sites in Azores
Pinnacle
A drowned volcanic cone rising to within 6 m of the surface
More than a dozen dusky groupers around divers at once
Cave & cavern
A cave with two entrances guarded by unusually large trevally
Wall
A reef wall that splits the islet into a sheltered side and an exposed one
Pinnacle
A Corvo reef rising from deep water almost to the surface
Wall
Lava-tube caves hiding conger eels and moray eels
Similar dives elsewhere
A blue descent with no reference onto a shelf at 25 m
Almaco jacks and yellowmouth barracuda schooling over an offshore reef top
Pelagic schools at 20 m on the current-swept tip of São Jorge
Current-fed schools of jacks, snapper and barracuda in 22 m