Ilhabela · Brazil · Reef · Wall
Ilha das Cabras
Boulder walls and canyons to 35 m inside a no-fishing zone
Photo: João D'Andretta · CC BY-SA 4.0
Ilha das Cabras is an island off Ilhabela whose surrounding waters are protected by a municipal decree that bans hunting and fishing. Its south face drops from 5 m near the rocks to 35 m among boulder walls and canyons, with groupers and rays on the bottom, and off the north face the passage towards Ilha dos Pescadores reaches 52 m.
Where it is and how deep
23.8295° S, 45.3923° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
On the south face the dive starts close to the rocky shore at 5 m. Moving away from the island, the bottom falls abruptly to 35 m, where large boulders stack into submerged walls and canyons. Badejo and garoupa groupers and rays live on this rocky bottom, which lies inside the zone where a municipal decree bans hunting and fishing.
The south face profile runs from 8 to 35 m. On the north face the bottom slopes steeply to sand at 18 m to the north-east, and in the middle of the passage between Ilha das Cabras and Ilha dos Pescadores the depth reaches 52 m. Strong currents, surge and depth make the faces dives for experienced divers with higher certification and solid underwater navigation. Visibility ranges from 2 to 10 m depending on the time of year and the state of the sea.
The site is only slightly sheltered and suffers at the turn of the tide, when a strong current runs if the dive is made at the wrong time, so dives are timed to the hours the dive centres recommend. One centre also describes a shallower dive here, at 6 to 10 m, as ideal for beginners and Basic Course students, while the deeper faces are kept for experienced divers.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Ilhabela: Diving runs all year. The water is warmest, up to 27 °C, from mid-January until autumn, and early summer can bring cold thermoclines.
Know before you go
- A strong current runs around the turn of the tide; dives are timed to avoid it.
- Off the north face the passage towards Ilha dos Pescadores falls to 52 m, far below the 35 m of the south face profile.
Dive videos
ILHA DAS CABRAS - ILHABELA - MERGULHO · Oceano Sub - Escola de Mergulho on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is the diving at Ilha das Cabras?+
The usual dive on the south face runs from 8 to 35 m, starting from 5 m near the rocks. Off the north face, the passage between Ilha das Cabras and Ilha dos Pescadores reaches 52 m.
How do divers get to Ilha das Cabras?+
By boat: dive centres run their dive boat or a fast boat, and the crossing from the base on Ilhabela takes about 20 minutes.
Sources
- Ilha das Cabras - Narwhal — Narwhal Ilhabela
- Ilha das Cabras - Scubago — Scubago
Photo credits
- Aerial view of a small palm-covered island with a jetty and a boat in turquoise water by João D'Andretta, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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