Laje de Santos · Brazil · Reef
Parcel das Âncoras
Fishing anchors lost in the boulders off the Laje's west side
Photo: mlsouza85@hotmail.co… · CC BY-SA 3.0
Parcel das Âncoras is a rock formation that runs out from the west side of Laje de Santos, named for the fishing anchors lost among its boulders. It drops to 40 m, so the dive is a depth-limited pass along the rock rather than a long swim, with large groupers holding on the structure and schools of transient fish passing over it.
Where it is and how deep
24.3197° S, 46.1857° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The site is a rock formation that starts on the west side of the Laje and runs out from it, and the dive follows that rock. Its deepest part is at 40 m, which sets the shape of the dive: time at the far end is short, and most of the dive is spent working back along the structure into shallower water. Between the boulders lie the anchors that give the site its name, lost by fishing boats and left where they fell.
Large groupers are the fish the site is known for, and schools of transient fish pass over the formation in open water. The rock itself is worth slowing down for: tube-dwelling anemones and tube-building polychaetes characterise the site alongside the groupers. Current is not a given here, but it can run, and that possibility is part of why the site is kept for divers with experience past their first certification.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Laje de Santos: Autumn and winter (Mar–Sep) bring the clearest water and the manta ray aggregation; summer is warmer but rain and runoff cut visibility, and strong wind can close the park to boats.
Know before you go
- The site reaches 40 m and current can run along the formation, so gas and no-stop time go quickly and the group needs a plan for being pushed off the rock.
Dive videos
LAJE DE SANTOS - mergulho no Parcel das âncoras - muita garoupa! · LUIZ ANDRE GUSSO on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is Parcel das Âncoras?+
The formation bottoms out at 40 m, which is why an advanced certification and previous deep experience are asked for here rather than treating it as a general park dive.
Sources
- Conheça os pontos de Mergulho da Laje de Santos — Jornada Sub
Photo credits
- Long granite ridge of the Laje de Santos islet stretching low across the water by mlsouza85@hotmail.co…, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
More dive sites in Laje de Santos
A shallow rock at the islet's edge where turtles gather
A U-shaped passage under an arch that stands above the water
An iron fishing boat scuttled to seed an artificial reef
Similar dives elsewhere
Boulder walls and canyons to 35 m inside a no-fishing zone
Deep point of Cabo Frio island with passing fish
Abundant marine life on a dive down to 40 m
Sheltered coves on the closest island, 30 minutes from the canal