Gran Canaria · Spain · Reef
El Faro
Remains of a port that served the Canaries in Columbus's day
Area photo: Gino maccanti from spain · CC BY 2.0
El Faro, or El Faro Hundido, is a shore dive in Sardina del Norte bay over the remains left by different eras of the old port, which in Columbus's time was the second most important in the Canary Islands. Large schools of barracuda patrol the site. It suits divers of every level and stays within 16 m.
Also known as El Faro Hundido.
Where it is and how deep
28.1531° N, 15.6998° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The route visits debris from several periods of the old harbour, scattered on the bottom down to 16 m, with big schools of barracuda keeping close. Angel sharks, garden eels and seahorses are the animals to look for among the remains.
Marine life and season
- Barracuda
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
Season follows Gran Canaria: Conditions stay stable almost all year on this coast, so no month stands out as a peak.
Sources
- El Faro (ScubaGo) — ScubaGo
- Inmersiones de buceo en Gran Canaria — Buceo Norte
More dive sites in Gran Canaria
Cave & cavern
A cavern filled with schools of glasseye bigeyes
Cave & cavern
A descent through an L-shaped lava tube into open water
Wreck
A ship lying upside down, its hull facing the surface
Reef
Gothic-looking volcanic rock full of vaults, arches and dykes
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Golden coral and jewel anemones in a sheltered 10 m bay
Artificial reef
Old anchors and fish traps grown over with sponges and corals
Reef
Lava arches and roofless canyons to swim through
Wreck
A burnt-out merchant ship lying on its side as a reef
Similar dives elsewhere
Amphitheatre reef in the underwater park, 10–24 m
Volcanic caves and coral blocks inside 18 metres
Reef
Arcos da Caloura
Azores · Portugal
Four rock arches at 16 metres in a sheltered bay
Big sheltering rocks between 13 m and 20 m