Gran Canaria · Spain · Reef · Cave & cavern
La Catedral
Gothic-looking volcanic rock full of vaults, arches and dykes
Area photo: Gino maccanti from spain · CC BY 2.0
La Catedral is a mass of volcanic rock off Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, named for its twisted, almost gothic shapes. The underwater terrain reaches 40 m and is riddled with caves, vaults, arches and near-vertical dykes. Divers come for the architecture of the rock rather than for any single animal.
Also known as Catedral.
Where it is and how deep
28.1805° N, 15.4140° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The dive explores a block of volcanic rock whose twisted forms give the site its name. Caves, vaults and arches open in the rock, and dykes stand almost vertically through it, so the route moves between overhangs and openings on terrain that drops to 40 m.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| 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.
Dive videos
Inmersión en la Catedral. La Isleta. Gran Canaria · Eduardo Grandio on YouTube
Sources
- La Catedral (ScubaGo) — ScubaGo
- Buceando en Las Palmas de Gran Canaria — Balearia
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
Reef
Remains of a port that served the Canaries in Columbus's day
Wreck
A ship lying upside down, its hull facing the surface
Reef
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
Reef
Baixa do Espelho
Azores · Portugal
A volcanic arch to swim through on a reef topping out at 7 m
Reef
Arcos da Caloura
Azores · Portugal
Four rock arches at 16 metres in a sheltered bay
Volcanic caves and coral blocks inside 18 metres
A false ceiling right around a 10 m shoal off Corralejo