Costa Brava · Spain · Wall · Cave & cavern · Night
La Depuradora
A walk-in wall at 3–22 m used for courses and night dives
Area photo: Enric · CC BY-SA 4.0
The shore dive of L'Escala: a wall from 3 to 22 m, within walking distance of the centre, with a small tunnel full of life along the way. The wall keeps orientation simple, which is why the operator uses the site for inexperienced divers, runs courses on it, and recommends it as a night dive.
Where it is and how deep
42.1145° N, 3.1679° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The entry is from the coast, within walking distance, and the wall is the reason the site is used for teaching: it gives a line to follow out and back, which takes most of the navigation out of the dive. The south side is the wall proper, where sponges and anemones are the usual sight; the north side is an area of heavy algae where nudibranchs and seahorses hide.
The maximum is 22 m by the operator's reckoning and 24 m by the catalogue's, so the profile stays inside ordinary recreational limits, and there is the option of a small tunnel full of life on the way, with lobster and greater forkbeard in it. Bream and banks of salps pass over the open water. The same qualities are why the operator recommends it as a night dive: the wall keeps orientation simple after dark and there is enough life on it to fill the dive.
Marine life and season
- Nudibranchs
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Costa Brava: Water runs from about 13 °C in February to 25 °C in July and August; no L'Escala centre publishes closing months, and the tramuntana can keep boats in port in any month.
Know before you go
- Like Illa Mateua, the area is marked out in summer to stop vessels passing over the divers below; stay inside the marked water.
Questions divers ask
Is La Depuradora a good night dive?+
The operator singles it out for that: the wall makes orientation easy after dark and the amount of life on it fills the dive. It is also the site used for courses and for divers with little experience.
Sources
- Costa de L'Escala Diving Sites — Orca Diving Center
- La Depuradora — Scubago
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