Madeira · Portugal · Pinnacle · Sand slope
Baixa da Cruz
A 3-metre peak that drops to 35 on sand
Area photo: Alberto-g-rovi · CC BY 3.0
A rock off Machico that breaks up to 3 metres at its peak and runs down to a sandy bottom at 35 metres, less than 100 metres from the shore and directly in front of the 3 Marias site. Black coral grows on it and large schools of barracuda and salema are usually around it, so the shallow end is worth as much time as the deep.
Where it is and how deep
32.7164° N, 16.7558° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The top of the rock is at 3 metres — shallow enough to locate from the surface and shallow enough to be the last thing you see before you get out. From the small peak the ground gets progressively deeper, running down to a sandy bottom at 35 metres. Barracuda and salema school around the rock in numbers and are usually there whatever the rest of the dive gives you.
Thirty-five metres puts the deep end at the edge of recreational limits, and that is the part to plan carefully: short at the bottom, with most of the time spent working back up towards the peak. Black coral is one of the things to look for on the way. The site lies offshore of Machico village, in front of 3 Marias and less than 100 metres out, which makes for a short run and an easy pairing with the neighbouring dive.
Marine life and season
- Barracuda
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Madeira: Jun–Sep brings the warmest water and best odds of manta rays around the Desertas; diving continues year-round but cooler and rougher in winter.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Baixa da Cruz?+
The dive begins at 3 metres on a small peak and gets deeper until it reaches a sandy bottom at 35 metres, so the deep end needs Advanced Open Water level training and a planned short bottom time.
Sources
- Baixa da Cruz - Scubago — Scubago
More dive sites in Madeira
Reef
Amphitheatre reef in the underwater park, 10–24 m
Reef
Volcanic caves and coral blocks inside 18 metres
Reef
An entrance at 8 metres, an exit at 18
Reef
Three minutes from Santa Cruz to 25-metre rock
Steps at the Lido to a 5-to-18-metre fall
Pinnacle
Twin volcanic pinnacles from 30 m up to 12 m
Wall
A wall that reaches the surface, sloping to 25 m
Cave & cavern
A tunnel in at 8 metres, out at 18
Similar dives elsewhere
An 18–35 m rock in open sand, rated expert to technical
Three offshore rocks, two tunnels through the biggest
Pinnacle
El Bajonito
Tenerife · Spain
A pinnacle from 13 to 45 m with at least two routes on it
.jpg){kind=link}
Rock pinnacles walled in jewel anemones, dived on slack water