Mallorca · Spain · Reef
Punta des Catius
A plateau at 8 m with a gateway down to 28 m where rays sometimes pass
Area photo: Rafael Ortega Díaz · CC BY-SA 4.0
Punta des Catius is a headland site in the southwest of Mallorca with a large plateau at 8 m and a gateway that leads off it down to 28 m. Divers work the plateau for octopus and moray eels and drop through the step for the chance of bigger fish, with tuna and small groupers hunting, John Dory now and then, and rays seen here sometimes. The water is described as crystal clear and the site is listed for all levels.
Where it is and how deep
39.4609° N, 2.5076° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The dive starts on the plateau, a large flat area of rock at 8 m. This is the easy part of the site and where Open Water divers can spend the whole dive: there is room to work across it slowly, checking the rock for octopus and moray eels, and the water is described as crystal clear, so the plateau gives a wide view of anything moving over it. The shallow depth also means there is plenty of time here before or after the deeper section.
From the plateau a gateway leads down, and the site goes to 28 m below it. This is where the bigger fish are: there is a good chance of tuna and small groupers hunting, and John Dory turn up sometimes. Rays are also seen here from time to time, so it pays to keep looking out into the water rather than only at the rock. Coming back up through the gateway onto the 8 m plateau gives a natural place to finish the dive and make the ascent.
Marine life and season
- Tuna
- Groupers
- Octopus & cuttlefish
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Off-season |
Season follows Mallorca: One Santa Ponça centre runs daily April–October and weekends only Nov–Mar; May–Sep brings the calmest seas and warmest water, with leisure-boat traffic in the bays at the height of summer.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Punta des Catius?+
A large plateau sits at 8 m, with a gateway leading down to 28 m, so the site suits Open Water divers on the plateau and Advanced divers below it.
Can you see rays at Punta des Catius?+
Rays are seen here sometimes, and the deeper section also gives a good chance of tuna and small groupers hunting, with octopus, moray eels and occasional John Dory.
Sources
- Punta des Catius — Scubago
More dive sites in Mallorca
Wall
Overhangs and rock walls to 20 m, good for finding octopus
Rocky walls, sand and small caves in 5 to 20 m of calm water
A 30 m tunnel through the cliffs from 6 m, plus a cavern with an air bubble
A plateau below the lighthouse with barracuda, groupers and cuttlefish
Reef
Rocky plateaus and small caves stepping from 8 m down to 30 m
Wreck
A small boat at 18 m with mast and boxes intact, two more hulls at 27 m
Cavern entrances at 8 m, with shrimps, lobsters and snake starfish inside
Reef
Tunnels through the rock, a small wreck and a plane wing between 6 and 35 m
Similar dives elsewhere
A giant anchor and its chain links lying at 21 m
A 50-minute lap of a rocky islet a mile off Alyko Bay
A cove sheltered from wind and swell, 10 m to 30 m
Resident groupers, morays and large octopus below a prince's old residence