Medes Islands · Spain · Pinnacle · Wall
Carall Bernat
The archipelago's busiest dive: a rock from 4 m to 45 m
Area photo: Alexandre Albore · CC BY-SA 4.0
One of the most visited dives of the Medes Islands, and the reason given is the diversity and quantity of fauna rather than any single feature. The site is a rock at the southern end of the archipelago, dived from the anchor buoy on its south face, with depths running from 4 metres at the top to 45 at the bottom.
Also known as Cavall Bernat.
Where it is and how deep
42.0415° N, 3.2276° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The descent starts at the anchor buoy on the south face of the Carall, and the site is dived for the diversity and quantity of its fauna rather than for a tunnel or a wreck. That shapes the plan: less about reaching a feature, more about picking a depth band on the rock and working it slowly. It is one of the most visited dives of the Medes, so expect other groups on the same rock.
The rock spans 4 to 45 metres, and those two numbers describe two different dives. The bottom of the site is past recreational limits and short on bottom time; the crown is only a few metres under the surface and can be swum for as long as gas allows. The usual shape is to take the depth first, work along the face, then come up around the rock as the dive goes on.
That shallow top is what makes the site forgiving in practice, whatever the maximum depth suggests. Safety stops are done over rock rather than in blue water, with fish around them, and the buoy is never far away. Diving here is regulated — a permit arranged through an authorised dive centre and a daily quota on divers — so a place on the site is booked rather than turned up for.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Off-season |
Season follows Medes Islands: Jun–Sep brings the warmest water, calmest seas, and peak grouper and fish activity; most dive centers scale back Dec–Feb.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Carall Bernat?+
The site runs from 4 metres at the top of the rock to 45 metres at the bottom. The deep end is past recreational limits, but the crown is shallow enough that most of a dive here can be spent well inside them.
Why is Carall Bernat so popular?+
It is described as one of the most visited dives of the Medes Islands for the diversity and quantity of its fauna. The shallow top of the rock also makes a long, easy end to the dive after the deeper faces.
Sources
- Carall Bernat — Scubago
- Illes Medes — Wikipedia
- Isole Medas — Wikipedia (Italian)
- Montgrí, Medes Islands and Baix Ter Natural Park — Wikivoyage
In The Logbook
- Where to dive, month by monthTrip planning · 13 min read
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