Medes Islands · Spain · Wall · Reef
Pedra de Déu
Vertical gorgonian walls dropping to 42 m off Meda Gran
Area photo: Alexandre Albore · CC BY-SA 4.0
An itinerary on the north face of Meda Gran, named for the small rock that emerges from the sea there. The dive opens over a low rocky bottom between 5 and 20 metres, then works outward to the rock itself, where vertical walls descend to 42 metres. Those walls are the gorgonian walls the Medes are known for, so depth is a choice rather than an obligation.
Where it is and how deep
42.0502° N, 3.2246° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The boat runs out from L'Estartit to the north face of Meda Gran, beside the small rock that emerges from the sea and gives the site its name. You drop onto a low rocky bottom that sits between 5 and 20 metres, shallow enough that the whole first stage of the dive is spent well inside no-decompression limits and there is no reason to hurry off it.
From that ground the route works outward towards Pedra de Déu itself, where the bottom falls away and vertical walls descend to 42 metres. The face is the reason to come: this is the part of the archipelago singled out for its gorgonian walls. How deep you take it is a decision made on the day rather than something the site forces, because the wall starts well above the depths that shorten a dive.
The return is back up the face and onto the shallow rocky bottom, which makes an unhurried end to the dive: ground between 5 and 20 metres to work along while off-gassing, with the boat overhead. Diving here is regulated — the reserve runs on permits issued through authorised dive centres and a daily quota on divers — so the site is booked through a centre rather than dived on impulse.
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 Pedra de Déu?+
The rocky bottom where the dive starts sits between 5 and 20 metres. Out towards the rock itself, vertical walls descend to 42 metres, so the deep end of the site is beyond recreational limits and the profile you actually swim is chosen by the group.
What certification do I need for Pedra de Déu?+
The shallow rocky ground between 5 and 20 metres is comfortable for an Open Water diver. Taking the walls down past 20 metres calls for Advanced-level training and settled buoyancy, since the face is vertical and the bottom is a long way below.
Sources
- Pedra de Déu — Scubago
- Illes Medes — Wikipedia
- Montgrí, Medes Islands and Baix Ter Natural Park — Wikivoyage
More dive sites in Medes Islands
Pinnacle
The archipelago's busiest dive: a rock from 4 m to 45 m
A 5 m cave passage that comes out at Dofí Sud
Cave & cavern
Backlit galleries under Meda Petita, red coral on the wall
Cave & cavern
Limestone platform rising almost to the surface off Meda Gran
Cave & cavern
A daylit tunnel system inside Meda Gran
Cave & cavern
Tunnels cutting clean through the island at 14–24 m
Reef
Coral beds, posidonia meadow and sand in a single dive
Wall
A gorgonian wall above drop-offs past 40 m
Similar dives elsewhere
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 reserve wall to 20 m with a small arch full of life
A sheltered 17 m wall behind Punta Madonna used as a natural pool for courses