Reefwander
Aerial view of a palm-covered islet joined to a busy sandy beach, with turquoise water and a line of breaking reef offshore — Morro de São Paulo

Morro de São Paulo · Brazil · Reef

Itatimirim

Open-sea coral reef from 9 m down to 22 m

Area photo: Elvis Boaventura · CC BY 3.0

Itatimirim is an extensive coral reef in open sea off Morro de São Paulo, 45 minutes by boat from the village. The reef starts at 9 m and reaches a maximum depth of 22 m, and its north and south parts are dived separately, so one trip out can carry two dives.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Itatimirim: typical dive 9–22 m (30–72 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit9 m22 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

No published position for this site — the map shows Morro de São Paulo and its other sites; operators know the mooring.

The dive

The boat runs 45 minutes from the dive base in Morro de São Paulo to reach Itatimirim, whose name is Guarani for small stone. It is an extensive coral reef in open sea, made of old rocky coral formations, and the shallowest part of the reef lies at 9 m, from where it slopes away to a maximum depth of 22 m.

Itatimirim has a north part and a south part, and each makes its own dive, so a single trip out to the reef can carry two dives, one on each section. Besides the resident reef life, larger fish pass through in open water, and the operator that runs the trip names barracudas and jacks among the visitors that can be seen here.

Marine life and season

  • Barracuda
  • Trevally & jacks
Month-by-month season rating for Itatimirim
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PrimePrimePrimeFairFairFairFairFairFairFairPrimePrime

Season follows Morro de São Paulo: November to March is the best season for diving here.

Questions divers ask

How deep is Itatimirim?+

Itatimirim is an open-sea coral reef that starts at 9 m and reaches a maximum depth of 22 m.

How far is Itatimirim from Morro de São Paulo?+

The reef is 45 minutes by boat from the dive base in Morro de São Paulo. Its north and south parts make two separate dives.

Sources

  1. Mapa do Mergulho — Cia do Mergulho Morro de São Paulo (Wayback Machine)

More dive sites in Morro de São Paulo

Caverns, chapeirões and boulders around a rocky island

1–15 mbeginner

Similar dives elsewhere

Reef

Ilhote do Sul

Ubatuba · Brazil

Jacks pass by and groupers herd sardines over the western reef

6–18 madvanced

Reef

Baba de Boi – Poita 4

Alcatrazes Archipelago · Brazil

The refuge's low-difficulty mooring, shallow enough for try-dives

4–15 mbeginner

Reef

Boca da Baleia

Laje de Santos · Brazil

A shallow rock at the islet's edge where turtles gather

to 18 mintermediate

Reef

Coroa Alta

Porto Seguro & Santa Cruz Cabrália · Brazil

Coral reefs over sand off Santa Cruz Cabrália, to 18 m

to 18 mbeginner