Paraty · Brazil · Reef · Artificial reef
Ilha dos Meros
A submerged Christ the Redeemer statue and an aeroplane wreck at the south end
Area photo: manoellemos · CC BY-SA 2.0
Ilha dos Meros is an island in Paraty bay dived at both ends, with a maximum depth of 21 m. The south end holds an aeroplane wreck and statues of Christ the Redeemer, a shark nicknamed Bob and a woman diver; the north end has a cave, rays, turtles and large schools of fish.
Where it is and how deep
23.1882° S, 44.5768° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The island has attractions at both of its ends. The south end reaches about 20 m and is where the man-made features sit: the wreck of an aeroplane and three statues on the bottom, one of Christ the Redeemer, one of a shark nicknamed Bob, and one of a woman diver. The Christ the Redeemer statue is one of the island's main sights and makes a good photograph.
The island is a varied rock formation with holes and passages, where schools of fish, starfish and crustaceans are easy to find. The north end is the place for marine life, with rays, turtles, large schools of fish and a cave. A rocky shoal more than 300 m long on the north face is also worth swimming along. The site has no current, and many divers made their first dives here.
Marine life and season
- Stingrays
- Sea turtles
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
Season follows Paraty: No month is reported as best: the bay's islands have calm, clear water all year, and January is the wettest month with about 19 rain days.
Dive videos
Tartaruga-marinha, MORÉIA, peixe-pedra, Mero - Mergulho incrível na Ilha dos Meros, Paraty - RJ · Entre Corais e Aulas on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is Ilha dos Meros?+
The site reaches a maximum depth of 21 m. The south end, where the statues and the aeroplane wreck lie, goes to about 20 m.
What statues are underwater at Ilha dos Meros?+
The south end has statues of Christ the Redeemer, of a shark nicknamed Bob and of a woman diver, next to the wreck of an aeroplane.
Sources
- Conheça os 7 principais pontos de mergulho em Paraty — Evidive
- Conheça os principais pontos para a prática de mergulho em Paraty! — Pousada Porto Imperial
- Ilha dos Meros - Paraty — Scubago
- Paraty — Brasil Mergulho
- Ilha dos Meros, Paraty (OpenStreetMap) — OpenStreetMap
More dive sites in Paraty
Reef
Shoals of small fish close to the surface in calm water
A cave and octopus in Paraty's clearest water
Reef
A statue of Neptune, the Roman god of the sea, covered in algae
Pinnacle
One rock to follow from the surface down to 22 m
Wreck
Paraty's shipwreck dive, off the Cajaíba point
Similar dives elsewhere
Fish-crowded boulder outcrop with rays on the sand
A shallow rock at the islet's edge where turtles gather
Rows of crosses on the sand at 15 m, set here in 1999
Training bay: sand from 1 to 16 m and concrete reef cubes