Azores · Portugal · Reef
Baixa da Maia
A rock face completely covered in yellow anemones
Baixa da Maia is a very small islet in front of the village of Maia on Santa Maria's east side. The water around it is a marine reserve closed to fishing, and the main rock is known for a northern face carpeted in yellow anemones.
Also known as Maia Reef.
Where it is and how deep
36.9430° N, 25.0109° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The dive starts from the surface at the islet and can go to about 18–24 m, though most of it is spent between 16 and 20 m. The northern part of the main rock is completely covered in yellow anemones (Terrazoanthus sp.). Groupers, huge locust lobsters (Scyllarides latus), several kinds of moray eel and often stingrays live around the rock.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
- Stingrays
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Off-season | Off-season |
Season follows Azores: Boats run May to October; July to September is the peak at Ambrósio, and the offshore trips run regularly from June.
Dive videos
🐟 ¡UN PEJEPERRO NOS SIGUE TODA LA INMERSIÓN! 🌊🇵🇹 | Baixa de Maia | Santa María Azores | 19-07-2014 🤿 · Producciones Maldisub on YouTube
Sources
- Baixa da Maia - ScubaGo — ScubaGo
- Santa Maria dive sites - Haliotis — Haliotis
- Diving area - Wahoo Diving — Wahoo Diving
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