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Azores · Portugal · Cave & cavern

Pesqueiro Alto

Resident dusky groupers in the caves of a lava-flow seabed

Pesqueiro Alto lies on the south coast of São Jorge between Terreiro and Urzelina. The bottom is a lava flow scattered with pebbles and cut by several sizeable caves, home to resident dusky groupers. The dive is open to all levels, though a visit to its deepest part, at 35 m, is reserved for the more experienced.

Also known as Pesqueiro-Alto.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Pesqueiro Alto: typical dive to 25 m (to 82 ft), deepest point 35 m (115 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit25 m35 m maxtypical 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 Azores and its other sites; operators know the mooring.

The dive

The typical dive goes no deeper than 25 m over a seabed of lava flow and pebbles. Several sizeable caves open in the rock, and inside them dusky groupers are resident alongside moray eels, schools of salema porgies, ornate wrasse, blacktail combers and parrotfish. The deepest part of the site, at 35 m, is kept for more experienced divers.

Marine life and season

  • Groupers
Month-by-month season rating for Pesqueiro Alto
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Season follows Azores: June to September is the best time to dive; the clearest water runs from August into October, and in spring visibility drops to an average of 10–15 m.

Dive videos

Diving in São Jorge - Pesqueiro Alto · São Jorge Dive Center on YouTube

Sources

  1. Pesqueiro-Alto — Visit Azores

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