Azores · Portugal · Reef · Wall
Ilhéu de São Roque
A sheltered sand bottom five minutes from the marina
A small islet close to Ponta Delgada with a sand bottom ringed by a volcanic wall that runs from the surface all the way to the sea bed. It is run as an entry-level dive: almost no depth to manage, a very short boat ride, and enough structure in the wall to hold attention on a first dive of a trip.
Also known as São Roque Islet.
Where it is and how deep
37.7445° N, 25.6376° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The islet is five minutes by boat from the Ponta Delgada marina, so the dive starts with almost no travel. Underwater it is a sand bottom between 5 and 10 metres surrounded by a volcanic wall that runs from the surface down to it, and that shape makes the dive easy to run: sand to work over, rock on one side to follow back, and no depth to keep track of.
It is described as ideal for entry-level divers, and that is what it is used for. The sand and the base of the wall hold groupers, hogfish, parrotfish, seabream and jack mackerel, with moray eels back in the rock, barracuda over the top and nudibranchs on the stone for anyone moving slowly. Bottom times at these depths are long, so there is no pressure to cover ground.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
- Barracuda
- Trevally & jacks
- Reef fish swarms
- Nudibranchs
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Azores: June to September is the settled season and August into October the clearest water; diving carries on through winter in a 7-10mm or dry suit when swell allows.
Dive videos
Mergulho nos Açores - São Roque 2018 - Best Spot Azores Dive Center · Alexandre Rodrigues on YouTube
Vamos ver o fundo do Mar de Ponta Delgada Sao Roque · Açores 🏝 Portugal...Azores Islands on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Is Ilhéu de São Roque good for beginners?+
Yes — the site is described as ideal for entry-level divers. The sand bottom lies between 5 and 10 metres, the islet's wall gives a clear reference from the surface down, and it is five minutes by boat from the Ponta Delgada marina.
Sources
- ILHÉU DE SÃO ROQUE — Scubago
More dive sites in Azores
Reef
Four rock arches at 16 metres in a sheltered bay
Reef
A volcanic arch to swim through on a reef topping out at 7 m
Wreck
A 130-metre Liberty ship broken open in shallow water
A shore-divable reef of arches and sand from 4 to 20 m
Passages in the wall of a protected volcanic islet
Pinnacle
A pinnacle topping out at 26 metres with walls to 45
A north-coast volcanic wall running to 35 metres
Reef
Two parallel walls sheltering a reef from 5 to 18 m
Similar dives elsewhere
A platform at 25 m on the north side before the drop to 40 m
Shore-accessible rock from 0 to 18 m over a Phoenician port
A reef head that breaks at high tide, walls to 32 m
Canyons and underwater arches beside a dog-shaped rock