Sesimbra & the Arrábida, the area around Pedra das Âncoras

Sesimbra & the Arrábida · Portugal · Reef

Pedra das Âncoras

Low rock with lost anchors on the bottom at 15–18 m

Area photo: YukioSanjo · CC BY-SA 4.0

Low rock formations with a lot of relief for their height, averaging 15 m and reaching 18 m at the deepest. The name comes from the anchors lost among them, still lying on the bottom. Bream, rockfish, cuttlefish, octopus and mullet work the rock, and coloured sponges cover the faces.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Pedra das Âncoras: typical dive 15–18 m (50–60 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit15 m18 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

38.4202° N, 9.1789° WPublished position for this site.

The dive

The formations here are not tall, but the relief between them is what makes the dive: cuts, ledges and low walls at an average of 15 m, dropping to 18 m at the deepest. Shallow ground on this coast means the longest dives available, so the site is worked slowly rather than covered, and the interest is in looking into the rock rather than swimming over it.

Anchors lost here lie among the formations and give the site its name — how old they are, or where they came from, is not recorded. The usual residents are on the rock alongside them: bream and rockfish over the tops, cuttlefish and octopus in the gaps, mullet moving through, and coloured sponges on the stone itself.

Marine life and season

  • Octopus & cuttlefish
Month-by-month season rating for Pedra das Âncoras
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
FairFairFairFairGoodGoodGoodPrimePrimePrimeGoodFair

Season follows Sesimbra & the Arrábida: Aug–Oct is the warmest window; sheltered bay sites are diveable all year, but cape-facing sites take Atlantic swell in any month.

Sources

  1. Pedra das Âncoras — Scubago — Scubago / SSI MyDiveGuide

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