Azores - Pico or Terceira for 2 days

[Yoda117]

Hi guys!

My wife is treating me to a dive trip in the Azores this July (she’s a non-diver, so w00t!). We’re going to be there for about 2 weeks, with most the the time divided between Sao Miguel and Faial, but she suggested extending the trip 2-3 days and let me pick between Pico and Terceira.

I’m torn, because both seem to have some interesting dive locations. Pico - Princess Alice Banks (obviously). But Terceira has the Archaeological Park of f Angela do Heroismo Bay, the Cemetarios de Ancona’s, the Lidador (which I hear is nice), and the Banco Dom Joao de Castro (which I’ve heard can be challenging, but also nice).

Sadly, we only have 2-3 days otherwise I’d push to hit the highlights of both, but we can only do one. I tried to figure out which island might appeal to her and go that route, but no dice.

So… suggestions and advice would be helpful.

Thanks!

/rate myself as between a beginner and intermediate diver with about 40 dives under my belt
//will have my AOW and deep diver prior to trip
///already have SSI for night, navi, nitrox

 

[JMBL]

Concerning Princess Alice Banks, you can dive it from Faial as well, and it's 4h boat drive if I remember correctly. So maybe I'd choose Terceira.

 

[Yoda117]

Yeah, as much as I'd really love to hit Princess Alice Banks, it's 2.5 hours from Pico and like 3, 3 .25 hours from Faial. That's quite a bit of time to be on a semi-rigid. If we had more time, or were doing a liveaboard it'd be an easy choice as a "must see", but Terciera has a bunch of stuff as well.

Given my skill level, and more importantly, my wife (who is not a diver, but would enjoy snorkeling some of the sites in Terciera), I think that's probably the best bet.

Still want to do Princess Alice though, lol! If not this time, it's a good excuse to come back.