Formigas and Dollabarat from Sao Miguel

[David Novo]

only thing: Gary put us on a boat from Pico Sport. Guide was good, but compared to “best sports azores” on Sao Miguel, service was non existent.

I never dove with any of those two companies and is the first time I hear of one in Portugal that does not help with water exits.

How was your experience with Gary and Twin Peaks? I really enjoyed my days with them last September.

 

[diveUAE]

Gary is a great guy. We like him very much. But I wish he had told us, that he would send us with another company.

The 2 dives we did with twin peaks were mixed. Weather was not good, so we drove to the south side to dive. Briefing was short: dive in look at the light tower, then keep left. Turn around at 100 bar - look for octopus on the way back, inside the harbour. He said he would do a full briefing with everyone, but then another group got tired of waiting and jumped in the water. Gary joined them, and we followed with our guide, who seemed to just follow the race, so we did an under water fast swim to see, who could get the furthest. Then turned around, when I had 140 bar (pretty sure everyone in our group was over 100), swam fast back.

2nd dive was better - since my husband and I decided with the 2 we were diving with, that we would just go slow. Gary stayed with us, but did not point out anything of interest. We would rather just have done the dives independently‍.

Anyway I found some nice nudies and there were plenty of fish, some morays and the others found a nice green octopus.

All in all we love the Azores, but the diving here is not that exciting.

 

[Nik in Spain]

Hi !

Went to the Azores 4 years ago, and loved it.

Concerning Formigas (sorry didn't dive Dollabarat) : it was well worth the money and the long navigation (went from Santa Maria). I've been diving since 1990 and seen my fair share of large groupers, but there, they were the most curious and friendly ones I've ever seen, although they're wild and don't meet divers every day. I could even see the little critters living on their body. Nice soft coral forest and black coral as well, lots of them, large trees and only 30m deep (to see some in the Med, you have to go deeper than 50m). Lots of different fishes as well. Spent the day there (2 tank dive), had a picnic on the rocks, it was great fun. Only one regret, not been able to go deeper. Well, rules are rules...

Concerning my experience with the mobulas : stayed 2 weeks in the Azores (one on Santa Maria, one on Faial), and I've seen at least one mobula every 2 dives. According to the locals, I was very lucky. The best place for me was Ambrósio : the DM (a young and pretty Spanish brunette) had to pull me out of the water , everybody had sucked their tank dry but I still had plenty of gas, for once it was good to be an old timer .

Princess Alice bank wasn't that good an experience. I was set on diving there, it's been a mythical place for me since I was a kid, but we weren't lucky with the weather. Sea had been choppy for a while, so viz was rather murky. Don't get me wrong : it was a nice dive, but condition were less than optimal.

Concerning the shark dive (off Faial, there's a 600m deep drop out, between Faial and Pico) : I was on the boat with a couple and a guy. All three were total jerks ! They expected the blue whalers to be at rendez-vous point right on the strike of the clock ! And they called themselves experienced divers ! After 3 and a half hour of chumming, the DM were so pissed off by those guys complaining, they decided to go back home. I've seen 3 sharks from the boat though, but they didn't stay. Couldn't give it another go before the end of my trip : weather wasn't good enough.

Concerning water temperature, I was there in July, it was like the Med, my 2 pieces 5 mil wet suit and a neoprene tshirt underneath were quite enough.

Hope to get back there within 2 years, I think I fell in love with the archipelago. Btw, if you're interested in wines, you MUST try the local ones : Pico produces the best ones.

Hi, saw you post on a couple of feeds about Azores, as we are going end of august, thought I ask for your help : we are staying at S. Miguel, where I understand you should do Dori. I thought of going by boat (ferry) to S. Maria to do Ambrosia. Some people have said that the dives in the middle of the ocean are hit or miss - either there is nothing to see or you get mantas, sharks, etc.. Is that true ? Are any of those dives remotely suitable for dragging two teenagers along (both AOWD, one from 21, the other will do the course this year). We have seens some moderatly choppy water and very little current, mostly in Portimao (Portugal) and Cabo de Palos (Spain)..

 

[David Novo]

Hi, saw you post on a couple of feeds about Azores, as we are going end of august, thought I ask for your help : we are staying at S. Miguel, where I understand you should do Dori. I thought of going by boat (ferry) to S. Maria to do Ambrosia. Some people have said that the dives in the middle of the ocean are hit or miss - either there is nothing to see or you get mantas, sharks, etc.. Is that true ? Are any of those dives remotely suitable for dragging two teenagers along (both AOWD, one from 21, the other will do the course this year). We have seens some moderatly choppy water and very little current, mostly in Portimao (Portugal) and Cabo de Palos (Spain)..

Ambrósio is not "in the middle of the ocean". It is 45 min from the harbor in Santa Maria but the majority of the time is spent going around the island (the harbor is facing South, while Ambrósio is to the Northwest). So it is actually just 10 min after you leave the protection of the island. Having said that, there can be current but operators usually place 1-2 cables from which you can hang the whole time.

In Ambrósio, Chilean Devil Rays (mobulas as mantas, but not mantas) are almost guaranteed in the end of August (never heard of no sights but just in case). Last years, Whale Sharks have also been often spotted in that period.

It is a dive in the blue as the bottom is well below what you can see, in spite of the fantastic visibility. You can stay in the top 10-15m (probably wise as both the whale sharks and mobulas come close to the surface and you can stay longer).

 

[Nik in Spain]

Ambrósio is not "in the middle of the ocean". It is 45 min from the harbor in Santa Maria but the majority of the time is spent going around the island (the harbor is facing South, while Ambrósio is to the Northwest). So it is actually just 10 min after you leave the protection of the island. Having said that, there can be current but operators usually place 1-2 cables from which you can hang the whole time.

In Ambrósio, Chilean Devil Rays (mobulas as mantas, but not mantas) are almost guaranteed in the end of August (never heard of no sights but just in case). Last years, Whale Sharks have also been often spotted in that period.

It is a dive in the blue as the bottom is well below what you can see, in spite of the fantastic visibility. You can stay in the top 10-15m (probably wise as both the whale sharks and mobulas come close to the surface and you can stay longer).

Thank you very much for the confirmation. I wonder if it is better to get a trip from Sao Miguel, because the ferry and staying overnight will add a bit to the overall cost..and I am really only interested in diving at Santa Maria, not sightseeing (the sightseeing part of our group stays behind at Sao Miguel anyway..). Also wonder if it is worth going to Ambrosia twice, as in two double dives ? With middle of ocean I meant those trips to Dollarabat and similar sites...

 

[David Novo]

When I went to Santa Maria, I stayed there to dive (spent just an afternoon going around). I am not sure if dive centers offer double dives on Ambrósio. I went there twice in a week but not on the same day.
Never went to São Miguel so can't help you there.

 

[JMBL]

Sorry for my late answer but Ambrosia is the place to go to, if you only dive once in the Azores : very easy (you basicaly hang to the line), you'll see the mobulas, probably other fishes, for me it was carangidae (sorry for using latin, but I just can't remember the exact vernacular name specie in English just right now) and a tiny trigger which stayed with me all the time

Even newbies should enjoy that dive I assume.

 

[David Novo]

Sorry for my late answer but Ambrosia is the place to go to, if you only dive once in the Azores : very easy (you basicaly hang to the line), you'll see the mobulas, probably other fishes, for me it was carangidae (sorry for using latin, but I just can't remember the exact vernacular name specie in English just right now) and a tiny trigger which stayed with me all the time

Even newbies should enjoy that dive I assume.

Someone recently told me that the empty beer barrel and the grey triggerfish living on it are no longer there.

 

[JMBL]

Someone recently told me that the empty beer barrel and the grey triggerfish living on it are no longer there.

That's a pity...

Fata morgana probably.

 

[Nik in Spain]

When I went to Santa Maria, I stayed there to dive (spent just an afternoon going around). I am not sure if dive centers offer double dives on Ambrósio. I went there twice in a week but not on the same day.
Never went to São Miguel so can't help you there.

Thanks David, one feedback I got from a dive center there says the same - no double dives at it is a nature reserve (go figure, Ocean Revival is one as well..and all dives are double dives..same as in Cabo de Palos, etc..). If Ambrosio is "the" dive, will either need to go mornings and afternoon..or end up staying on Santa Maria two days after all...