Question Tell me about diving in Portugal

[Cthippo]

My partner and I are looking at moving to Portugal in the next few years and I'm curious about the diving scene there.

Are there any particular laws or certifications that you need?

Are fills redially available?

What is worth seeing underwater?

What are the "don't miss" sites and what should I skip?

Just trying to get a general feel for the country and the scene.

 

[boqurant]

The waters are cold, the seas are strong. There might be some limited diving in the south, possibly some deep wrecks. Much better diving a short flight away in Madeira / Cape Verde / Azores, or the Canaries

 

[David Novo]

The waters are cold, the seas are strong. There might be some limited diving in the south, possibly some deep wrecks. Much better diving a short flight away in Madeira / Cape Verde / Azores, or the Canaries

It is cold water diving in the mainland, but saying that there is only limited diving in the South is far from the reality.

In the North you can dive in Porto from May/June to September/October. Visibility is terrible, but there is a uboat and other wrecks if that is your cup of tea.

For the best diving in Continental Portugal, you may find it in the centre. Berlengas islands from Peniche is seasonal as in Porto, but Sesimbra is divable year round.

Madeira and the Azores are Portuguese archipelagos, with excelent visibility and warm water. Azores may well be the best diving in Europe and IMHO all the Portuguese non-missable sites are there.

Fills are readily available, and no specific laws or certifications come to mind.

 

[Redtwo]

I dove jn the algarve and that was ok. Your normal Mediterreanian diving. Ok visibikity, and not to cold. Barracadus, conger eels, octopus etc. Also quite some wrecks, but i didn't do them. Azores indeed better diving, but algarve was ok.

Atlantic side is more wild i think.

 

[David Novo]

Atlantic side is more wild i think.

The sea is calmer in Sesimbra than in Algarve.

 

[Redtwo]

Ok, don't know that spot.

For algarve this link gives an image of what you can find.

Our dive sites - Blue Ocean Divers

Shore dive sites Seahorse reef, depth max. 8mSmall reef with a good chance of seahorses, many octopuses and cuttlefish. During night dives you can often see electric rays and thornback rays. Pedra da Gaivota, depth max. 12mBeautiful reef with many large fan corals that shine in all colors. On...

blue-ocean-divers.eu

 

[Cthippo]

Ah, this is useful info! keep it coming!

 

[David Novo]

Ah, this is useful info! keep it coming!

Anything specific you want to know?

 

[Cthippo]

Anything specific you want to know?

Mostly just trying to get a general feel, since I don't know where we will be living yet. My passion is discovering and identifying new wrecks and so once I get closer (and learn the language) I will be exploring hydrographic resources for the area. I will also be looking for shore dives local to wherever I end up.

Essentially, I am starting my "Places to go dive" list for when we move.

 

[David Novo]

I am not aware of a lot of shore entries in Portugal, with some exceptions on very specific islands, such as Pico