Baixa da Barca
Description
Boat
20 min do Porto da Madalena
Depth
Baixa da Barca
The Baixa da Barca (Barca Reef) is a challenging dive reserved for the most experienced, its dizzying depths providing a home to many diverse species.
The reef is one of 3 in the Pico-Faial Channel, 2 nautical miles north of the Madalena Islets Descending 20m to its shallowest peak, depending on what time of year you are diving, you can see schools of large pelagic species such as yellowmouth barracudas (Sphyraena viridensis), Almaco jacks (Seriola rivoliana) and Atlantic bonitos (Sarda sarda).
Along the flank, there are corridors and platforms from 30 to 50 metres, inhabited by territorial dusky groupers (Epinephelus marginatus), forkbeards (Phycis phycis), barred hogfish (Pseudolepidaplois scrofa), island groupers (Mycteroperca fusca) and red scorpionfish. (Scorpaena scrofa).
The great attraction of this site is the large schools of blue jack mackerels (Trachurus picturatus) that attract other species, such as devil rays (Mobula tarapacana), ocean sunfish (Mola mola) and some pelagic species.