Arcos da Formosinha
Description
Boat
15 min do Porto da Madalena
Depth
Arcos da Formosinha
The Arcos da Formosinha (Formosinha Arches) is a set of arches at low depth with very unusual marine diversity.
Located 150 metres out from the coastline, northeast of the town of Madalena, the dive starts right at the top of the reef (8 metres deep). A carpet of algae shelters colourful Mediterranean rainbow wrasses (Coris julis) and ornate wrasses (Thalassoma pavo). From here it is possible to see the first of the arches, with the two smaller arches visible in the distance.
Skirting the reef, you can spot the Azores chromis (Chromis limbata) and the Canary damsel (Abudefduf luridus), along with several species of moray eels and nudibranchs.
Schools of white trevallies (Pseudocaranx dentex) and round stingrays (Taeniura grabata) are usually spotted at greater depths (close to 18 metres).