Ilhéu das Formigas
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Location
Santa Maria
Dive Type
Recreational, TEK
Dive Site
High Seas
What you will see
Manta Ray, Rock Formations, Sea Life, Shoals of Fish
Average Depth:
20mts
Maximum Depth:
60mts
Water Temperature:
16ºC-24ºC
As soon as we start to see a small lighthouse in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by small islets(translated from the Portuguese "Ants Islets") with only 11mts of height and 165mts of lenght, it means that we are arriving at the marine reserve of the islet of the Ants.
Even before launching the anchor we can already see some schools of fish that abound in these crystal clear waters such as Bermuda sea chub, grey Triggerfish and Amberjacks.
This location offers a wide variety of dive sites ranging from the "Olympia" wreck located on the south-western slope of the islands (between 30 and 50 mts deep), a small bay only 8mts deep and about 50mts south of the Lighthouse, or dips along the wall of the Ilheús (being the East side the most visited) and still several casualties to the North of the Ilheús.
What all these places have in common is the possibility of encounters with large migratory pelagics such as the beautiful Skipjack Tuna, Bigeye Tuna, Barracuda, Atlantic Bonito, yellow Barracuda and the Rust.
Sometimes this scenario is even more complete with the presence of sharks, such as the mythical Hammerhead shark and the Galapagos shark, or by several Manta rays and even the gigantic Manta (Manta birostris).
In addition to the large "blue" shoals, there is abundant wildlife in this area, especially large fish such as Wrasses, Groupers and Whiting, among the slopes and crevices.
-- Photos by. Albano Mesquita, Rui Guerra and Rui Luis
Back
Even before launching the anchor we can already see some schools of fish that abound in these crystal clear waters such as Bermuda sea chub, grey Triggerfish and Amberjacks.
This location offers a wide variety of dive sites ranging from the "Olympia" wreck located on the south-western slope of the islands (between 30 and 50 mts deep), a small bay only 8mts deep and about 50mts south of the Lighthouse, or dips along the wall of the Ilheús (being the East side the most visited) and still several casualties to the North of the Ilheús.
What all these places have in common is the possibility of encounters with large migratory pelagics such as the beautiful Skipjack Tuna, Bigeye Tuna, Barracuda, Atlantic Bonito, yellow Barracuda and the Rust.
Sometimes this scenario is even more complete with the presence of sharks, such as the mythical Hammerhead shark and the Galapagos shark, or by several Manta rays and even the gigantic Manta (Manta birostris).
In addition to the large "blue" shoals, there is abundant wildlife in this area, especially large fish such as Wrasses, Groupers and Whiting, among the slopes and crevices.
-- Photos by. Albano Mesquita, Rui Guerra and Rui Luis