Diving in Gran Canaria

The Canary Islands are a short flight away but has year round sunshine and a pleasant climate. Even in winter the day time temperature is over 20°C and the minimum water temperature is 19°C degrees. The Canary Island are volcanic as is the underwater world providing the perfect refuge for a wide variety of marine life. One of the most stunning features of the marine life in Gran Canaria is the large shoals of fish which you can dive into and become completely surrounded by - a very memorable experience.

Here at PRD we do not have a set schedule for dives but try to be as accommodating as possible to requests and always pick the dive sites best suited to the weather conditions. All guided dives are conducted in small groups and made up of divers with similar experience levels. We have dives available for every level of experience and dive sites we visit on a regular basis include :

1. Amadores
2. Risco Verde
3. Sardina del Norte
4. Arguineguin Reef
5. Artificial Reef
6. Pasito Blanco
7. El Pajar Wreck
8. Marine Reserve at Arinaga

indicates a boat dive

Amadores max. depth 12m

This is our local dive site and only 5 mins from the dive centre. It is ideal for beginners as well as more experienced divers. Inside the bay there is a white sandy bottom gently sloping onto a rocky area and an underwater wall built as a breakwater. There is an abundance of marine life here including damsel fish, bream, parrot fish, puffer fish, wrasse, octopus & cuttlefish to name a few. On the outside of the bay the wall slopes down to 12 meters and along the wall there are often shoals of sardines being hunted by barracuda as well as many other species.

Risco Verde max. depth 14m

Risco Verde is located in the town of Arinaga. It is an easy entry from a pebble beach close to the beach promenade. Underwater it is rocky with some nice crevices and walls asn lots of fish. There is usually a large shoal of barracuda, octopus, cuttlefish and often rays in the sandy area further out.

Sardina del Norte max. depth 18m

This dive site is located at the north of the island. It is a little further away but certainly worth the drive and on the way we get to see some of the island. The entry point is a harbour which also has a lovely little café for between dives. There are always lots of fish here and it is also a good spot to see angel sharks and butterfly rays.

Arguineguin Reef
max. depth 16m

The reef is named after the nearby village. It is along low reef with many crevices in which we find octopus and moray eels and hiding under the shelves there are often rays and glass eye fish. There is also an enourmous shoal of roncadores on the reef.

Artificial Reef max. depth 22m

At around 20-22 meters there are various objects placed along the bottom. This was a project run by the local university as and artificial reef project studying the development of marine life. The project finished in 1994 and it is now a popular dive site. There is a variety of species here and it is one of the best places to spot angel sharks on the sandy bottom. There are also shoals of roncadores, moray eels, octopus and often rays here.

Pasito Blanco max. depth 21m

This is a stunning reef shaped as oval and rising up from the bottom at 21 meters with the top of the reef at approximately 15 meters. There is a large shoal of roncadores here that often completely obscure the view of the reef until you swim through them. The local name for the reef is Chucho, which means stingray due to the frequency of sightings here.

El Pajar Wreck max. depth 17m

This is the wreck of a Russian hydrofoil ferry which sank in 2003. The wreck sank largely intact but a subsequent storm has meant it is now open. You can still see the passenger seating and even try them out. There is normally a shoal of BIG barracuda around the wreck and often large rays. The wreck is almost completely covered in a large shoal of roncadores. The engines are also in plain view. Part of the wreck is still standing upright and this includes the bathroom with toilet which has been the subject of some great photos.

The Marine Reserve at Arinaga - 'El Cabrón'

The El Cabron Marine Reserve was listed as a site of special scientific interest by the European Union on the 28th December 2001 There is a variety of dive sites in this area including:

• The Aquarium
• The Coral
• The Sea Horse Net
• Swim Through
• The Arch
• Roncadores

The Aquariummax. depth 16m

This dive takes place in the sheltered bay of the reserve. It is a dive of maximum 16 meters so is ideal for those of less experience or as a second dive. We call it the Aquarium due to the exceptionally large number of Atlantic & blue fin damsel fish making it just like swimming in an aquarium. In addition there are frequently Octopus, cuttlefish, parrot fish, wrasse and many other species. This is also where in spring there are allot of juvenile fish and also the predators that feed on them such as rays & barracuda. Visibility rarely falls below 15 meters making this as nice and easy dive full of variety and interest.

The Coral max. depth 30+m

This is the deepest dive in the reserve. It slopes very gently therefore making this a long dive so is only suitable for experienced divers. We follow the wall down towards the coral and as we descend we often see Octopus in the rocks as well as the usual canarian species. This is also a good area to spot large trumpet fish. There are also normally moray eels hiding between the rocks. The coral itself is located at 30 meters and hosts some spectacular red and yellow gorgonians.

The Sea Horse Net
max. depth 23m

The net stands upright on the flat sandy bottom beyond the main reef. With careful inspection and patience the brightly coloured seahorses can be seen living within the security of the netting.

Swim Through (Hole in the Wall)
max. depth 23m

Finning down the left side of the main reef we reach the "hole in the wall", a small arch which leads to the opposite side of the reef and an interesting cave which features in many photographs of the area. Frequently you will find rays in and around the cave.

The Arches max. depth 24m

One of the most spectacular dives in the reserve. Entry is from one of the more exposed parts of the shoreline so conditions need to be favourable for this dive. A shallow channel leads out to the drop off. There is also the option to descend through either of the two chimneys close to the edge. Once down we will be met by the many bream which will follow us throughout the dive as we explore the two caves and large arch.

Roncadoresmax. depth 23m

This dive takes its name after the fish that are always here - the bastard grunts locally known as roncadores. Normally reached by finning across the main reef to the drop off where we see the large shoal some 10 meters below. In addition bream, barracuda & morays also frequent the area.

Discover Gran Canaria Under The Sea
(Descubre Gran Canaria Bajo del Mar)
diving guide is also available from our shop.