DUENDE

Best months: Jun–Oct

Protected Area

Lagoa da Sancha

Why dive here

With 116+ marine species recorded in the area - including blue sharks, blue whales, dolphins, dwarf minke whales and ocean sunfish (mola mola) - DUENDE offers some of Algarve & Berlengas's richest wreck diving. Water ranges 15-19°C, warmest June, October, November.

Best timeJun–Oct

WetsuitA 5mm wetsuit

Marine lifeBlue Sharks, Blue Whales, Dolphins, Dwarf Minke Whales and Ocean Sunfish (Mola Mola) · 116+ species recorded

Water15-19°C · warmest June, October, November

CharacterWreck dive · max 36m

StandoutRich in charismatic marine life

The Duende tug lies in a solid 36 metres, a depth that makes it a decent dive for those with a bit of experience under their belts. It’s not a huge wreck at 25 metres long, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in character. We’ve always found it a bit eerie, thinking about its disappearance in 1978 and the mystery surrounding it. Dropping down, the tug’s outline slowly sharpens out of the blue. Its superstructure is still pretty intact, offering some nice swim-throughs into the wheelhouse and engine room if you’re comfortable with overhead environments and good on air. We’ve seen conger eels poking their heads out of pipes and cracks, and the deck often has a healthy scattering of spider crabs. The real show, though, is the sheer density of jewel anemones that have colonised every available surface. They just explode with colour under a dive light, a brilliant contrast to the dark steel. It’s a quiet wreck, often with little current, making it a good choice for really taking your time to explore the nooks and crannies. We’d suggest a late morning dive; the light penetration can be surprisingly good on a sunny day.