House Reef Ponta Delgada - Azores
Ponta Delgada’s House Reef is an easy shore dive, perfect for a relaxed afternoon dip or a shakedown dive after a long flight. It’s mostly volcanic rock formations with some sandy patches, though don’t expect a riot of colour. We usually spot schools of barracuda cruising the deeper sections, and there are always plenty of damselfish darting between the rocks. Keep an eye out for octopus tucked into crevices; they’re surprisingly common here. It’s a solid pick for beginners getting comfortable with their buoyancy, or anyone wanting a low-key dive right from the city.
- Location
- Azores, Portugal, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 37.740200, -25.574200
- Type
- reef
- Maximum Depth
- 16m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: Caloura-Ponta da Galera - Ilha de S. Miguel
Best Time to Dive in Azores
The warmest water temperatures in Azores occur in January, averaging 16.8°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 16.8°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 16.8°C (air: 16.4°C)
- February: 16.8°C (air: 15.9°C)
- March: 16.8°C (air: 15.8°C)
- April: 16.8°C (air: 16.3°C)
- May: 16.8°C (air: 17.5°C)
- June: 16.8°C (air: 19.2°C)
- July: 16.8°C (air: 21.6°C)
- August: 16.8°C (air: 23.4°C)
- September: 16.8°C (air: 22.5°C)
- October: 16.8°C (air: 20.9°C)
- November: 16.8°C (air: 18.9°C)
- December: 16.8°C (air: 17.1°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Azores
- 3 Houses - 22m
- ANSA 9 - 2m (wreck)
- AQUÁRIO - 22m
- Arco do Cavaco - 18m (cave)
- Arcos Cruzeiro - 25m (cave)
- Arcos da caloura - 17m
- Arcos dal Calhetas - 18m
- Arena - 19m
- ARNEL - 5m (wreck)
- Baia de Sao Pedro - 9m (reef)
- Baixa do Espelho - 21m
- BAIXA DO OURO - 20m
- Biscoitos Cavern 1, 2, 3 - 19m (cave)
- Biscoitos Gate - 19m
- BURACO S. PEDRO - 17m (cave)
Nearest Dive Centres to House Reef Ponta Delgada
Marine Life in Azores
Home to 229 recorded species including 153 reef fish, 23 whales & dolphins, 18 sharks & rays, 11 other, 7 seagrass & algae, 4 hard corals.
Notable Species
- Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Short-beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis) - Whales & Dolphins
- Stripy (Katsuwonus pelamis) - Reef Fish
- Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) - Whales & Dolphins
- Grey Dolphin (Grampus griseus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) - Reef Fish
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Razorback (Balaenoptera physalus) - Whales & Dolphins
- pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) - Reef Fish
- Scad (Trachurus picturatus) - Reef Fish
- Blue-white Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) - Whales & Dolphins
- Blackfish (Globicephala macrorhynchus) - Whales & Dolphins
- blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Coalfish Whale (Balaenoptera borealis) - Whales & Dolphins
- Gunner (Pagellus bogaraveo) - Reef Fish
- False killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) - Whales & Dolphins
- Tuna (Thunnus alalunga) - Reef Fish
- Bogue (Boops boops) - Reef Fish
- Ornate Wrasse (Thalassoma pavo) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for House Reef Ponta Delgada
Based on average water temperature of 16.8°C.
- Wetsuit (5-7mm) - recommended for 17°C water
- Hood & Gloves (3-5mm) - helps retain warmth
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories