Grotte de la Triperie - Medes Islands
The Grotte de la Triperie is our favourite cavern dive in the Medes, and we love it for its sheer theatricality. We’re talking a proper underwater amphitheatre, not just a little overhang. You enter through a wide crack, maybe 10 metres deep, and straight away you’re in the gloom. It’s got that cool, slightly eerie vibe only big caverns deliver, with the light filtering down from the entrance shaft. Keep an eye on the roof here; we’ve often spotted big Streaked Gurnards resting upside down. Deeper inside, we always find a few Painted Combers chilling out, and there’s a good chance of spotting European Squid hovering in the shadows. The real treat, though, is exiting into the blue. That shift from the cavern’s dimness to the open water is just stunning, especially on a sunny day. We’d suggest this one for divers comfortable in enclosed spaces, ideally with a bit of cave or cavern experience. It’s not complex, but you’ll get more out of it if you’re not busy faffing with buoyancy.
- Location
- Medes Islands, Spain, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 43.203297, 5.451612
- Type
- cave
Best Time to Dive in Medes Islands
The warmest water temperatures in Medes Islands occur in August, averaging 23.1°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 13.3°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 14.1°C
- February: 13.3°C
- March: 13.5°C
- April: 14.4°C
- May: 16.8°C
- June: 20.5°C
- July: 22.7°C
- August: 23.1°C
- September: 21.6°C
- October: 19.4°C
- November: 17.3°C
- December: 15.0°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Medes Islands
- Abyss Garden (wreck)
- Aiguablava
- Aigua Xelida - 10-30m (reef)
- Amphores du frioul
- Andromède
- ANGELA - 8m (wreck)
- Arche du plannier - 10-30m (cave)
- Arroyo
- Atoll Plongée (reef)
- AUDIERNE - 16m (wreck)
- Badia de Tamariu - 5-25m (reef)
- Barda de Fitor (wall)
- Barda de l'Illa Negra (wall)
- Barda de Pere el Flaquer (wall)
- BARTOLO - 28m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to Grotte de la Triperie
Marine Life in Medes Islands
Home to 78 recorded species including 56 reef fish, 8 sharks & rays, 5 octopus & squid, 4 whales & dolphins, 2 crabs & lobsters, 1 seagrass & algae.
Notable Species
- hake (Merluccius merluccius) - Reef Fish
- Moonfish (Mola mola) - Reef Fish
- Capelin (Trisopterus capelanus) - Reef Fish
- grey gurnard (Eutrigla gurnardus) - Reef Fish
- Mediterranean tapeweed (Posidonia oceanica) - Seagrass & Algae
- Black-bellied angler (Lophius budegassa) - Reef Fish
- Atlantic Spotted Flounder (Citharus linguatula) - Reef Fish
- dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula) - Sharks & Rays
- Thornback skate (Raja clavata) - Sharks & Rays
- Mullet (Mullus barbatus) - Reef Fish
- Pollock (Trachurus trachurus) - Reef Fish
- lesser argentine (Argentina sphyraena) - Reef Fish
- conger (Conger conger) - Reef Fish
- Blue-white Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) - Whales & Dolphins
- blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou) - Reef Fish
- Red Band-fish (Cepola macrophthalma) - Reef Fish
- Gurnard (Trigla lyra) - Reef Fish
- Soldier (Chelidonichthys cuculus) - Reef Fish
- Jac (Helicolenus dactylopterus) - Reef Fish
- Norway Lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) - Crabs & Lobsters
Recommended Packing List for Grotte de la Triperie
Based on average water temperature of 17.6°C, currents 14 cm/s.
- Wetsuit (5-7mm) - recommended for 18°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