Review Scuba Diving in Cape Verde
by spotmydive
Marine life
The Cape Verde is an archipelago of ten islands near the Senegal’s coast. This place has many advantages for divers: you have the opportunity to dive there all year long in waters that rarely drop below 22°. And also, most of the dive sites can be done from the shore.
The volcanic side of the island has shaped the seabed and makes some amazing diving spots like the “Chouclass plateau”, beautifull volcanic fallout of stairs, or the “Burcona” cave on the Sal island. Wreck lovers, will enjoy the “300 shipwrecks Island”.
Best period to go?
The Cape Verde tropical climate is tempered and water temperature allows diving all year long.
The best time for diving is from March to November, the months from December to February expect strong wind.
If you want to see humpbacks whales you must go there from March to May.
Diving conditions
Visibility : you can enjoy vis from 10 to 30 meters depending on the wind and current.
Current: In winter current could be really strong, avoid that period if you are beginners or ask the dive center a protected dive site.
Difficulty : Strong winds blow on Cape Verde whitch made the water entries more difficult because of the waves.
Beginners diver will prefer Santiago where the current are almost inexistant.
Water temperature : for the Atlantic ocean it’s pretty warm, whith 27°C in summer, and 21°C in winter.
What to see underwater?
Ocean is full of fish and divers will discover a fauna of great diversity :
Humpback whales visit the waters of Boa Vista Island to breed.
8 shark species are present in the waters of Cape Verde :
The hammer head can be spot in winter.
The nurse shark could be encountered in caves such as the «Regola» cave.
Giant manta ray, up to 7 meter wide and 2 tons weight, swim around the Sal Island. There is a lot of loggerhead turtles around Cape Verde because they are coming to nest on Boa Vista Island. You will found fire corals so whatch where you put your hands. Lobsters are very numerous in the ” Ponta Atum ” cave, dive site on the island of Santiago.