Desertas Monk Seal Wall

The Desertas Islands Natural Reserve shelters the largest Mediterranean monk seal colony in the eastern Atlantic — roughly 40 individuals — and their underwater territory is a volcanic wall diving at its most dramatic. The wall drops from 5 metres to beyond 60 metres, encrusted with orange and yellow sponges, branching gorgonians, and scattered cup corals. Monk seals are not guaranteed but regular: they investigate divers with visible curiosity at mid-water depths of 10 to 20 metres. Loggerhead sea turtles cruise the wall year-round. Access is strictly controlled; only licensed operators with reserve permits may enter.