Medes Islands Reserve
Medes Islands · Spain
Strict marine reserve off the Costa Brava since 1983. Decades of protection produced fish stocks unmatched on the Mediterranean coast — clouds of damselfish, big groupers within arm's reach, and snapper schools that pile up around you on safety stops.
Conditions
Depth
8 to 40 m
Advanced depths
Current
Usually gentle
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
20 to 30 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
12 to 25°C
Temperate wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 18 | 15 | 13 |
| Vis (m) | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| Current | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Mediterranean moray
Last confirmed Jul 7, 2026 · 188 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Common octopus
Last confirmed Jul 1, 2026 · 385 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Salema Porgy
Last confirmed Jul 6, 2026 · 292 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Common Two-Banded Seabream
Last confirmed Jul 6, 2026 · 309 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Mediterranean Rainbow Wrasse
Last confirmed Jul 4, 2026 · 344 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Dusky grouper
Last confirmed Oct 15, 2025 · 130 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Cratena Slug
Last confirmed Jul 6, 2026 · 268 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Damselfish
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear