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Overview
The Kwarcit — widely called the Boris — is a 50-metre Russian stern trawler scuttled off Sal in January 2006 to seed an artificial reef. She sits upright on sand with the deck at 23 metres and the keel at 28, intact enough that wreck-certified divers can drop through the bridge and cargo holds. Round stingrays lie buried in the sand along the hull, nurse sharks occasionally rest beneath the stern, and frogfish, scorpionfish and nudibranchs work the encrusted railings and superstructure. Depth plus an exposed, sometimes shifting Atlantic current keep this an advanced dive, reached by a 15-minute boat run from Santa Maria.
Briefing note
Entering the bridge and holds requires wreck certification. With a 28 m maximum depth and exposed Atlantic swell that can bring strong, shifting current, it is an advanced-only dive — nitrox extends bottom time and a dive computer is essential.
What you'll see
5 species curated- year-roundRound stingray
- rareNurse shark
- year-roundStriated frogfish
- year-roundDusky grouper
- year-roundRed scorpionfish
Conditions
| Month | Water | Visibility | Current |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23–24 °C | 12–20 m | moderate |
| Feb | 22–23 °C | 12–20 m | moderate |
| Mar | 22–23 °C | 12–20 m | moderate |
| Apr | 22–23 °C | 15–22 m | moderate |
| May | 23–24 °C | 15–25 m | moderate |
| Jun | 24–25 °C | 18–25 m | mild |
| Jul | 25–26 °C | 18–28 m | mild |
| Aug | 26–27 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| Sep | 26–27 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| Oct | 26–27 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| Nov | 25–26 °C | 18–28 m | moderate |
| Dec | 24–25 °C | 15–22 m | moderate |
Season calendar
Peak season highlighted · current month outlined
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