Blue Shark Snorkel Encounter
Dive site
The blue shark snorkel trips running out of Angra do Heroismo are among the most accessible shark encounters in Europe — no scuba certification required, and the encounters are cage-free. Operators chum the water a few kilometres offshore, and within 20 to 40 minutes blue sharks arrive, circling at snorkel depth in that characteristically unhurried way. Up to 15 sharks per session is common from July through September. The water is open Atlantic, temps around 21 to 23°C at peak season, and visibility so clear you can see the entire shark from nose to tail before it turns toward you. A full scuba dive option runs alongside most snorkel trips for certified divers.
Conditions
Depth
0 to 20 m
Open water and up
Current
Usually gentle
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
20 to 35 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
15 to 24°C
3mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 16 |
| Vis (m) | 12 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 12 |
| Current | Strong | Strong | Strong | Moderate | Moderate | Gentle | calm | calm | Gentle | Moderate | Moderate | Strong |
Field journal
No sightings recorded here yet.
Upload the first sightingDived here recently?
Your sighting helps us track reef health at this site in real time.
Submit a sightingPlanning to dive Blue Shark Snorkel Encounter?
Your underwater photos help scientists track reef health here in real time.
What to photograph: fish and marine life, coral (especially anything pale or unusual), anything unexpected.
How to capture it: shoot JPEG, keep location on, note your depth and the date.
Dived Blue Shark Snorkel Encounter recently?
Your photos help track reef health.
Up to 10 photos · JPEG or PNG · max 20 MB each
📷
Drag photos here, or tap to select
GPS in your photo will auto-detect the dive site
Gear