Dom Joao de Castro Bank
Dive site
One of the Atlantic's great seamount dives. Dom Joao de Castro Bank is a mid-ocean volcano that crests at 14 metres below the surface, its summit thick with black coral trees and lace gorgonians at depth, its shallows alive with amberjack, barracuda and endemic Azorean chromis. Blue sharks arrive reliably from June, often in groups of 10 to 20 on a single dive, and mako sharks appear in July and August when bait fish concentrate over the peak. The two-hour boat ride from Terceira in open Atlantic swell is part of the experience — once you drop in, the visibility and animal density justify every minute.
Conditions
Depth
14 to 60 m
Advanced depths
Current
Usually gentle
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
25 to 40 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
15 to 24°C
5mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 16 |
| Vis (m) | 15 | 15 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 20 | 15 | 15 |
| Current | Strong | Strong | Strong | Moderate | Moderate | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Moderate | Strong | Strong |
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