March 30
Jardim das Gorgónias
Maximum Depth 20 meters
Certification PADI OWD
Just like the name suggests gorgonians from the most varied colors and sizes characterize this place. The complex bottom morphology consists of an extended rocky line that describes a falling curved trajectory to East from the shore. This situation creates diverse habitat types directly associated to an abundant and varied biological richness occurring numberless sessile and movable benthonic species. From the sessile species emerge the tube anemone, living in cylinders made of encrusted mucus sediment. Despite their morphological similarity with sea anemones, they are more close to black corals.
* Text kindly provided by Tridacna, Association of Underwater Activities, publishers of the "Roteiro Subaquático de Sesimbra"
Baia da Armação
Maximum Depth 15 meters
Certification PADI OWD
Spot characterized by large rocky blocks near the shore, disposed in an irregular form. Between these blocks you can find several stretch passages attached with vast colonies of sea anemones, sea squirts and different kinds of encrusting sponges. As you move along to the interior of the bay, you’ll find several rolled pebbles dispersed on the sand bottom where octopus and common soles, normally look for shelter. The sole, great master of camouflage, can live until 30 years although, due to their high commercial value, are commonly caught with only few years of life.
* Text kindly provided by Tridacna, Association of Underwater Activities, publishers of the "Roteiro Subaquático de Sesimbra"
Pedra do Leão
Maximum Depth 14 meters
Certification PADI OWD
Depending on sea conditions, it's advised to dive near one of the sides of the rock, where you will find astonishing colonies of sea anemones, and numberless sea squirts and incrusting sponges from different colors. The sea anemones reproduce dividing in half, generating two identical and new individuals,producing dense groups with fantastic colors. Despite the sea anemones, you may also observe, along the opening that goes through the rock, great shoals of with breams, poutings and Pollack's benefiting from the high currents passing thought the hole.
* Text kindly provided by Tridacna, Association of Underwater Activities, publishers of the "Roteiro Subaquático de Sesimbra"
Pedra do Meio
Maximum Depth 14 meters
Certification PADI OWD
This spot, localized relatively in the middle of Sesimbra bay, consists in two flagstones of considerable dimensions, as a result of a recent blast needed to the passage of an emissary proceeding from Sesimbra village. This spot gathers exceptional conditions for night dive, due to their easy navigation (with the flagstone as reference point) and diversity of crevices and holes that provide shelter to numberless cryptically species, sustaining their activity mainly at night, such as congers and the wonderful sea anemone Alicia mirabilis. This rare berried anemone creates a superb scene hunting at night with their highly poisonous tentacles drifting in the sea.
* Text kindly provided by Tridacna, Association of Underwater Activities, publishers of the "Roteiro Subaquático de Sesimbra"
