Diving in the Atlantic Ocean was both very exciting and, just ever-so-slightly, nerve-wrecking. Most of our previous dive experience was confined to protected bays located in calm seas. So, Scuba diving around Sal Island, in the Atlantic, presented new challenges. We did our dives with Cabo Verde Diving, which was a walk away from our hotel, Dunas de Sal. The dive centre itself was well-appointed and well-stocked. Despite both Danijel and I being odd sizes, they found us wetsuits that fitted perfectly. This time along, we had brought our regulators, which we were excited to use for the second time (after Malta, which we will write about sometime soon).
All the dives done off Sal are boat dives. They depart not from Kite Beach, where the dive centre is located, but from the pier just off the main town on Sal, Santa Maria. Actually, this is where all the boats depart and arrive, for tourists and free-diving fishermen alike.
Farol, the First Dive Site
Our first dive took us to Farol, located on the southern tip of the island. During the 45-minute ride to the dive site, we finished suiting up and assembled our BCDs. Upon arrival, the two boats in our group lined up one behind the other, and a line was stretched between them. For entry, we performed the backwards flop – a first for me, and, in my opinion, the easiest way to get into the water. However, the real challenge came when we had to reach the front of the first boat in fairly choppy seas. We managed this by pulling ourselves along the lines that hung from the sides of the boats. Once ready, we descended quickly to avoid being pushed around by the current. Beneath the surface, it was pure paradise.
Farol is a multi-level dive site, with three distinct levels, and goes up to a depth of 18 meters. It has plenty of gorges and cracks, which are home to shoals of a variety of colourful fish. There are also plenty of crustaceans, including the spiny lobster, a popular item in many a Cape Verdean restaurant. At Farol, we encountered huge schools of red boxfish and even spotted the elusive toadfish. Of all the dive sites we have visited, the ones around Cape Verde stand out as the most vibrant, teeming with an incredible abundance of marine life.
Santo Antão Wreck, Our Favourite Scuba Diving Spot on Sal
Our second dive took us to the wreck of Santo Antão, an old commercial cargo ship, sunk in 1966. The depths go up to 10 meters, so it was an easy dive. The wreck has now broken up into three sections. However, the bow and stern are still intact and in good condition. This reef is home to over a hundred species of fish and coral, including nurse sharks, barracuda, and moray eels (also another popular menu item, mostly eaten deep fried, as a beer snack). The wreck itself isn’t very large, and more advanced divers can get a bit of a thrill by going into the ship.
Trés Grottos, the Last Port of Call
Possibly the most beautiful dive site in the waters around Sal is the Three Caves, or Trés Grottos. The dive begins at a wall situated 18 meters below the surface. Along this wall, three small caves invite exploration, and we swam in and out of each one. Throughout the dive, the wall buzzed with life – angelfish, turtles, scorpionfish, and even a nurse shark. By the end, we had seen them all. The most impressive thing, however, and the thing which defines the Trés Grottos, is the view from inside the caves. From the outside, they simply look like small holes in a rock wall. However, from the inside, the sea outside is a glorious blue, the blue of sapphires. It definitely instilled a deep feeling of wonder and made me think how the world is so much more strange and wonderful than we can imagine it to be.
Finishing Our Sal Scuba Diving Adventure at the Santa Maria Pier
The pier at Santa Maria was always bustling with interesting activity upon our returns from our dives. At this time, the free-divers have also returned, with their catch of squid, octopii, lobsters, and other crustaceans. At this time of day, the entire pier buzzes with activity. Divers returning from the water, kite surfers packing up their gear, and both Cape Verdeans and tourists buying the fresh catch of the day. In many ways, this lively scene perfectly captures the essence of Sal – an explosion of colorful characters, world-class diving, and mouthwatering fresh seafood.
