Bahia de Capelas
37.8432°N 25.6883°W · reef
Bahia de Capelas
A bay dive on São Miguel’s north coast near the village of Capelas — volcanic rock formations in a former whale-processing town.
Overview
Bahia de Capelas is a bay on the north coast of São Miguel near the village of Capelas, situated between Mosteiros to the west and Ribeira Grande to the east. The north coast features rugged cliffs, volcanic rock formations, and natural pools connected to the sea. The underwater terrain comprises volcanic basalt typical of the Azores, with rocky reef rather than coral structures. North coast conditions can be rougher than the more sheltered south coast, with variable visibility.
Site Information
- Location: Capelas, north coast, São Miguel, Azores
- Entry Type: Boat dive
- Site Type: Reef
- Difficulty Level: Intermediate
- Maximum Depth: 20 meters
- Typical Visibility: 5–15 meters (variable)
- Current: Variable
- Best Time: June to October
Marine Life
No site-specific marine life records found. Typical north-coast Azorean reef species expected, including groupers, wrasse, parrotfish, octopus, and moray eels. Regional species data should not be attributed specifically to this site.
Tips and Recommendations
- Volcanic rock formations rather than coral reef
- North coast — check sea conditions and visibility forecast before diving
- The village of Capelas has historical connections to whaling industry
Sea-surface temperature and wave height from Open-Meteo Marine (ERA5 reanalysis, monthly averages).
1337 verified species observations (49 species) logged within ~11 km of this site between 1895 and 2025, from the Ocean Biodiversity Information System.
- Physeter macrocephalus · Sperm whale
- Delphinus delphis
- Larus michahellis
- Calonectris borealis
- Sterna
- Tursiops truncatus
- Sardina pilchardus
- Stenella frontalis
- Thunnus obesus
- Katsuwonus pelamis
- Grampus griseus
- Ziphiidae
Scientific survey records skew toward sampled taxa (molluscs, corals) and do not reflect what you are guaranteed to see on a dive.
Source: OBIS (obis.org), aggregated Darwin Core occurrence records.
Conditions change with the tide and the season. If you have dived this site, share what it was actually like — date, visibility, current, and what you saw. Real, recent reports from divers are exactly what this guide is built to collect.
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