Fradinhos
38.5800°N 27.2200°W · pinnacle
Fradinhos
Four uninhabited islets 5 nautical miles southeast of Terceira — the submerged volcanic cone descends to 60 metres and hosts black coral, dusky groupers, and open-water pelagics.
Overview
Fradinhos are four small uninhabited islets located 5 nautical miles southeast of Terceira Island, comprising the exposed summit of a submerged volcanic cone. The dive profile begins at 25 metres average depth, with the bottom progressively descending to 60 metres. The site is accessible only by boat — approximately 20 minutes from Angra do Heroísmo Harbour or 35 minutes from Praia da Vitória Harbour.
The site is known both for resident demersal species and for open-water pelagic encounters. From 30 metres, black coral (Antipathella wollastoni) colonises the flanks alongside imposing dusky groupers and barred hogfish. The exposed offshore position and strong currents make this an advanced dive reserved for experienced divers.
Site Information
- Location: 5 NM southeast of Terceira Island, Azores
- Entry Type: Boat dive
- Site Type: Pinnacle/seamount
- Difficulty Level: Advanced
- Maximum Depth: 60 meters
- Typical Visibility: 15–30 meters
- Current: Moderate to strong
- Best Time: June to October
Marine Life
Azores chromis (Chromis limbata), large blacktail combers (Serranus atricauda), parrotfish (Sparisoma cretense), black coral (Antipathella wollastoni) from 30 metres down, dusky groupers (Epinephelus marginatus), barred hogfish (Bodianus scrofa), and red scorpionfish (Scorpaena scrofa). Pelagic species include schools of Almaco jacks (Seriola rivoliana), bluefish (Pomatomus saltator), yellowmouth barracudas (Sphyraena viridensis), and devil rays (Mobula tarapacana).
Tips and Recommendations
- 5 miles offshore from Terceira — exposed Atlantic conditions for experienced divers
- Black coral from 30 m is a notable feature
- Pelagic encounters likely in the water column; strong currents require good buoyancy control
- Combine with Terceira’s accessible bay sites for a mixed-depth day
Sources: dive.visitazores.com, Portugal Dive, Azores Getaways – Terceira Diving. Last updated 2026-07-17.
Sea-surface temperature and wave height from Open-Meteo Marine (ERA5 reanalysis, monthly averages).
6518 verified species observations (38 species) logged within ~11 km of this site between 1895 and 2023, from the Ocean Biodiversity Information System.
- Delphinus delphis
- Larus michahellis
- Calonectris borealis
- Sterna
- Stenella frontalis
- Katsuwonus pelamis
- Tursiops truncatus
- Grampus griseus
- Physeter macrocephalus · Sperm whale
- Stenella coeruleoalba · Striped dolphin
- Balaenoptera physalus
- Sardina pilchardus
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.
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