A special dive site in Tenerife: Abades and its volcanic reef
Abades is a small town on the east coast of Tenerife. It is strewed by picturesque white houses and the atmosphere is very relaxed. There is a small square where the inhabitants meet in the various bars, shops and restaurants, all with amazing seaviews. You can also observe an abandoned church and a lighthouse standing on the hill just above the town and overlooking the whole landscape. The east shore of Tenerife faces the African continent, this is why most of the coastal towns are exposed to the winds blowing from the Sahara desert. The town gets many visitors on the weekends in summer when Canarian people come to spend a sunny day on the nice beach of Abades. It’s also a place attractive for divers as there is a beautiful reef just in front of the beach.
Why do people like to dive in Abades so much?
First of all, the marine ecosystem of Abades is protected by the Canarian government so fishing is not allowed in the area. This lets all species grow peacefully, so divers can observe this underwater harmony with abundant animals: from schools of barracudas and colourful fish to octopuses and rays. The rich marine life gives a lot to observe during the dives along the shore of Abades. Luckily, Abades is also a breeding place for many species, like the angel sharks. This endangered kind of shark is fragile, there are only 5000 specimens left in the world and most of them live in the Canary Islands. Divers often get the chance to meet one of these wonderful creatures that are harmless for humans.
Secondly, Abades offers perfect conditions for divers of different levels. Both for beginners and advanced divers it is interesting to explore this dive site. The entrance is from the shore in the sandy bay where the waves are almost never big. The depth ranges from 5 to 15 meters (depending on where you decide to go). Sandy bottom in the shallow water creates a comfortable ground to perform exercises during the courses and to do try dives for those who go scuba diving for the first time. Having visited the main reef close to the beach, experienced divers swim along the magnificent rock formation and go further and deeper to meet the trumpetfish hiding in caves or the rays playing in the grass fields. Wherever you go, you will find interesting creatures and ecosystems to explore.
It´s also worth mentioning that most of the time the visibility in Abades is great, the navigation is easy and there is no current. Thus, diving in Abades combines wonderful marine environment and good conditions.
If you are in Tenerife, you should certainly visit Abades to discover the beauty of this site, which is one of our favourite in the whole island. More information about Abades and other dive sites in Tenerife: http://divingatlantis-tenerife.com/en/tenerife/diving-places/
You can reach the town easily on your own too as it is located along the highway TF1 that goes from Tenerife South to Santa Cruz (exit Abades).
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