Diving in the Lisbon area is pretty varied; from wreck to reef and from drift to deep. Since some of the best spots aren't more than a 30 minute car ride from Lisbon's center, non-divers will find plenty of other things to get busy with: several water sports, famous golf courses, plenty of cafes, bars and restaurants and anything else you'd expect from a modern European capital. Oh, and for those who are jealous there's always the Vasco da Gama Oceanarium, one of the best in the world.
Nearest to Lisbon, in Fonte da Telha there are a few flat, deep rocky reefs sat in a vast expanse of sand: as such, bot diurnal and nocturnal fauna is everpresent. Expect friendly conger eel, lobster, huge bream, John Dory, cuttlefish, octopus, dozens of pollock and count on schools of inquisitive spanish bream accompanying you back up to the surface. Dolphins often show up and, if you're lucky and the skipper thinks it is worthwhile investigating them, clumps of flotsam sometimes hide sunfish underneath during high Summer. The main dive shop at Fonte da Telha will take you there and will also provide Nitrox fills, full technical diving facilities and show you some amazing wrecks should the weather allow it.
Further south you'll find Sesimbra, Portugal's scuba diving Mecca. This picturesque fishing village is situated some 35 km south of Lisbon and offers a family oriented beach, great history and folklore, and some of the best fish restaurants in the whole country. Although fish are smaller along the coast and its sheltered bay, plenty of opportunities arise for the pacient and macro-minded photographer: nudibranchs abound and the whole area is a gigantic hatchery and nursery for many species.
Further east and only reachable by boat, the sheer cliffs of Serra da Arrábida are a very important area for species from northern, colder waters and also for those that venture from southerly latitudes as far north as Sesimbra when ocean temperatures rise. On deeper dives over sandy bottoms your patience is often rewarded with the sight of stingrays and the odd squid.
And at any time you may spot the dolphins that feed all along this coast.
One of the best wrecks lies in around 30 m off Cabo Espichel, some 40 km to the south of Lisbon and 6 nautical miles to the west of Sesimbra's welcoming harbour: the Nigerian cargo ship River Gurara broke up here during a fierce storm but remnants such as the huge propeller are a sight to be seen. The myriad of shining eyes revealed by the light of your torch peering into the depths of the broken hull gives you a good idea of the vessel's dimensions.
95% of the diving is done by boat. There are several dive centres in Sesimbra; most of them only open weekends on a first-come, first-seved basis, although they will take groups out during the week by prior appointment.
I prefer diving this area from the end of September until December, weather permitting, because there are fewer pleasure craft and the fauna can safely come out of hiding.
So, hop on a plane, it's only a couple of hours away: the diving is good, the food is excellent and Lisbon's nightlife is second to none!
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