Abades Bay

Arico · Canary Islands · Spain

Abades Bay sits on Tenerife's southeastern coast, a sheltered crescent of volcanic shoreline that has become one of the Canary Islands' most valued dive sites. The bay faces southeast, protected from the dominant northeast trade winds, creating reliably calm conditions through most of the year. A concrete ramp descending to the water's edge provides one of the easiest shore entries in the Canaries. The underwater landscape is volcanic in origin. Dark lava rock formations create a terrain of arches, tunnels, ridges, and small caves extending from the shoreline to depths of around twenty-five metres over a sandy bottom. The rock is porous and irregular, providing countless crevices that shelter abundant life. Swimming through a natural lava arch at twelve metres, with sunlight filtering through the opening above, captures the essence of Canarian diving: volcanic geology meeting Atlantic ocean. Abades is one of Europe's most reliable locations for encountering the critically endangered angel shark, Squatina squatina. These flat, ray-like sharks rest on sandy patches between lava formations during the day, perfectly camouflaged against the substrate. A careful approach and a sharp eye are required, as the sharks rely entirely on concealment. The Canary Islands are the last significant refuge for this species in European waters, and encounters here carry the weight of witnessing something increasingly rare. Cuttlefish are abundant, their colour-changing displays among the most sophisticated in nature. They hover near the lava rock, shifting patterns and textures with each passing moment. The macro life on the volcanic substrate is rich: nudibranchs in vivid colours, sea slugs, hermit crabs, and cleaning shrimp occupy every available surface. The water temperature ranges from eighteen to twenty-four degrees Celsius, influenced by the warm Canary Current, allowing comfortable diving year-round in a five-millimetre wetsuit. Visibility typically ranges from fifteen to thirty metres, with the clearest conditions from May through October. Above the waterline, the abandoned sanatorium buildings add an atmospheric backdrop. These half-ruined concrete structures from the Franco era stand empty on the volcanic hillside, adding a faintly surreal quality that is distinctly Canarian.