Can You Snorkel In The Azores?

Snorkeling in the Azores is a popular activity during the summer, allowing participants to explore the diverse marine life. The Wanderlog team offers Princess Alice Expeditions, where snorkelers can join a guide to enjoy the underwater experience. São Miguel also offers a Decathlon in Ponta Delgada, where snorkelers can enjoy the natural habitat of wild dolphins. The Azores is one of the few places in the world where wild dolphins can be seen underwater. Winter months have temperatures never lower than 16º, and kayaking is allowed but only for 10 minutes. To spot all the region’s signature species, visit during September or October. There are many great Azores snorkeling tours available, with the best places to snorkel being in September or October. From October 16th to October 31st, snorkeling inside the islet is not allowed, but outside and inside walking are permitted. From November to April, dive with Henrique and explore Port de Vila Franca do Campo for a thrilling submarine dive.

Are there orcas in Azores?

Little is known about the orca frequenting the Azores. Sightings appear to be increasingin spring especially, although they are still considered a rare species here. Predating on fin whale calves, rays, turtles, tuna and more besides in these rich waters, one match has now been made with an individual more regularly sighted off the Portuguese coast. As such, they are potentially seasonal visitors to the archipelagobut could also be oceanic.

Wherever they are from, we were fortunate to see them twice during our week-long stay. They bookmarked the start and end of what had proved to be a fantastically fruitful week of wildlife watching. We had racked up humpback, sei and sperm whales and bottlenose, short-beaked common and remarkably agile and acrobatic striped dolphins… not to mention an unexpected crowd pleaser, Atlantic flying fish!

The weather had played its part, too, enabling us to view the lush and verdant interior of Sao Miguel, complete with its volcanic crater lakes, thermal springs, giant fern-lined valleys and black sand beaches awash with Portuguese man-of-war.

Does the Azores have sharks?

Pelagic, open-water animals the Blue Sharks of the Azores roam the deep waters around the nine islands of the archipelago. With recent research indicating that the archipelago forms the northern boundary of an important mid-Atlantic breeding ground and nursery.

Blue Sharks(Prionace glauca) are very distinctive creatures. Their slim,elongated bodies and long, conical snouts make them very hydrodynamic and fast. They are said to be one of the fastest sharks in the world – capable of in-water speeds up to 40km/hour!

Their large eyes are set back on that long snout which gives them a somewhat sinister and intimidating look…

Are there snakes on the Azores?

In the Azores, it is also possible to find other type of birds such as the Corey’s shearwater, Azorean grey wagtail, Cliff Pigeon, European Robin, Black Bird, Azorean Chaffinch etc… As for land animals we do not have any snakes or dangerous animals, but we do have hedgehogs, rats, ferrets, and wild rabbits. The bat of the Azores is the only native mammal that you can find in land.

The Azores belong to the Macaronesia area, containing a huge number of endemic species of each Island. And so it is important to mention:

Azores blueberry’s, English holly, Azores Laurel, Erica Azorica, Cedar, etc. Also a few species with flowers were introduced on the island that give a beautiful charm during Spring, we have hydrangeas, azaleas and camellias. On the sides of the roads it is also possible to find the ginger lily, an invasive plant that in August gives a beautiful yellow flower.

Last but not least, the Cryptomeria Japonica and Acacia, introduced on the island, and we can appreciate their big size, reaching 70 meters high and 4 meters of width.

Does the Azores have good snorkeling?

Snorkeling in Vila Franca do Campo 95% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Snorkeling Trip with all necessary equipment, boat trip and guide. Dip in and witness the colors that the underwater can provide.

Are there coral reefs in the Azores?

The Azores, Madeira and Canary Islands have many cold-water coral reefs mainly composed of Lophelia pertusa. The reefs are usually found at depths greater than 1000 metres, and are part of the belt of cold-water coral reefs stretching from Norway to West Africa. Averaging 3000 m in depth, the waters around the Azores also contain seamounts and hydrothermal vents that are being proposed as candidates for World Heritage Park status.

In September 2005, EU fisheries ministers agreedto bantrawling on the sea bed around Madeira, the Azores and Canary Islands to save their unique coral reefs from destruction. EU fisheries Ministers also agreed to ban the use of gillnets and other entangling fishing nets at depths greater than 200 metres in these areas. The cold-water coral reefs around these islands, in waters of Spain and Portugal, hadbeen in danger of this damagingfishing practicesince 1 August 2004, when the EU’s fishing fleetgained access to Azorean waters between 100 and 200 nautical miles, without first agreeing limits on their activity and fishing gear.

Is it safe to swim in the Azores?

Around the islands’ coasts, natural rock pools have been absorbed into accessible and safe swimming areas. The in-the-water experience is very much ocean bathing, with waves breaking on the lava shoreline, glorious deep blue water and the constant ebb and flow of the Atlantic swell through gaps in the rocks.

Many offer good snorkelling opportunities. The out-of-water experience is gentler than the rugged geography would otherwise allow. There is easy access via steps or paths, and the pools have levelled, paved surrounds, ideal for sunbathing. Many have showers and during high season, some have lifeguards.

Inevitably, some balnearios offer a wilder swimming experience than others. My introduction to a piscina natural came eight years ago at Ponta da Ferraria, on the southwest coast of Sao Miguel. It was October, a big surf was running, and we needed to hold on tight to the handily-placed ropes across the mouth of the inlet. It was more suction than swim, but no less glorious for that.

Are there jellyfish in the Azores?

Pelagia noctiluca. It is considered the most common jellyfish in the Mediterranean Sea and the Azores but is rarely sighted in mainland Portugal. This species occurs more frequently during Spring and Summer. Its tentacles can reach up to 2m in length, and the stinging cells are concentrated in the tentacles and near the bell. The species is bioluminescent.Avoid contact. In case of direct skin contact, clean it carefully, apply ice packs and sodium bicarbonate (if available).

Rhizostoma luteum. This is a relatively common species, occurring with relative frequency along the Portuguese coast, the Gibraltar Strait and along the western African coast. It is a large-sized jellyfish, with a bell that can reach 60cm in diameter. It is easily recognisable by its long tentacles with dark extremities.

Chrysoara hysosecella. This species occasionally occurs across Portuguese coastal areas. Its sting is very painful. It can be easily identified by the brown bands in its bell.In case of direct skin contact, clean it carefully, apply ice packs and sodium bicarbonate (if available).

Is Azores a volcanic island?

The islands’ volcanism is associated with the rifting along the Azores Triple Junction; the spread of the crust along the existing faults and fractures has produced many of the active volcanic and seismic events, while supported by buoyant upwelling in the deeper mantle, some associate with an Azores hotspot. Most of the volcanic activity has centered, primarily, along the Terceira Rift.

From the beginning of the islands’ settlement, around the 15th century, there have been 28 registered volcanic eruptions (15 terrestrial and 13 submarine). The last significant volcanic eruption, the Capelinhos volcano (Vulcão dos Capelinhos), occurred off the coast of the island of Faial in 1957; the most recent volcanic activity occurred in the seamounts and submarine volcanoes off the coast of Serreta and in the Pico-São Jorge Channel.

The islands have many examples of volcano-built geomorphology including caves and lava tubes (such as the Gruta das Torres, Algar do Carvão, Gruta do Natal, Gruta das Cinco Ribeiras), the coastal lava fields (like the coast of Feteiras, Faial, the Mistério of Prainha or São João on Pico Island) in addition to the inactive cones in central São Miguel Island, the aforementioned Capelinhos on Faial, the volcanic complexes of Terceira or Plinian caldeira of Corvo Island.The islands of the archipelago were formed through volcanic and seismic activity during the Neogene Period; the first embryonic surfaces started to appear in the waters of Santa Maria during the Miocene epoch (from circa 8million years ago).

What illness do people in the Azores have?

The malady is generally known as the ‘stumbling disease’ among the Azorean-Portuguese; the current biomedical literature refer to it as Machado-Joseph disease. Historically an aura of stigma has surrounded affected individuals, their families, and primary ethnic group in which the malady is currently found.

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Can you see whale sharks in the Azores?

Diving with the world’s largest fish in clear waters is undoubtedly one of the best diving experiences of the Azores. Surrounded by several large tunas and countless other species of fish, these giants of the sea pass close to the archipelago as they make their way across the Atlantic. Although it is possible to spot whale sharks on several islands of the Azores, Santa Maria is the island most visited by this colossus of the sea. It is possible to spot them during a coastal dive, but you are more likely to swim with one further off the coast. As it slowly swims beneath divers, the sheer size – sometimes over 10 metres long – becomes apparent. There is also the added bonus of the entourage – it is common for this shark to be followed by an escort of thousands of tunas, as well as pilot fishes and numerous other small pelagic fish. It is an unbelievable dive experience.

As is standard in the Azores, there is always something to see and as the search for whale sharks takes place relatively far from the coast, it is not unusual to see turtles and several species of migratory dolphins on the boat trip there and back.

Has there ever been a tsunami in Azores?

Because of its exposed northern mid-Atlantic location, morphology and plate-tectonics setting, the Azores Archipelago is highly vulnerable to tsunami hazards associated with landslides and seismic or volcanic triggers, local or distal. Critical examination of available data – written accounts and geologic evidence – indicates that, since the settlement of the archipelago in the 15th century, at least 23 tsunami have struck Azorean coastal zones. Most of the recorded tsunami are generated by earthquakes. The highest known run-up (11–15 m) was recorded on 1 November 1755 at Terceira Island, corresponding to an event of intensity VII–VIII (damaging–heavily damaging) on the Papadopolous–Imamura scale. To date, eruptive activity, while relatively frequent in the Azores, does not appear to have generated destructive tsunami. However, this apparent paucity of volcanogenic tsunami in the historical record may be misleading because of limited instrumental and documentary data, and small source-volumes released during historical eruptions. The latter are in contrast with the geological record of massive pyroclastic flows and caldera explosions with potential to generate high-magnitude tsunami, predating settlement. In addition, limited evidence suggests that submarine landslides from unstable volcano flanks may have also triggered some damaging tsunamigenic floods that perhaps were erroneously attributed to intense storms. The lack of destructive tsunami since the mid-18th century has led to governmental complacency and public disinterest in the Azores, as demonstrated by the fact that existing emergency regulations concerning seismic events in the Azores Autonomous Region make no mention of tsunami and their attendant hazards. We suspect that the coastal fringe of the Azores may well preserve a sedimentary record of some past tsunamigenic flooding events. Geological field studies must be accelerated to expand the existing database to include prehistoric events-information essential for more precisely estimating the average tsunami recurrence rate for the Azores over a longer period. A present-day occurrence of a moderate to intense tsunami (i.e., the size of the 1755 event) would produce societal disruption and economic loss orders of magnitudes greater than those of previous events in Azorean history. To reduce risk from future tsunami, comprehensive assessment of tsunami hazards and the preparation of hazards-zonation maps are needed to guide governmental decisions on issues of prudent land-use planning, public education and emergency management.

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