Diving in Fuerteventura

Besides other water sports that have become more and more popular in recent years, such as surfing or windsurfing, more and more people are taking the plunge into scuba diving and Fuerteventura is an ideal place to do it. This island is the oldest of the eight that make up the Canary Islands, it also has a very important geological interest among professionals and a tremendously rich marine fauna and flora.

In this article, I will show you the best scuba diving experiences in Fuerteventura and explain everything you need to know about scuba diving, why you should try it and how. Shall we get started?

The Natural Park of Jandia, situated on the southern tip of Fuerteventura, is an ideal place for both experienced and less experienced divers.

As its name suggests, here you will find a large veril or what is the same: a vertical wall that drops some 40 metres (you will understand it better with this picture). This is a perfect place to see black moray eels, bream and angel sharks, although on some occasions, whale sharks and devil rays have also been spotted. Incredible, don't you think?

Depending on your level, you can dive around the wall, on the wall itself and even explore the caves in the wall. Without a doubt, a must for diving enthusiasts.

But don't leave just yet, because very close to the Veril Grande is the Veril Chico. As you can imagine, this reef is smaller and shallower than its big brother, but here you can also find countless aquatic species, such as horse mackerel, bonito and shoals of amberjack.

This is another special place for diving, although it is necessary to do it with the right currents and tides, otherwise it can be dangerous. In the right conditions, the Bajón del Río can be dived by both experienced and less experienced divers.

This site is very close to Corralejo, in the small strait that forms between that town and the neighbouring Isla de Lobos. It has a depth of approximately 18 metres.

Here you can admire the underwater volcanic landscape of the island of Fuerteventura, as well as its cliffs, which are teeming with marine life, such as horse mackerel, groupers, abbots, old fish and a long etcetera. Don't miss the play of light that forms on the rocks and rocky walls. A real gem.

If I've left you wanting more, here is a video of what you can find.

El Jablito beach is located in the east of Fuerteventura and is ideal for a calm and relaxed dive (up to a maximum depth of 15 metres).It is accessed from the beach itself and has both sandy and rocky areas.

El Jablito is a perfect place to admire an infinity of aquatic species, such as bream, barracudas, angel sharks, spider crabs, parrot fish, fulas and a long etcetera. It is also a very quiet place suitable for all levels.

Its easy access and the tranquillity of this area also make it a highly recommended spot for night dives. Although you already know: take extreme precautions.

Of course! Lobos Island is a privileged natural enclave that could not be missing from this list. You may already know that snorkelling here is one of the best experiences you can have in Fuerteventura, although it is also ideal for a day trip to explore its volcanic area and beaches. But, of course, this islet is also perfect for deeper dives with an oxygen tank.

Isla de Lobos has approximately 20 dive sites, including some of the best in Fuerteventura (such as Bajón del Río, number 2 on this list). Some of the ones you can't miss are the following.

Lobos Lighthouse

In front of the Isla de Lobos lighthouse there is a reef at a depth of about 30 metres. Here there are usually strong currents, so extreme caution is necessary. Some of the species you will be able to see are groupers and abbots, among many others.

Mareo Cove

Like Bajón del Río, Cala Mareo is located between Isla de Lobos and the town of Corralejo. Here you will find a vertical wall approximately 20 metres deep, where you can find caves, arches and passages perfect for a great variety of underwater life to proliferate.

La Lagunita

To get to La Lagunita you will have to take a boat trip of about 20 minutes, but I assure you it will be worth it. This enclave has a depth of about 25 metres and you will be able to observe large fish, such as giant groupers of up to 2 metres, that swim in and out of the underwater caves.

Marrajo

Finally, very close to Isla de Lobos, Marrajo is a perfect place for beginners, as it is only about 9 metres deep and protected from the wind. Here you will be able to see large shoals of fish, and the special clarity and luminosity of its waters make it an ideal place for taking photographs.

Remember that to visit Lobos Island you need a special free permit that you have to request from the Fuerteventura Island Council, as only 200 people are allowed to enter the island at any one time. However, you can also book the boat trip so that they can arrange the permit and the compulsory insurance for you.

The Ajuy beach caves in the west of the island are an incredible place to observe Fuerteventura's volcanic past. Its caves have shown experts how the oceanic crust was formed approximately 70 million years ago and are a priceless testimony to the geological past of the Canaries.

It's worth coming here just to do the cave route, but of course the seabed is no exception. The caves and channels alone make for an impressive dive, but there are also a multitude of aquatic species here, such as jacks, amberjacks, amberjacks, old jacks, Canary lobsters and barracudas, among others. You may also see some of the marine fossils that have become embedded in the rock.

The entrance to this site is from the beach and the depth of the dive varies from approximately 6 to 20 metres. It is especially important to check the weather forecast in this area, as well as the currents.

One more thing: very close to here is the Jurado area , famous for its relief and rocky walls, where you can dive. You can also come across scorpion fish, barracuda, horse mackerel, rays and pollack.

To the west of the port of Morro Jable, about 10 minutes by boat, there is a labyrinthine rocky seabed that is home to a multitude of underwater species, including thousands and thousands of anemones (yes, where Nemo lives), but also octopus, rays, moray eels, pollack and groupers, to name but a few.

Although at certain times of the year there can be stronger currents, this is normally an easy diving area, suitable for all levels and with a maximum depth of about 14 metres.

But that's not all! In the immediate vicinity you can find the so-called "mussel bank", which is made up of a lot of shells of all kinds. Here the depth increases to 16 metres and is still easy and suitable for all levels. It is advisable to bring a torch so that you can look through the holes and caves in the rock: they are full of life.

On the mussel bed you are also likely to encounter species such as rays, pollack, jacks, amberjack, barracuda, moray eels and, if you are lucky, perhaps a gulper shark.

To the east of the island is a place famous for its volcanic rock and sandy bottom. As the name suggests, here you can dive next to towers and rock walls, which are home to a myriad of animal species, including countless cephalopods.

You can also see rays, moray eels, jellyfish, crabs and maybe even an angelfish.

Although it may seem complicated due to its characteristics, access to this site is easy, so the dives are suitable for all levels. This is also a perfect place to take photos.

Wrecks are ships that, for one reason or another, are found at the bottom of the sea and where, over the years, underwater life has proliferated. For better or for worse, Fuerteventura is not known for its wrecks, which is why none of the experiences on this list include wreck diving.

Lanzarote and Gran Canaria are better for that, although the wrecks of Tenerife are the most impressive.

The experiences you can have snorkelling and scuba diving are completely different, although both sports share the same goal: to observe live marine life.

Snorkelling is practised with diving goggles and a sn orkel and basically consists of diving at water level, keeping the snorkel on the surface to keep breathing. You can observe marine life at a depth of a few metres, depending on the clarity of the water, but there is no deep dive.

When diving with an oxygen tank, there will be a deep d ive and you will be able to reach places that would not be possible without that oxygen boost.

Remember that diving is wonderful, but it can be dangerous. To ensure that everything goes smoothly and you enjoy a good dive, you will need to be cautious and have the right notions (and permits) for each case. Now, enjoy and see as many fish as you can!

Oxygen cylinders or scuba cylinders store approximately 10 to 15 litres of compressed air, allowing you to reach the depths of the sea floor without having to return to the surface to breathe, as you do so through a regulator that you wear in your mouth.

The duration of the oxygen varies depending on the amount you carry and other factors, but as a rule of thumb, one cylinder will last approximately 25 minutes.

25 minutes is enough time to go much deeper than snorkelling alone, allowing you to see more remote parts of the seabed and richer flora and fauna than if you just snorkel. But be careful, because this type of diving also involves some risks and you should take a lot of precautions.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that Fuerteventura and the Canary Islands as a whole are characterised by the clarity of their waters, so you will be able to glimpse the marine environment from many metres away.

The most obvious and also the most important thing you will need to do when scuba diving is to get used to breathing through the regulator you will wear in your mouth. It is important to use proper breathing techniques to breathe slowly and calmly. Also, using the right techniques will help you stay underwater longer.

In dive lessons you will also be taught how to use the weight belt and BCD, which will help you to submerge and also to return to the surface.

It is also very important to use manoeuvres to compensate your ears so that the pressure does not affect you. When you dive to a certain depth, not doing this correctly can be dangerous and cause damage to your hearing.

For better and for worse, no. According to international regulations, to dive with an oxygen tank you will need to have an official diving certification.

If you have never scuba dived before but would like to enjoy the experience during your visit to Fuerteventura, you will need to do a first dive (or baptism) with a certified instructor.

If you want to book a boat trip for scuba diving, bear in mind that, if it is your first time, it will have to be specifically for beginners.

Bear in mind that the largest concentration of diving centres in Fuerteventura are in the town of Corralejo. Here you can take introductory scuba diving courses with oxygen tanks, but they also have a wide range of options depending on your level and experience.

The popularity of scuba diving in many places has meant that it is no longer essential to use an oxygen tank to go down to certain depths.

Nowadays, there are companies that offer excursions to dive to a maximum depth of 6 metres. This is achieved with a kind of flexible tube that comes up to the surface, allowing you to breathe. It's a bit like snorkelling but deeper.

This option is ideal if you have never dived with an oxygen tank and you don't feel like having to do a course, as you can book this type of activity without having any experience.