Cabo de Gata, Andalusia, Spain

Arrecife de las Sirenas

Arrecife de las Sirenas is the underwater rock reef extending from the foot of the Cabo de Gata lighthouse in the Cabo de Gata-Nijar Natural Park, declared a marine reserve in 1995 along the easternmost tip of Andalusia. The reef takes its name from the colonies of Mediterranean monk seal that historically used the islets as haul-outs and which gave the cape its name. The dive is shallow and sheltered, with depths from 6 to 22 metres along a series of black volcanic boulders, sand channels and small Posidonia oceanica meadows. The protection of the reserve translates into healthy populations of dusky groupers, common octopus, scorpionfish, schools of saddled seabream, salema and damselfish, large painted comber and frequent moray eels. The Posidonia meadows host pipefish, juvenile fish in summer and the occasional fan mussel Pinna nobilis recovering after the parasite outbreak. With easy entry, low current and consistent visibility, it is the entry-point dive of the Andalusian reserve.