Puerto del Carmen, Canary Islands, Spain

Las Cuevas de los Cerebros

Las Cuevas de los Cerebros is a series of overhanging lava chambers and short swim-throughs along the same wall that defines Playa Chica, accessed by boat from Puerto del Carmen. The site is named for the dense colonies of golden cup coral and especially the Atlantic brain coral that grow on its dim ceilings, fed by the cool current that channels through the openings. Depths range from 22 to 28 metres and the dive plan typically threads three caverns separated by sand chutes. Inside the caves divers find shoaling cardinalfish, slipper lobster, large red banded shrimp on the cleaning stations, conger eels and the occasional shovelnose lobster. The walls outside hold colourful scorpionfish, large groupers, parrotfish and frequent angel shark sightings on the sand patches in winter. Although depth and ceiling justify an intermediate rating, currents are usually weak and visibility is consistently above 20 metres. The Canary Islands sit on the eastern edge of the Atlantic and benefit from the cool, nutrient-rich Canary Current that flows south along Africa, keeping water temperatures between 18 C in late winter and 23 C in late summer and supporting a mixed Atlantic and macaronesian fauna with confirmed Canarian endemics. The archipelago is the last reliable European stronghold of the angel shark Squatina squatina, classified as critically endangered by the IUCN, and dive operators contribute regular sightings to the Angel Shark Project monitoring programme. Local dive centres operate year round and most sites can be accessed with one short boat or shore transfer.