Top Snorkeling and Scuba Diving in Porto

Portuguese cargo ship, launched in 1949. She was owned by Carregadores Açorianos Navigation Company and displaced 2.592 tons. This ship sank during a severe sea storm near Leixão Grande rock on the 20th of May 1955. The sea claimed the ship and broke her apart. Nowadays divers can find the ship's boiler and metal debris on the sea bottom. Due to the location of the wreck, diving is only possible when the sea is flat due to the risk of divers been throwned onto the rocks and pier by waves. She rests at 12m and, as all wrecks, has her share of marine life. Source: www.submania.pt (Reproduced with permission of the author) Vila do Porto is located just out of Leixões

The history of this wreck is unknown. We know that she is quite old, built of wood, but what kind of ship, where she came from and her destination is still a mystery. "Navio do Norte" is the name given by local fishermen to this wreck, located north of Angeiras village. It means "northern ship". From this vessel rests her cargo, or part of it, composed of iron cannons, bullets, wheels and other iron debris. It's still possible to see some pieces of wood that belongs to the main structure of the ship that have remained well preserved under the sand. This wreck rests in open sea, on a sandy bottom at 34m. Marine life on this site is amazing, with lots of small fish, lobsters, conger eels and amazing octopuses. There are lost lines and fishing nets on the wreck. We believe that this wreck is part of the steam-boat Tiber, owned by British company P&O Line. Tiber was an iron paddle steamer of 763 tons. This vessel was laid down on August 8th, 1846, and arrived in Southampton on October 26th from builders, Caird & Co in Greenock. She was originally to have been named "Ceylon", and ran P&O's Peninsular, Italian and Black Sea routes. Tiber was 56.29m long, 8.15m broad and 5.26m deep. She had 280hp engines, a speed of 9 knots and a bunker capacity of 225 tons. This steamer cost £28.600 and was insured for £20.000. On 21st February 1847, early in the afternoon, Tiber sank out of Vila Cha when she was homeward bound from Gibraltar. Her captain was Mr Bingham. The cause of her sinking is still inconclusive. In Portugal we found documents that say that this ship sank due to a severe sea storm and despites the efforts of local fishermen to help with the rescue of both passengers and crew, around 30 people died in this tragedy. In other researche, we found out that the ship was sailing in dense fog, hit a rock and sank in deep water within minutes with no casualties to report. Her cargo and mail sank with the ship and were lost. Among the cargo was a load of gold coins destined for the royal treasury. Source: www.submania.pt (Reproduced with permission of the author)

"Charneca" was a tugboat owned by Lisnave. She was sailing from Lisbon to give assistance to a cargo ship, but did not make it and decided to try to find harbour in Leixões where she arrived with many technical problems in the middle of a large and violent sea storm. The tug was throwing against the harbour water break by the strength of the waves, where her hull was holed and she sank on February 16th, 1986. Only one member of her crew survived. They were 4. The wreck lays in 14m of water on a sandy bottom. She is straight, pointing south, with her wheel house completely broken, reminding us of the fury of the sea that day. Her portside is slightly silted and in her midships, on her starboard side, divers can find the hole in the hull caused by the impact against the water break. There are many lines and cables loose inside the wreck, so care must be observed on entering. Outside the wreck, it's usual to see the existence of fishing lines and nets, which are a danger to divers due to bad visibility on the site. Due to her location, divers must also be aware of maritime traffic. Source: www.submania.pt (Reproduced with permission of the author) Just at the end of Quebra Mar (The wreck is S of the submerged breakwater reef).

This ship do not exist any more! Jakob Maersk was a Danish oil tanker built in 1966 and owned by Maerskline Navigation Company. On January 29th 1975 at around 1pm, when on manoeuvres to moor on tanker terminal A at Leixões harbour, she suffered a huge explosion followed by an intense fire and other explosions. She was 261.81m long and displaced 48.262 tons. Her 32 crew was made up of both men and women. 26 were saved, of which 4 were severely burned, 5 were missing and 1 drowned. The 5 missing crew members were machine engineers. The tug "Monte da Luz" sailed close to the burning tanker and saved 17 crew members and the two port pilots. The ship carried 88.000 tons of oil from Gulf Persic to Leixões, most of which was consumed by the fire. The fire lasted 3 days. The flames reached 50m and the smoke reached 750m. Until 1996, this accident was in 12th place on the list of the biggest oil leaks worldwide. The cause was, as always, human error. The ship broke in two. The stern sank near the entrance of the harbour and the bow was dragged by the sea to the shore at the Castelo do Queijo where she stayed for a number of years. The highest and biggest part of the stern section that sank was later removed because she was a danger to other vessels entering and leaving Leixões harbour. Nowadays divers can find some burned metal sheets and oil tubes on a sandy seabed between 12 and 15m deep. It's possible to find loose lines and fishing nets near the wreck. Source: www.submania.pt (Reproduced with permission of the author) This ship do not exist any more! Just SE from Porto de Leixoes (0.35 n. miles).

With a maximum depth of 21m and 8m on top, this is the perfect place to dive and appreciate local marine life that usually lives in this kind of environment. It starts from the seaside, with thin broad stones on the seabed at 21m, and gradually falls to 8m. Then, on landside, it goes straight to the bottom, forming a wall. The diver can submerge certain that he will find a place full of marine life, from the coloured anemones to sponges, from the crustaceans to the molluscs and many varieties of fish that surround these rocks. Beside marine life, this site also offers some natural attractions, such as walls and canyons 4m high where divers can swim through and enjoy the amazing life that grows everywhere in this unique dive site. For these and others attractions, "Pelo Negro" is one of the best and most visited rock dives. Excellent for any diver and very good for night diving. Source: www.submania.pt (Reproduced with permission of the author) A group of rocks located out of Leca da Palmeira beach.

A group of underwater rocks located between Mindelo and Vila Cha village. They form an amazing sandbank full of marine life. With a maximum depth of 15m, some of the rocks almost reach the surface. The marine life is quite good. Here the diver can find some gorgeous anemone carpets, crustacea, molluscs, fish and a variety of green and brown seaweed. It is also possible to find areas with types of gorgonians. Source: www.submania.pt (Reproduced with permission of the author) Located between Mindelo and Vila Cha village

British packet-boat, built in 1906, displacing 7.063 tons and owned by the Lamport & Holt Line. She sailed from Liverpool, stopped in Vigo (Spain) and sank near Boa Nova beach, at 5am on the 16th January 1913, due to a strong storm. 232 persons were onboard, Captained by Charles Turner. Several lifeguards rescue boats and tugs helped the rescue and managed to save 103 lives. Fire fighters from Matosinhos Leça Corporation joined the rescue, which lasted for 3 days and 2 nights. 89 passengers and crew were saved through a cable line. Among them was the ship's captain. 40 people lost their lives in this tragedy. The sea claimed the ship, broke her apart and nowadays divers can find her on the sea floor with some metal debris at a maximum depth of 10m. Marine life is quite good and it's a good dive for beginners. Source: www.submania.pt (Reproduced with permission of the author) 1.8 n. miles N from Porto de Leixoes (near the radio landmark).

"Olo" is a rock dive located out of Leixões. It is 21m at the deepest point and 9m at the shallowest. This rock is full of marine life, such as anemones, sponges, crustacea and molluscs. Divers can also find some rock fish. A few metres from the rock lies a wooden fishing vessel named "Marsub". In the past "Marsub" was used as a diving boat, the only diving boat available for those who want to dive in these waters. Due to her short distance from the rock, divers have plenty of time to visit both rock and wreck. Ideal for beginners and good for night diving. Source: www.submania.pt (Reproduced with permission of the author) Olo is a rock dive located out of Leixões