Freediving with a thousand fishes in Lido Islet

The photo above was taken at lunch time, it was a perfect set with Nau Santa Maria* just passing by Lido islet.

But i only went freediving after work arround 7 p.m. The weather was great and there were more people in the Gorgulho beach than the last time i' been there.

I enter the sea through the "calhau"** of course and head up to Lido islet.

In the way i saw various fishes, from brown-frogfishes (Sphoeroides marmoratus), to parrotfishes (Sparisoma cretense), Atlantic-lizardfishes (Synodus saurus), greenfishes (Thalassoma pavo), Madeira-rockfishes (Scorpaena maderensis), starfishes
(Marthasterias glacialis) and of course "castanhetas-pretas" (Abudefduf luridus).

I can't forget i had the pleasant company of two small "guelly jacks" (Pseudocaranx dentex) until i get the sand zone, where i did my first dive arround 9m to the bottom.

After that the bottom was a desert, so i decided to swim backwards to the islet. As i got closer i turned arround and looked down, i could already see the rock formation coming from the sand.

I was a bit disappointed when i arrived at Lido islet, cause there wasn't so many fishes as i would expected. So i decided to make a counterclock wise tour arround the islet.

Before the first dive i already spotted, from surface, a trumpetfish (Fistularia petimba) hidding away below a platform rock. So i went down and made a visit to him, but this guys are very shy and as soon as he saw me, he get away. I didn't follow him.

I did some more dives until i made half the way and saw a lot of "white sea breams" (Diplodus sargus) rushing behind the bottom rocks going i don't know where.

Now i was going to enter the darkzone, since the sun was covered by Lido Islet rock, and I didn't expected, but this were amazing dives with a shoal of more than a thousand sardines (Sardina pilchardus).

Back to the starting point in the islet, i saw what i was expecting to see from the beginning, the shoal of hundreds of "dobradas" (Oblada melanura) like the last time i've been there.

Coming back to land i still had the opportunity to play with a "choco" (Sepia officinalis).

* Nau Santa Maria - a funcional replica of the ship that Colombo used to discover the american continent in 1492.
** calhau - small round stones in a beach

Freediving with scuba-divers & flying with rays

After a rainy saturday, came a sunday full of light.

I arrived early in the morning, arround 10:30. The sun was cutting in and the ocean was a bliss to see.

Surprisingly, garajau beach was still quiet, only with a few people, probably because half the beach was still in shadow.

As i was preparing to enter the water, a boat full of scuba-divers arrived near the yellow buoy. I found this an excellent opportunity to try to dive with them and see if i could get closer to the Mero (Epinephelus marginatus).

Without second thoughts i went straight to the yellow buoy, warming-up calmly in backstroke. Unfortunately, as i arrived there i looked down, there wasn't any signs of bubbles, so i couldn't know where the scuba-divers were. But no problem, sooner or later they will appear in the bottom since the boat was moored to the buoy.

So i decided to make some progressive dives to the bottom. First dive at 9m, second dive at 15m and a third dive at 18m on the top of bottom rock.

I was now ready to go to the bottom sand. The water was relatively clear and from above i could see perfectly the top of the bottom rock, so i relaxed for a while before diving.

After some breathing preparation i dive down, trying to be align with the iron chain for orientation. As i was getting closer to the bottom rock i slided a bit away towards the sand and let myself go to the depths. Arriving at the bottom i felt relaxed, so i sat down on the sand and closed my eyes for just a moment... As i opened my eyes, scuba-divers were passing by some 15m away and i started to ascend. (max. depth: 23m; total dive time: 1m35s)

Well, after this dive i was done, but i couldn't loose the opportunity to follow the scuba-divers from above and hoped they could spot something. That was what just happen.

As they were turning back at the bottom, some guy pointed is finger to west, trying to show the others that something was there. I couldn't saw it from above, so i prepared myself for a big dive. I descend some metters and look down, but still i couldn't see anything, even thus the guy was still pointing somewhere out there. So i went down a little bit more and looked to the bottom and spot 2 rays flying in the bottom, one of them was bigger than the other so i decided to follow her. I was already in "rocket diving mode" when i passed the scuba-divers and kept my "flight" along with the rays. This experience is one that makes the difference between freediving and scuba-diving, you can really follow them underwater, but of course not for long, i went up.

After this i rested at the yellow buoy and waited for the scuba-divers to come to surface.

As i was starting to heading back to land through a series of small dives, i spot a group of fishes that catch my attention, they were about fifteen sargos-veado (Diplodus cervinus), it seems like i was inside a big aquarium for a moment or two.

Freediving under rain in Garajau - finally the Mero

Today i went to garajau already late in the afternoon. The sun was covered by gray clouds, but i was decided to freedive, since the ocean was calm.

As i was preparing for my freediving session, some thin light rain came along, so i decided to left my stuff undercover and enter through the "calhau"*.

I entered the water and relaxed for a while moving slowly foward to the yellow buoy.

Then i swam a bit of croll and found out at the end that i was surrounded by charuteiros (Seriola lalandi). So my first freedive was with them, underwater arround these thirty fellows.

As i got to surface i realise the current today was stronger than usually to the east and i was nearly 20m left behind the yellow buoy. So i prepare myself for a second dive to approach to the buoy underwater. In the company of my friends i dove to 14m and felt the current pushing me east, but i kept going south west and for my surprise a ray just crossed in front of me at 10m distance, i didn't follow her, cause i wanted to go ahead. Unexpectedly, as i was starting to ascend, i saw a Mero (Epinephelus marginatus) at the bottom at my left side. I was feeling well, so i decided to go down again and followed him for some moments, but as soon as i got to close he simply put the turbo on and bye bye Mero... yet it was awesome 8) with charuteiros, ray and Mero in one single dive.

At the surface i was already in line with the yellow buoy, but still 20m left, so i croll towards there and rest for some 5 to 6 minutes. Looking down, it was completely bluedark with the iron chain, which holds the buoy, disappearing in the depths. It started to rain again, it was already 6 o´clock and there wasn't no one in the beach. But i wasn't feeling alone...

I prepared myself for a long deep dive, already expecting a drift to the east side of the beach caused by the current. I hoped to see the Mero one more time, but i didn't found him, in what i called my first underwater flying experience in Garajau Natural Reserve: i dive in diagonal to the nearly bottom rocks at 17m and just let myself go with the current passing through some rocks and fishes.

I was done for this day.

* calhau - small round stones in a beach

Freediving in Lido islet - amazed with so many fish

It was already 7 p.m. when i arrived at Lido, after a day of work and with the sun shining in, i didn't hesitated to put my head underwater.

I decided to enter the sea through Gorgulho beach, because Lido Beach was already closed and better, its free.

The tide was low and the sea was quite quiet.

I swim directly to Lido Beach for my first long freedive. I wanted to see how far i could go from there to Lido islet, it seem like 130m. After some breathing preparation i dive in from a rock, but without a guide line to show me the way to the islet i was on my own through a black bottom sand. As i discover when i came up, 42 dolphin fins after, the current had me push east and i didn't reached even half the way.

Well to get to Lido islet and to recover from the previous dive i swim backwards for a couple of minutes.

When i get there and look down, i could see some activitie underwater so i decided to make some freedives here before i get back.

The first dive i encounter a bunch of "charuteiros" (Seriola lalandi). I really like these guys, they are very curious and approched me without fear, making a half circle arround me.

The second and third dive i was really amazed with the hundreds of "dobradas" (Oblada melanura) below me, i dive for about 9m and the seascape was set, the sunset sparkling mixed underwater and the fishes swiming arround, i was reseted 8).

After that i decided to go back and make another try, this time the way arround to see how far i could go from there (Lido islet) to the Lido beach. This time things went better, after 32 dolphin fins and 50 seconds i break surface and found out i was in the middle of the total distance. I supposed if i make 64 dolphin fins in one minute fourty i could cover all the distance, but before that i need some more traning.

About Lido Islet and Funchal Marine Eco-Park

Lido islet is a rock formation coming out from a depth of 15m in the center of a marine eco-park called "Eco-Parque Marinho do Funchal", which pretends to be a sea protected area at south of Funchal city.

Lido islet is arround 130m to 200m from shore and accessible through swimming from Lido beach or Gorgulho beach, respectively.

Arround the islet and underwater you can find a lot of fish, like 1 or 2 trumpetfish (Fistularia petimba), a group of "charuteiros" (Seriola lalandi), hundreds of "dobradas" (Oblada melanura) or thousands of sardines (Sardina pilchardus). With luck you can find a eagle-ray (Myliobatis aquila) passing by.

The bottom arround Lido islet is made of black sand and usually visible from surface.

Special links:

• http://www.frentemarfunchal.com/

Freediving with a small ray in Garajau - so close

This sunday i arrived a little bit late at Garajau beach it was almost 12 o'clock.

The sun was shining and the ocean was quiet.

Before diving i meet some members of Madeira Natural Park called "vigilantes", with whom i spoke about. They will have an office there to promote and help to preserve the marine wild life found in the Garajau Marine Reserve. I share with them that i am thinking developing a program for people discover freediving.

This time the tide was high and i could easily enter the sea through the stairs and put my wetsuit in the water.

It was a good idea to bring my personal yellow buoy to sign where i am diving, cause some times there could be silent cayakes over there without notice.

Today i felt more tired then the previous weekend, probably because i start running during the week and i wasn't so relaxed.

The dives started well, i made some dives along the shore and spot a small ray moving at the bottom and follow her a bit. Then, when she turn back it was the perfect time to descend, at about 14meters, i freedive very close to her, for some moments i could see perfectly her eyes glancing to me 8).

After that I went to the yellow buoy. The first dive was the deepest to 22m, equalization was ok, but i felt a little bit tired, i stood up on the bottom sand and was amazed with all the fish coming by, but no Mero (Epinephelus marginatus)!

In another dive i though i saw a Mero, but it really was only the small ray looking arround.

I did some more dives, but i really was not getting out any joy of it and even started to cough as i was heading back to land.

Already in land, I cough some more and felt a scratch in my throat. I think this situation was due a bit of stress i was felling during the dives. But my throat will recover well.

What i also notice was that there no current at all, but probably only slightly towards west.

Freediving in Garajau Natural Reserve - just silence

This time i went alone to Garajau beach, since my seabubble honey will be away for a while (but deep in my heart).

I arrive early in the morning, about 10 o'clock, the right time to catch the first air-tram.

With a clear blue sky and a flat ocean, i was inspired for a relaxing dive.

But first and because the tide was very low, i decided to go for a walk arround Garajau Cliff. This path near sea level, has beautiful scenery, but is also very slippery in some parts.

After the walk i put my wetsuit and went freediving, this time i chosed to enter the sea through some stairs in the left side of the beach, avoiding the "calhau"*.

Since the tide was still low I jumped into the water, after the first splash came a definitive silence, absolut and the rest of the dives were fantastic 8).

I was very relaxed and it seems as if i was not wasting any energy, just finning calmly to the bottom and back.

Through a series of dives I went straight to the yellow buoy, a well known visual entry point for scubadivers and hoped to see the big Mero (Epinephelus marginatus), but not this time, just a lot of fish, but no Mero. Even though, i was performing some good apneas.

In one of the dives i went to a bottom rock arround 18 meters, it seems it was forever, the sun shining in, the fishes were going by, no need to breath, just staying there... then floating back to surface, it has only pasted one and a half minute underwater.

Going back to the starting point was easy, because there was a little current to the east. At the end of the dive, i watch some interesting drops of water in the ocean floor, but a closer look reveal to me that it was simply some brilliant really thiny fishes.

* calhau - small round stones in a beach

About Garajau Beach and Garajau Marine Reserve

The Garajau beach was remodelated and open to public on the 22 of April 2007.

This beach is situated in the center of a marine reserve called "Reserva Natural Parcial do Garajau" that was created in 1986 at Madeira Island. This was the first exclusive marine reserve in Portugal.

It is well known by scuba-divers as the perfect place in Madeira Island to play with "Meros" - Dusky Groupers (Epinephelus marginatus) and sometimes to be in the presence of gracefull "Jamantas" - Manta-Rays (Manta birostris) or with some luck have an encounter with a rare mammal the "Lobo Marinho" - Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus).

The water is clear and the visibility is arround 20m all year round, in good days it can reach 35m. The bottom of the sea is rocky until a depth of about 22m, after that is black sand and worn outshells.

It is forbidden to spearfishing and scubadivers have to pay a tax to dive here, so it is a excellent spot for freediving 8).

Special links:

• http://www.sra.pt/pnm/
• http://www.madeiranature.com/
• http://www.madeiraislands.travel/
• http://www.madeirahelp.com/