Wahoo Diving

Located in the heart of the Atlantic, Santa Maria offers a unique diving environment that remains largely untouched by mass tourism. Wahoo Diving stands as the first established dive centre on the island, providing a gateway to the island's diverse underwater topography.

The centre is situated approximately 300 metres above the port of Vila do Porto. This location allows for easy access to the harbour, where the daily boat departures take place.

Wahoo Diving operates as a family-run centre, driven by a team of experienced instructors and local skippers. This combination of professional dive training and local maritime knowledge ensures you navigate the Azorean waters with confidence.

The team is well-versed in both scuba diving and freediving (apnée), catering to different disciplines and skill levels. They focus on sharing a genuine passion for the Atlantic's marine life with every diver they take out.

Wahoo Diving offers training in freediving (apnée), catering to those looking to develop their breath-hold capabilities in the Atlantic.

The centre provides high-quality rental kit from recognised brands including Scubapro, Subgear, and Mares, as well as Polaris. For those who prefer specific cylinder configurations, steel cylinders (12L and 15L) and aluminium cylinders (11.1L/80cft) are available, with DIN mono valves and INT adapters on hand.

For underwater photographers, camera equipment is available upon request. To ensure your gear is well-maintained after every excursion, the centre provides dedicated facilities for rinsing and drying equipment at the marina.

The waters surrounding Santa Maria are home to a variety of pelagics and larger species. You may encounter Mobula ray (Mobula), various sharks (Selachimorpha), and different types of rays (Batoidea). Large schools of fish, including Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix), Almaco jack (Seriola rivoliana), and Amberjack (Seriola), are common in these currents.

In the reef areas, look for various grouper species (Epinephelinae), including the Mottled grouper (Mycteroperca rubra). You will also find Salema porgy (Sarpa salpa), Yellowmouth barracuda (Sphyraena viridensis), and white trevally patrolling the edges of the structures.

For those interested in smaller life, the seabed and reef flats host a range of crustaceans and molluscs, such as slipper lobsters and various shrimp (Caridea). Nudibranchs, including the Nudibranch (Chromodoris willani), provide bursts of colour against the benthic life.

The ecosystem is supported by a diverse range of smaller inhabitants, from canary blennies to various nudibranchs, ensuring there is always something to observe on the bottom.