Focusnatura

Located in Santa Cruz on the island of Madeira, Focus Natura has been a fixture of the local diving community since 2006. The centre is run by a family with over 20 years of diving experience, providing a professional base for both recreational exploration and technical training.

All dives from this centre are conducted by boat, allowing you to reach the diverse marine environments that surround the island. Whether you are looking to explore deep wrecks or navigate the protected waters of a marine reserve, the team provides a structured and experienced approach to every outing.

The team at Focus Natura brings a high level of expertise to the water, particularly in the realms of underwater photography and film. They are active participants and organisers in regional photography competitions, making this an ideal base for those looking to refine their imaging skills.

As an SSI affiliated centre, they offer a comprehensive range of training from entry-level courses to professional instructor programmes. The centre is also officially recognised for its ability to accommodate divers with disabilities, ensuring that adaptive diving is integrated into their service.

Focus Natura provides a full spectrum of SSI training. Beginners can start with Try Scuba or the Scuba Diver course, progressing through Open Water Diver and Advanced Open Water. For those looking to specialise, the curriculum includes Deep Diving, Wreck Diving, Navigation, and Night & Limited Visibility.

The centre also caters to professional aspirants, offering Divemaster, Assistant Instructor, and Open Water Instructor programmes. Technical and specialty training is a core strength, with courses available in Enriched Air Nitrox (32% & 40%), Perfect Buoyancy, Search & Recovery, and even Dry Suit Diving.

All diving trips are conducted via boat, ensuring access to the best sites around the coast. While specific vessel names and capacities are not listed, the operation is geared towards providing reliable access to the offshore reefs and wrecks of the region.

The centre is well-equipped for both recreational and technical divers. It is the only facility on Madeira currently certified to support rebreather diving, providing a vital resource for the local technical community.

For those requiring kit, full rental sets are available. You can hire complete diving rigs or select individual items such as masks, snorkels, fins, and wetsuits. Please note that for hygiene reasons, the centre does not provide boot rentals.

The waters around Madeira are home to large schools of fish and various pelagic species. You will often encounter schools of jacks (Carangidae), white trevally, and bluefish, alongside larger predators like Great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) and Atlantic bonito (Sarda sarda).

On the reef and near the walls, the biodiversity is significant. Look for various species of grouper (Epinephelus), including the Dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus), as well as parrotfish (Calotomus), salema porgy (Sarpa salpa), and colourful wrasse such as the Mediterranean rainbow wrasse (Coris julis) and ornate wrasse. Stingrays (Batoidea) and Southern stingray (Hypanus americanus) are also frequently seen on the seabed.

Macro life and smaller inhabitants add detail to the dives, with many divers spotting nudibranchs (Chromodoris willani), various sea slugs, and octopus (Octopus vulgaris). The rocky areas and corals are populated by scorpionfish (Scorpaenidae), lizardfish, and various species of anemone (Actiniaria).

Diving in Madeira is possible year-round. The centre operates primarily via boat, which allows for flexible access to different coastal areas depending on the local conditions.

While specific swell and current data are not provided, the availability of specialised courses like Waves, Tides & Currents suggests that divers should be prepared for varying environmental factors during their excursions.