Illa Murada

Cave Wall

Near Puerto de Sant Miquel and facing the Torres des Molar watchtower lies Illa Murada, a small island with a long shape, 200 m long and aligned N-S.

Anchor between the island's S tip and a smaller nearby islet, and set off on your underwater circuit of the latter. Descend first to a depth just under 10 metres, and then continue on down, keeping the rock face on your right. A landscape with steep underwater cliffs soon comes into view, a continuation of the island's sea wall. This gives way to massive piled-up boulders, including some which look like the enormous cubes in breakwaters, although these owe their shape to the haphazard forces of nature. On this initial stretch you are advised to descend to the maximum depth - without descending beyond 30 metres- and proceed in a N direction, examining the many hollows created by chance among the rocks and turning them into the haunt of greater forkbeard, brown meagre and moray eel.

Little by little you reduce depth to around 15 metres, thereby maintaining air consumption at a level which allows the route to be completed in comfort. The walls are covered with invertebrates, eye-catching starfish and orange, red and blue sponges - a veritable mosaic of many colours. When close to the island's northern point the entrance to a grotto appears 15 metres below the surface, with large openings through which light enters. Shortly after emerging from this you come to another cavity hollowed out in the rock with pleasing light effects, revealing walls covered with yellow encrusting anemone and other polyp colonies. Continue on over vertical crevices, investigating gaps in the surface where octopi or perhaps spiny lobsters might be found, to complete the circuit back at the starting point.

Similar Dive Sites to Illa Murada

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