Princess Alice Bank
In the middle of the Atlantic Ocean you will find one of the best dive sites in the world – the Princess Alice Bank. The deep-sea mountain that forms the Princess Alice Bank rises from a depth of more than 2,500 metres. This unique underwater site was discovered on an expedition trip by Prince Albert I of Monaco in 1896. The deep-sea mountain was named after his research ship Princess Alice. Due to the special current conditions, the Princess Alice Bank is a lively meeting place for the underwater world. From huge schools of fish to sea turtles, whale sharks or hammerhead sharks as well as dolphins and mobula rays, you will be able to spot several species of animals on your dives.
Princess Alice Bank Day Trip
A day trip to the Princess Alice Bank is well worth it. You leave early in the morning so that you have as much time as possible for diving. It is teeming with big fish, pelagic fish such as barracudas, wahoos, bonitos, tunas or schools of triggerfish. You can also look forward to shoals of mobula rays with up to 50 animals, which are quite common there. But swordfish, pelagic stingrays and anglerfish are also frequently sighted. Whale sharks and manta rays are less common. Join us on a dive trip to one of the ten best dive sites in the world.
Procedure
Before your trip to the Princess Alice Bank begins, there will be a briefing the evening before at our partner’s dive centre in Madalena on Pico. You will receive detailed information about the schedule for your two dives at the Princess Alice Bank and go through the necessary safety measures. Your day on the Princess Alice Bank starts between 6:00 and 7:00 am with the departure from Madalena. Hot drinks and breakfast snacks will be provided on board. Once you arrive, the buoys are moored so you can dive down on ropes. Sometimes the mobula rays swim very close to the surface, which can make snorkelling a better experience. Snorkelling is an option for guests who may not wish to dive. Two dives are scheduled and in between you can relax and have lunch. Back in Madalena you are expected to be between 6pm and 8pm.
Important notes
Please note that free diving is often not possible due to strong currents and requires the use of drift ropes. However, this will not detract from your experience as the animals often come right up to the rope and you can have a front row view of the animals. Disciplined diving is essential. Once you have been carried away by the deep sea currents, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to find you again in the open sea. A check dive is provided in advance so that you can get used to the conditions of the Atlantic.
Seasonal times
The best time to visit the Princess Alice Bank is between June and September. At this time you will easily have visibility between 30 and 50 metres. Outside of this time, the water is very planktonic and visibility is very low due to the turbid water. To reach the destination, weather conditions must be first class, as Princess Alice Bank is 45 nautical miles (about 80 km) southwest of Pico. The challenging two and a half to three hour trip is amply compensated by the unique diving sites!
[picture gallery urls=”https://insidertrip.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Mantarochen_Tauchreise_Tauchen_Azoren_insidertrip-1-1024×768-2.jpg, https://insidertrip.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Mantarochen-2_Tauchkreuzfahrt_Tauchen_Azoren_insidertrip.jpg, https://insidertrip.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Bait-Ball_Tauchreise_Tauchen_Azoren_insidertrip.jpg” titles=”Mobularochen, Princess Alice Bank, Bait Ball”]
Included services
- Two dives incl. two tanks
- Snacks, fruits, soft drinks
- Guide
Prices
Prices are on request and start from €399.00 per person.
More info
The excursion is weather dependent and may be postponed or cancelled until shortly before the booked date due to bad weather conditions. You can do a day trip or charter the full yacht to do the trip with a group of friends or your family. Just contact us to find out more.