La Foradada – Columbretes

La Foradada is one of the Columbretes islets, with two official mooring buoys on its west side. A dive report describes an island wall with a natural archway on the east side and abundant vegetation, large groupers, bream and brown meagre near the walls, clouds of damselfish, a school of dentex and visibility above 20 m. A booking-guide article describes the Columbretes dives as deep, about 18-30 m, and unsuited to first-timers. Position is the mid-point of the two published buoys (leaflet).

Facts

Region: Spain – Valencia coast (Columbretes, Costa Blanca, Tabarca)
Area: Columbretes Islands
Depth: 18–30 m
Level: advanced
Current: moderate
Type: wall, reef
Coordinates: 39.8749, 0.6691
Highlights: islet with a natural arch on the east side, large dusky grouper and brown meagre, school of dentex and damselfish clouds
Permit: Columbretes is a marine reserve (Spanish state waters, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food). Recreational scuba diving is allowed only with prior authorisation, granted by the Government Sub-delegation in Castellón (Agriculture and Fisheries unit), and dives must be made from the existing mooring buoys. Authorisation is normally arranged through a licensed dive centre in Castellón or the Peñíscola/Alcossebre area; ask the operator for current quotas and season. (Source: official reserve leaflet, Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs)
Issuer / contact: Subdelegación del Gobierno en Castellón – Dependencia de Agricultura y Pesca (marine reserve authorisation)
- Phone: +34 964 759 318
- Address: Escultor Viciano 2, Castelló
- Contact data taken from the official leaflet (2009 edition); confirm before calling.
Tips: Overnighting at the La Ferrera and Foradada buoys is prohibited. Sea state can cancel trips at short notice; ask your operator about seasickness and swell.

La Foradada – Columbretes

Facts

Sources