Corveta Afonso Cerqueira
Depth is the range from the top of the site to its usual maximum; "recommended cert" is the mainstream-agency level operators usually ask for, not a legal rule. Currents and visibility change daily — treat everything here as planning ranges.
The Afonso Cerqueira served the Portuguese Navy for four decades before being cleaned and scuttled off Madeira's south coast in September 2018 as an artificial reef. The roughly 85-meter warship settled on sand in the low thirties, and colonization has been quick: schools of bream and jacks stack over the superstructure, morays and octopus have claimed the deck fittings, and rays patrol the surrounding sand. Swim-throughs prepared before sinking give trained divers clean passages through the hull, while the profile suits a straightforward multilevel plan.
The moment you come for: Intact modern warship, prepared swim-throughs, fast-growing fish aggregation
Topography: Steel corvette on sand at about 30–33 m below towering sea cliffs
Entry: Boat dive on Madeira's south coast near Cabo Girao; a fixed line aids descent when current runs.
Know before you splash
Hazards: Depth is the main factor; penetration only with wreck training and lights. Storm damage can alter the structure over time — follow current briefings.
Nitrox: Worth it here — profiles sit in the range where enriched air meaningfully extends no-stop time (with the training to use it).
For photographers
Wide angle: ★★★★★ · Macro: ★★☆☆☆ — editors' 1–5 rating of what this site gives each style of shooting