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THE MAGIC OF DIVING PRINCESS ALICE
Imagine the abyss - waters deeper than 1000 metres, suddenly rising up to only 30 metres from
the water surface.
This is Princess Alice, a seamount right in the mid-Atlantic, 45 nautical miles (about 85 km)
off our base on the island of Pico (Azores).
Well renowned for the extraordinary Carousel of Mantas and
Mobulas, Princess Alice is also inhabited by Jacks, huge Tunas, Barracudas and Sharks.
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Difficulty of the dives:
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High
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Minimum certification required:
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PADI Advanced Open Water Diver or equivalent
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Seasonality:
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July through September
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"
We have dived every ocean and Princess Alice is one of the most unforgettable experiences, definitely in the Top 5!!!
It is ideal for those who are really in love with wildlife and adventure.
Diving the Big Blue in transparent waters with 14 mantas was an absolutely intense,
extraordinary and magic experience!
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(Jonathan V. & Caroline C. - Belgique)
Read the Blog post in French
HOW WE DIVE PRINCESS ALICE
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Departure is scheduled between 7am and 8am from our base in Madalena - island of Pico.
Getting to Princess Alice is a 2.5-hour cruise. Once there, our Team will prepare the dives which,
due to the strong currents, are carried out on a descent line.
The mantas and mobulas will be swimming in a circle around the pinnacle situated at -30 metres,
making it unnecessary to leave the place where we set anchor.
Leaving the descent line can make you quickly find yourself in the blue,
far away from the boat and the action.
Because of that, the descent line can only be left upon authorisation by our dive guides.
A standard trip to Princess Alice includes 2 dives.
Surface interval is spent on board for lunch and can be made more interesting by going
for a snorkel.
Indeed, quite often the mantas and mobulas come up right to the surface!
With us, no one has ever got back disappointed from Princess Alice.
It is going to be a lifetime experience. Once back to land you will have big stories
to tell for days on end and it is an adventure you will remember for life.
That's a promise - a very safe one to make!
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THE MANTAS AND MOBULAS OF PRINCESS ALICE
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There are so many of them and they are gigantic! They are the mantas and mobulas of Princess Alice!
Curious and sociable, they enjoy approaching the divers and play with their bubbles.
To see them 'flying' in the Big Blue, right in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, is a truly
lifetime experience.
The species most frequently sighted are Manta birostris and Mobula tarapacana.
The latter is known as Sicklefin devil fish in English and Jamanta
in Portuguese.
The pictures you see in this page were taken by our Divemaster Eugénio Castro during season
2009
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NEWS AND LINKS
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Professional underwater cinematographer Claudio Valerio joined us for a trip to
Princess Alice and, not surprisingly, he got some amazing footage.
Watch an extract of his Treasure of Princess Alice
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PRICES AND BOOKINGS
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Due to the long distance from shore, diving Princess Alice
is strongly weather and sea dependent.
This is why we advise you to spend at least 7 nights in Pico.
There is nothing to be worried about. You can book your trip to Princess Alice on top of a regular
diving package and we will only charge you once the trip is confirmed.
For the rest of the week, there are lots of diving spots to explore
around the island and, of course, watching the whales and swimming with the dolphins will keep you
busy and happy!
The price for 2 dives at Princess Alice is 200 Euro/person.
It includes tanks, weights, weightbelt and dive guide (PADI Divemaster).
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CONTACT US
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Do you want to learn more about diving Princess Alice and
diving holidays with us?
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Discover with us the secrets of the Azorean waters!
We are the only PADI DIVE RESORT on the island of Pico.
Registration number: R-799438
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Copyright ©2010 CetaceanWatching Lda -
Madalena do Pico, Açores (Portugal)
Phone/Fax +351 292 622 622 Cell. +351 911 133 658 Skype: cwazores
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Read unbiased opinions about hotels
and holidays at TripAdvisor.
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