Tritón Diving Llafranc
Family-owned dive center in Llafranc since 1979, with 4.9/5 on 717 Google reviews, covering 11 sites across two Costa Brava dive areas.
SSI5 services5 languages
Furió d'Aigua Xelida
Also known as: Fax, Furió Aigua Gelida, Furió Aigua Xelida, Furió d'Aigua Gelida, Furió d'Aiguaxélida, Furió de Agua Xelida
Submerged rock with a summit islet near Cala Aigua Xelida, offering canyons, a swim-through arch, a cavern at 12m, and gorgonian walls from 0 to 35m.
Last updated April 2026
The dive
Ten minutes by boat from Tamariu, the mooring line drops to the east flank of a rock whose summit breaks the surface as a small islet. From 8-11 metres, head south: an arch opens into a wide sand corridor between the submerged ridges. To one side, a cavern at 12 metres swallows a buddy pair without difficulty. Its walls are dense with sponges. Beyond the corridor, four parallel canyons fan out in a half-moon arrangement, their rocky ridges channelling you through passages draped with gorgonians. Moray eels occupy every crevice. Deeper, the canyon walls steepen and groupers hold station in the shadows. An isolated boulder sits on the sand at 33 metres for those with the depth certification to reach it.
What makes it special
This is the Begur area's staple dive. Not because it's easy, though it is approachable. Because it refuses to be one thing. Most sites here have a single character: walls at Cap de Begur, canyons at Canons de Tamariu. Furió d'Aigua Xelida gives you arch, cavern, sand corridor, gorgonian canyon, and steep wall. All in one formation. An OW diver finishes at the cavern level and has already seen the site's headline features. An Advanced diver continues into the deeper canyons and finds a different site entirely. Macro photographers have been making the trip since at least 2009 for the nudibranch subjects in the crevices. Local dive centers schedule it into their rotation more than any other site. That pattern says something.
Know before you go
Bring a torch. The cavern loses much of its impact without light on the sponges inside, and the same torch reveals lobsters tucked into steep walls and detail in the sponge-lined tunnels. Start deep if your certification allows, then work up through the canyons to finish at the shallow summit. The multilevel profile rewards that patience. Spring visits (April to June) bring plankton blooms that cut visibility; plan expectations accordingly and pack a different kind of patience. Several local centers cover this site from Tamariu, Llafranc, and Aiguablava.
Why Dive Furió d'Aigua Xelida
What makes this dive site stand out.
- Swim-through arch and cavern
An arch near the mooring leads to sand corridors; a cavern at 12m fits a buddy pair
- Gorgonian-covered walls
Red and yellow gorgonians carpet the northern walls, with red coral confirmed on steeper sections
- Four parallel canyons
Half-moon arrangement of rocky ridges creates distinct canyon passages to explore
- Surface to 35m range
Summit breaks the surface as an islet while the base reaches sandy floor at 35m
- Macro photography site
Nudibranchs including Cratena sp. draw specialist photographers to the site's crevices
Depth & Profile
0m
Min depth
35m
Max depth
8–25m
Typical range
ReefCaveTunnelRockSand
Location
41.9191°N, 3.2199°E
Conditions & difficulty
Temperature
12°C – 26°C
Visibility
15–25m
Current
Mild
EasyMin cert: Open Water
Summary
Easy at the shallow summit and cavern level. Moderate for deeper exploration to 33-35m. Some current possible on the outer reef.
Safety considerations
What can go wrong here, and what divers do about it. Conditions change - take the briefing from the operator on the day.
- Overhead: Cave and tunnel interiors can lose visibility with fin washGood buoyancy control. Frog kick inside enclosed spaces.
- Overhead: Cave at 12 m and sponge-draped tunnels create brief overhead environmentsCarry a torch. Enter as a buddy pair. The cave is short and wide — always near a visible exit.
Centres that dive here
View allBook a guided dive at this site.
Begur Dive
SSI dive centre on Aiguablava beach in Begur, Costa Brava, running boat and shore dives to a dozen sites within ten minutes of the launch.
SSI6 services4 languages
Gidive Center Palamós
PADI 5-Star IDC Center at Port Marina Palamós with technical, recreational, and freediving programs and daily boat trips to Ullastres and the Boreas wreck.
PADI / SSI5 services4 languages
Palamos Dive Center
SSI and PADI center inside Port Marina Palamós, twenty-plus years operating, with a published price list and a 4.8/237 Google rating under owner Jordi.
SSI / PADI3 services4 languages
Stollis Divebase
Family-run SSI and PADI center in Tamariu since 1971, with a seahorse-rich house reef, 13 dive sites by boat, and children's programs from age 8.
SSI / PADI / CMAS6 services4 languages
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cavern at Furió d'Aigua Xelida like?▾
A naturally lit swim-through at around 12 metres, large enough for a buddy pair to enter and exit together. It's the highlight for many divers. Bring a torch to see the sponges and encrusting life inside.
Is Furió d'Aigua Xelida suitable for beginners?▾
Yes. The mooring lands at 8-11 metres, the cavern is at 12 metres within OW limits, and the varied terrain means divers of all levels find interesting features at their comfort depth. Multiple operators classify it as suitable for all levels.
What does Aigua Xelida mean?▾
Aigua Xelida means 'cold water' in Catalan (Gelida in Castilian Spanish). The name comes from the nearby Cala Aigua Xelida, where freshwater springs cool the cove. The submerged rock formation takes its name from the cove, and its summit breaks the surface as a small visible islet.
What marine life will I see at Furió d'Aigua Xelida?▾
Moray eels are the most commonly sighted species. Groupers occupy the deeper zones, scorpionfish sit on rock surfaces, and barracuda schools pass through in summer. Red and yellow gorgonians cover the northern walls. Nudibranchs, octopus, and cuttlefish populate the crevices. Macro photographers come specifically for the nudibranch subjects.
How does Furió d'Aigua Xelida compare to Furió Fitó?▾
Furió Fitó is a massive wall dropping beyond 55 metres, suited only to advanced divers. Furió d'Aigua Xelida offers similar terrain variety (canyons, walls, tunnels) at accessible depths starting from the surface. It has a cavern and arch that Fitó does not. Think of it as the all-levels version of the Furió family.
Is Furió d'Aigua Xelida good for underwater photography?▾
Yes. The site draws specialist macro photographers for its nudibranch subjects, particularly Cratena species and octopus. The gorgonian walls and the cavern interior provide strong compositional backdrops. A torch helps with subjects in the overhangs and tunnels.
What happens to visibility in spring at Furió d'Aigua Xelida?▾
Plankton blooms from April to June can substantially reduce visibility. Divers have described diving in what they called 'plankton soup' with acceptable but limited sight lines. It is a different experience from summer clarity, but the marine life is active and the terrain remains the same. Autumn offers the most stable visibility of the year.
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