Focus Natura
SSI dive centre in Santa Cruz, near Madeira's airport, running boat trips to 23 named sites since 2006, with a focus on underwater photography.
SSI8 services2 languages
Lava Finger - Galomar
Also known as: Galo Lava Fingers, Housereef Lavafinger, Lava Fingers, Lavafinger - Galo, Lavafinger at Galo
A shore-entry house reef in Madeira's Garajau reserve, with a small cave and a moray named Esmeralda resident for more than 40 years.
Last updated September 2026
The dive
Manta Diving Madeira's base sits right above the entry, and the walk from the door to the water is about 20 metres. From there the reef opens into a rugged volcanic wall, its face broken by a small cave and by crevices that run deep into the rock. Divers work the wall along a loop the centre describes as three moves: the cave near the entry, the crevice-riddled face for its resident life, and an anemone-lined stretch that finishes where the resident moray, Esmeralda, is usually found. Fish schools work the lava formations along the way, with barracuda and groupers moving in behind them, small red lobsters and arrow crabs tucked into the crevices, and the reef's edge gives way to open blue water on the outer side.
What makes it special
Several reefs along this stretch of Caniço de Baixo share the same volcanic character, and the lava wall itself is common to the area. Manta Diving Madeira runs two named house reefs from this same base, this one and Arena a short distance along the coast; of the two, Lava Finger is built around a resident animal rather than Arena's tunnel-and-pinnacle architecture. Atalaia Diving Center and Madeira Diving Center, the other two operators working this coast, use different names for their own house-reef spots. The differentiator here is a single animal: a moray the centre calls Esmeralda, advertised as a resident of the reef for more than 40 years and its de facto mascot.
Know before you go
The site sits inside the Garajau Partial Nature Reserve, protected since 1986: any unescorted group of divers is capped at eight and must fly a marker buoy, and spearfishing gear is banned reef-wide (a diver's knife is exempt). Inside the cave and the wall's deeper crevices, hold trim and keep clear of the ceiling; do not push into a gap you have not been shown. The published depth runs to about 30 metres, well past the shallow stretch that suits a first-time diver near the entry, and the operator sets no separate certification for that deeper stretch, so confirm with your guide what depth the day's dive is planning to reach.
Why Dive Lava Finger - Galomar
What makes this dive site stand out.
- One of Manta Diving Madeira's two house reefs
Shore entry about 20m from the centre's base door; the operator runs a second house reef, Arena, from the same base
- Resident moray Esmeralda
The centre advertises this moray as a 40-year fixture of the reef
- Small cave and lava crevices
A rugged volcanic wall cut by a small cave and deep crevices
- Inside the Garajau reserve
Protected since 1986, with a capped group size and a spearfishing ban
- Shallow to advanced range
Runs from about 4m near the entry to roughly 30m along the wall
Depth & Profile
4m
Min depth
30m
Max depth
4–30m
Typical range
ReefWallCaveRockVolcanicSand
Location
32.6409°N, 16.8327°W
Conditions & difficulty
Temperature
17°C – 24°C
Visibility
10–20m
Current
Mild
Best season
Diveable year-round
ModerateMin cert: Open Water
Open Water is the only certification named, for the shallow, typical stretch near the entry. The operator sets no separate minimum for the site's full 30m range.
Summary
Easy near the entry; the wall's deeper stretch and its crevices call for more comfort with depth and buoyancy.
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: A small cave and deep crevices run along the wall close to the entryHold trim near the cave ceiling and crevice walls; do not push into a gap you have not been shown
- Depth: The published depth runs to about 30m, past the shallow stretch the beginner framing describes; the operator sets no separate certification for that stretchLet your guide brief the deeper stretch; do not treat an entry-level card alone as your depth limit here
Marine Life
BarracudaSphyraena viridensisDusky grouperEpinephelus marginatusMediterranean moray eelMuraena helenaMediterranean monk sealMonachus monachus· Rare, SeasonalOceanic Manta RayMobula birostris· Rare, SeasonalNudibranch· Rare
Dive Centers
View allBook a guided dive at this site.
Manta Diving Madeira
ISO 24803/EN14467-certified centre at the Sentido Hotel Galomar, Caniço de Baixo, with its own 6-spot house reef inside the Garajau Marine Reserve.
SSI / CMAS6 services
DIVECODEX FOR CENTERS
Add your dive center
Get in touch to add or claim your dive center listing on DiveCodex.
Contact us
FreeReach divers
Rules and permits
- Conduct: no touching, no taking anything, no disturbing wildlife.
Diving with scuba or a scooter to watch marine mammals or turtles is prohibited, unless for authorised science or filming; a chance meeting is not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'Galomar' part of the site's name?▾
Galomar is the hotel above the dive centre's base, Hotel Sentido Galomar in Caniço de Baixo, not a person or a rock formation. The name marks whose house reef this is; it does not describe the reef itself.
How deep does Lava Finger go?▾
The published range runs from about 4 to 30 metres. A typical dive stays in the shallower band near the entry, and the wall's full depth is there for divers who want to go looking for it.
Is Lava Finger a good dive for a beginner?▾
The site is marketed to both beginners and experienced divers, and the shallow water near the entry supports that. Its depth continues to about 30 metres though, a stretch that calls for more comfort with depth, so a first-time diver should confirm with the centre what depth the day's plan actually reaches.
Who is Esmeralda?▾
A moray the dive centre advertises as a resident of the reef for more than 40 years, and the reef's informal mascot. She is usually found on the anemone-tour leg near the end of the dive, though as with any single animal, an actual sighting is not guaranteed on every visit.
Will I see manta rays or monk seals here?▾
Only with luck. The operator notes both as occasional passers-by during the summer months, and neither is a guaranteed sighting: treat this as a bonus on the day, not a reason to book.
Is there a best time of year to dive here?▾
Diving in Madeira is possible year round. Water runs warmest and calmest from June through October, per the area's seasonal pattern, with cooler water and more variable conditions from December to March.
DIVECODEX LOG
Every dive has a story. Share yours.
Log your dives - notes, photos, conditions and the marine life you saw - and share them as one public diver profile. What you share helps the next diver, too.
Log every detail
Depth, duration, conditions, gear, buddy, notes — all in one place. Import from Suunto and other dive computers.
Track marine life
Record species sightings on each dive. Build a personal catalogue of everything you've seen underwater.
Your public dive profile
Share your dive history, stats, and experiences with a profile page you control. Show the world where you've been.