Rinchão
Also known as: Gomes III, Gomes VII, Gomes VIII, Rinchao
A current-swept seamount in the Berlengas archipelago: a reef top near 20-25m drops to gorgonian walls and a contested 1899 wreck reported to 40m.
Last updated September 2026
The dive
Rinchão is a rocky seamount whose top sometimes breaks the surface at high tide before sloping down into deeper water. The dive works in two distinct stages. On the shallower reef top, around 20-25m, the slope and the rising current bring fish in to feed: seabream, seabass, amberjacks and triggerfish move over the rock in numbers. Descending along the slope, the character changes as red gorgonian walls appear, and the wreck comes into view, its boiler, engine parts and remaining structure still recognisable among the gorgonians. Reported depths for this lower section vary by source, anywhere from 30 to 40m; a dive computer on the day settles the actual number. Nudibranchs and other macro life work the wreck's surfaces, and an occasional large grouper is reported on the reef; in summer, passing pelagics add to the sightings.
What makes it special
Most of the area's other wrecks give you one thing: a shallow, sheltered dive close to Peniche, or a deep, technical wreck with little else around it. Rinchão pairs both in a single dive, a reef section busy enough with fish to be worth diving on its own, and a proper deep-water wreck with visible machinery underneath it, on a seamount far enough offshore to bring in genuinely large fish. The trade-off is current and distance: Rinchão runs harder than the archipelago's easier, closer-in wrecks, grouped by the area's own operators among its current-driven sites. The wreck's own identity adds a second layer of interest: three different sources give it three different names, Gomes VII, Gomes VIII and Gomes III, and none of them can currently be confirmed against a maritime registry. The identity remains one of the area's least-resolved historical footnotes.
Photographer's notes
Red gorgonians (Paramuricea clavata) cover the rock face in the site's deep section, around the wreck, giving divers and photographers a dense wall of colour to work with. Two independent accounts also describe nudibranchs and other macro subjects working the wreck's surfaces, alongside the boiler and engine parts themselves as a subject. Current at this depth makes careful buoyancy essential for anyone shooting close to the gorgonians; a guide who knows the site is worth asking for a moment to settle before framing a shot.
Know before you go
Current is the defining hazard here: three independent sources describe it as frequent and strong at Rinchão itself. It calls for an experienced, guided group already comfortable handling current. Depth compounds it: sources put the wreck section anywhere between 30m and 40m, so build the dive around a guide or computer profile that tracks the deeper end. One operator's own description also flags the boat approach itself, separate from the dive, as a difficult one to navigate: go with an operator experienced on this specific run. The BerlengasPass covers stepping ashore on Berlenga Grande1; whether it extends to a boat-only dive at Rinchão is not established, so ask your operator; do not assume either way.
Why Dive Rinchão
What makes this dive site stand out.
- Contested wreck name
Called Gomes VII, VIII or III across sources, with no registry to settle it
- Two-level dive profile
Reef top near 20-25m drops to a wreck section reported to 30-40m
- Red gorgonian walls
Paramuricea clavata covers the deepest walls, agreed by three sources
- Visible boiler and engine
The wreck's boiler and engine parts remain exposed among the gorgonians
- Strong, frequent current
The boat approach itself is also called dangerous to navigate without an experienced crew
Depth & Profile
Location
39.4209°N, 9.4994°W
Conditions & difficulty
The area's high season; no season note specific to Rinchão was found.
Catalogs list AOW as the minimum, but AOW's 30m ceiling only covers the reef top. Every reported figure for the wreck section below sits at or past that line; see the FAQ for what that means in practice.
Summary
Depth here consistently exceeds the recreational AOW ceiling, and current runs strong and frequent.
Safety considerations
What can go wrong here, and what divers do about it. Conditions change - take the briefing from the operator on the day.
- Current: Frequent, strong current at the site itselfDive with an experienced guide, in a group already comfortable handling current
- Depth: The deeper wreck section is reported anywhere from 30 to 40m, at or past the recreational Advanced Open Water ceilingPlan gas and no-decompression limits against the deepest reported figure, 40m
- Orientation: The boat approach itself is described by one operator as a dangerous place to navigateThe difficulty described is getting the boat there; choose an operator experienced on this exact run
Marine Life
Rules and permits
- Conduct: no touching, no taking anything, no disturbing wildlife, no damage to the seabed, no litter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the wreck at Rinchão called?▾
It depends on the source. One operator's own site calls it Gomes VII, a competing operator page and an independent travel article both call it Gomes VIII, and a separate catalog listing calls it Gomes III. No maritime registry or archival record has surfaced to settle it, so treat the name as unresolved; the sources simply do not agree.
How deep is Rinchão?▾
It is a two-level dive with a different figure reported for each level. The reef top runs roughly 20-25m. The wreck section below is reported anywhere from 30 to 40m. Plan your gas and no-decompression limits for the deepest figure, 40m.
What certification do I need to dive Rinchão?▾
Catalog listings give Advanced Open Water as the minimum, but AOW's 30m ceiling only really covers the reef-top section, and no operator publishes a formal split between the two levels. Measured against the standard depth ladder, every reported figure for the wreck below points past AOW and into Deep Diver range, so treat Deep Diver-level training, or a guide who keeps you off the wreck's lower structure, as the practical requirement for the section below 30m.
Do I need the BerlengasPass to dive Rinchão?▾
The BerlengasPass (EUR 3) is a permit for stepping ashore on Berlenga Grande. Rinchão is a boat dive that never lands, and whether the pass extends to it is not established one way or the other, so check with your operator when booking.
Is Rinchão suitable for a less experienced diver?▾
No. The current here is frequent and strong, and one operator describes even the boat approach as dangerous to navigate without an experienced crew. It suits a comfortable, guided group already experienced with current and offshore wrecks.
What does a dive at Rinchão cost?▾
No operator publishes a price specifically for Rinchão. Its position north of Berlenga Grande places it within the operator's general Berlengas-cluster day trip, EUR85 per person for two dives, cash only, with tanks of 12L or 15L; the separate Farilhões grouping further out covers different named wrecks at a higher rate. No price list names Rinchão by trip tier directly, so confirm the actual rate with your operator when booking.
What is the visibility like at Rinchão?▾
It depends which figure you use. The operator's own site gives a tighter 10-12m for Rinchão specifically, its lowest reading for any of its named sites. A separate catalog listing gives a wider 10-25m. The two are not necessarily contradictory: 10-12m may be the everyday reading and 25m a rare best case, but no single figure is settled.
What will I see at Rinchão?▾
The reef top holds seabream, seabass, amberjacks and triggerfish working the slope where the current brings food in. Deeper, the walls turn to red gorgonian gardens and the wreck itself, with its boiler and engine parts still visible, and macro life including nudibranchs around the structure. An occasional large grouper and, in summer, passing pelagics round out the sightings.
References
- 1.ICNF (Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e das Florestas) — BerlengasPass, Perguntas Frequentes
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