Las Cabras

Las Cabras — the Goats — earns its name from the sure-footed, rugged character of the coastal formations on La Palma's southern tip, near the geologically active terrain of Fuencaliente where the Teneguía volcano erupted as recently as 1971. This exposed advanced dive is shaped by the young, raw volcanic character of the island's southernmost coast, where angular black basalt descends in steep formations into the Atlantic, still bearing the sharp edges of comparatively recent eruption. The southern tip of La Palma is among the Canary Islands' most geologically compelling diving environments. The lava flows that have shaped this coastline over millennia create a terrain of remarkable variety: steep walls, large boulder formations, narrow crevices that penetrate the rock, and the occasional lava tube where ancient flows created underground channels later exposed by erosion. The dark basalt is colonised by the encrusting organisms of productive Atlantic waters — sponge communities in striking colours against the black rock, anemone carpets on sheltered undersides, and the calcareous structures of serpulid worms and barnacles building slowly across every available surface. The advanced nature of Las Cabras reflects the realities of this exposed position. Swell from the open Atlantic creates underwater surge over the shallow sections, current can be significant when the tide is running, and the depth range pushes into territory requiring careful air management. Local knowledge is essential for timing entries and planning the dive around prevailing conditions. Fish life is characteristic of productive La Palma: large schools of bogues and Atlantic bream in open water, dusky grouper commanding territorial positions on the deep basalt formations, and the endemic Canary Islands wrasse species threading through the algae-covered rock. The sandy patches between basalt boulders are worth investigating carefully — angel sharks, resting motionless and camouflaged against the substrate, are among the possible rewards for attentive observation on La Palma's southern dives.