Puerto Naos nord

Puerto Naos is La Palma's principal beach resort on the western coast, and the northern extension of its dive zone — Puerto Naos Nord — ventures beyond the resort's comfortable shallows into the deeper, more complex volcanic terrain that earns an advanced designation. Here, the western coast's volcanic drama is fully expressed, and the diving takes on the character of open Atlantic diving rather than the protected resort experience. The Puerto Naos area benefits from its position on the western coast: the mountain interior provides some shelter from the northeast trade winds, and conditions are often more manageable here than on the fully exposed northern and southern shores. But the northern extension reaches into areas where this protection diminishes and the terrain becomes more demanding — deeper basalt walls, larger boulder formations, and the variable current that the western coast produces on the turning tide. The volcanic terrain at Puerto Naos Nord descends substantially, from a shallow reef beginning around eight metres to depths that push well beyond twenty-five at the outermost sections. The basalt architecture is complex and three-dimensional: large boulders create a labyrinthine landscape of corridors and chambers, wall sections descend in dramatic steps, and the overhangs and undercuts that develop in volcanic rock provide excellent habitat for the species that prefer depth and shade. The encrusting community on these surfaces — rich sponge colonies, abundant anemones, and the colourful crusting organisms of productive Canarian waters — rewards the slow, observant approach. The signature wildlife encounter of this part of the western coast is the dusky grouper: these impressive fish, protected by Canarian marine regulations, inhabit the deeper boulder formations and approach divers with a boldness that reflects years of non-interference. Eagle rays patrol the outer reef edge on occasion, and the amberjack schools that exploit the coast's productive currents make for dynamic encounters at depth. An extension of the Puerto Naos diving experience that rewards the additional investment of skill and experience.