🇸🇪Snorkeling, Freediving, and Scuba in Senegal

North Atlantic Ocean

sea

Gulf of Guinea

province

West African Transition

province

Gulf of Guinea West

ecoregion

Sahelian Upwelling

ecoregion

Baie de l’Océanium

Baie de l’Océanium is a training site characterized by its shallow waters, particularly at high tide, located just a few meters from a small dam. The area is rich in marine life, including rays, porcupine fish, moray eels, starfish, and nudibranchs, making it an ideal spot for observing diverse fauna despite its proximity to the coast.

14.6611, -17.4322

Cap Manuel

Cap Manuel is an ideal location for beginner divers and Try Scuba experiences, situated in a sheltered area that is influenced by weather conditions, tides, currents, and swells. The site is frequently utilized for training purposes, including Stress & Rescue exercises in realistic conditions. Divers can expect to see a variety of marine life, including schools of fish, cuttlefish, octopus, lobsters, seahorses, and surgeonfish, providing a memorable underwater experience.

14.6526, -17.4301

Cargo

The Cargo dive site features a wreck dive that descends to a depth of 35 meters, allowing divers to explore the interior of a sunken cargo ship. This site is rich in marine biodiversity, showcasing various species such as soldierfish, green parrotfish, doctorfish, blackbar hogfish, triggerfish, African angelfish, butterflyfish, trumpetfish, scorpionfish, and porcupinefish. The dive provides an opportunity to observe both the ship's historical significance and the diverse marine life that inhabits it.

14.6450, -17.3807

ChuiCho

ChuiCho is a dive site featuring a Chinese trawler wreck positioned on its side, oriented from north to south. The wreck lies at a depth of 32 meters, with the highest point of the deck reaching 26 meters. There is no mast present, and divers can safely traverse both the cabin and the gangway. Advanced Wreck divers have the opportunity to explore the holds of the wreck. Marine life commonly observed in the area includes stingrays, moray eels, and lobsters. Divers should also look upwards to see schools of amberjacks and barracudas.

14.6042, -17.4720

Épave de Lougne

The Épave de Lougne is located behind the small island of Lougne, featuring a small tugboat wreck at a depth of 22 meters. The wreck is significantly damaged, but the surrounding rocky environment is teeming with marine life. Divers can expect to encounter species such as dory, octopus, trumpetfish, flutefish, cicada, lobster, scorpionfish, capon, damselfish, and surgeonfish. The site is accessible from the shore, making it a convenient dive location.

14.6500, -17.4687

Etoile Rouge

Etoile Rouge is a significant wreck dive site featuring a Russian trawler that sank in 2005. This wreck is one of the largest in Dakar, lying on its side with the upper deck reaching several meters above the seabed and descending to a depth of 35 meters. Divers with expert skills can explore the holds of the wreck. The site also serves as a vital breeding ground for various fish and mollusk species in Senegal, with its concretions and vegetation providing shelter for numerous juvenile fish.

14.6348, -17.3156

Gorée - Ecole

Gorée - Ecole is located on Gorée Island, directly opposite the school. This site is characterized by shallow waters, making it suitable for beginner divers and Try Scuba experiences, contingent on weather, tide, and swell conditions. A notable feature is a sandbank that provides opportunities for photography. However, the site may not always be clean, highlighting the importance of environmental awareness regarding marine waste. Divers can expect to see schools of fish, which can be particularly captivating for new divers. Additionally, tiger rays and torpedo rays are often found resting in the sand, adding to the site's marine life diversity.

14.6663, -17.3961

Gorée aquarium

Gorée Aquarium is a dive site that ranges from 5 to 11 meters in depth, making it suitable for training, night specialties, and snorkeling. The area features a mix of rocky and sandy substrates, providing an opportunity to practice buoyancy control amidst gentle swells. The site is home to various marine life typical of Senegal, including sea urchins, stingrays, boxfish, and both green and gray moray eels. Night dives can reveal additional species such as crabs, enhancing the experience for divers.

14.6642, -17.3993

Gorée Aquarium Epave

The Gorée Aquarium Epave features a Chinese wreck approximately thirty meters long, situated on its side at a depth of 12 meters on a sandy bottom. The wreck is oriented from north to south and is in relatively good condition, allowing for possible penetration into the hold, although the cabin is significantly damaged. The site is littered with various debris. Common marine life observed around the wreck includes red carp, large diodons, stingrays, green moray eels, cuttlefish, and lobsters.

14.6651, -17.4018

Gouye Kankan

Gouye Kankan features a notable wreck situated at a depth of 23 meters, with the highest point reaching 13 meters, allowing for entry at the cabin level. Nearby, a drop-off extends close to 30 meters, providing opportunities for exploration. Divers can also navigate a circuit of three wrecks in the vicinity, which includes Top, KanKan, and Podium. The area is home to various marine life, including stingrays, groupers, moray eels, scorpion fish, flute fish, and occasional sightings of turtles.

14.6115, -17.4376

Gouye Podium

Gouye Podium features a submerged rock formation at a depth of 24 meters, where the remains of a Chinese vessel are scattered in large pieces approximately 30 meters long. This wreck is located near the old anchor and close to the Kankan and Top wrecks. The area is home to a variety of marine life, including rays, schools of barracudas, amberjacks, blue-spotted groupers, moray eels, and numerous parrotfish. The site is accessible via shore entry.

14.6109, -17.4387

Gouye tani Mbot

Gouye Tani Mbot is located approximately 5 kilometers from the dive club and offers a unique underwater landscape shaped by volcanic formations. This site is home to a diverse array of marine species, including soldier-fish, green parrot-fish, old Senegal doctor-fish, triggerfish, African angelfish, butterfly-fish, trumpet-fish, rascasses, and porcupine-fish. The entry to the dive site is from the shore, making it accessible for divers of various skill levels.

14.6137, -17.4377

Gouye Top

Gouye Top features an upside-down Chinese trawler resting at a depth of 27 meters. This site is part of a collection of wrecks, including Top, Podium, and Cancan, which can be explored during diving tours. Marine life at Gouye Top includes stingrays, red carp, moray eels, and scorpion fish, providing divers with a diverse underwater experience. The entry to the site is from the shore.

14.6123, -17.4393

Îles de la Madeleine

Îles de la Madeleine is located approximately 15 minutes from the Corniche piers at Plateau and Lougne Island. The site offers a varied underwater landscape suitable for both novice and experienced divers. For those with more experience, there is a dive route that leads to two small wrecks situated at a depth of around 21 meters. Marine life commonly encountered in this area includes grouper, moray eels, torpedo rays, scorpion fish, slipper lobsters, crabs, lizard fish, turtles, barracuda, flute/trumpet fish, and nudibranchs.

14.6499, -17.4673

Jumelles

Jumelles is a dive site featuring two trawlers, known as Les Jumelles, located 3.5 kilometers from the Oceanium Diving Centre. The wrecks lie at a depth of 23 meters, with the top of the wrecks rising to 15 meters. This site is home to a variety of marine life, including tiger rays, paddlefish, soldierfish, trumpetfish, badèche, blue-spotted red grouper, bronze-spotted grouper, and butterfish. The entry to the site is from the shore.

14.6601, -17.4019

Navarro

The Navarro site features a significant wreck measuring between 30 and 40 meters in length, positioned on its side at a depth of 35 meters on a sandy bottom. This site is particularly suitable for advanced divers, especially those pursuing wreck specialty courses. Divers can observe various schools of fish, including amberjacks, angelfish, and butterflyfish, enhancing the underwater experience.

14.6423, -17.3550

Nogaye

Nogaye features a 20-meter-long wreck situated on a seabed that descends to 16 meters. The wreck has a deck at 12 meters and an 8-meter cabin, which allows for penetration at the cabin level, although smaller compartments are not accessible. The wreck is marked by a broken mast and is entangled with numerous fishing nets, requiring caution during exploration. Marine life commonly observed around the wreck includes stingrays, black-eared moray eels, and various fish species. Night dives at this site are particularly interesting due to the active marine life.

14.6613, -17.4042

Océanie

Océanie is a wreck dive featuring a 35-meter-long former trawler resting on a sandy seabed at a depth of 28 meters. The wreck has a deck located at 22 meters and an impressive mast that extends 14 meters above the seabed. Despite its age, the wreck is in good condition and has accumulated various marine life. Divers can explore a narrow cabin within the wreck. The site is home to a variety of local fish species, including badèche, grouper, and red carp, along with crabs and colorful blennies.

14.6477, -17.4202

Petit Soumbédioune

Petit Soumbédioune is located opposite the Port de Soumbedioune, on the Ils de la Madeleine. The dive site can be accessed by a short walk starting 5 meters northwest along a small drop-off. The underwater terrain consists of alternating areas of rocks and sand, reaching depths of up to 12 meters. This site is suitable for training in a natural environment. Marine life includes species such as skate, cuttlefish, and various crabs, including hermit crabs and spider crabs. At shallower depths, divers can observe juvenile marine life.

14.6559, -17.4693

Pool - Océanium

The Pool - Océanium is a training facility featuring a depth of 2 meters with clear, warm water, making it suitable for various diving exercises. This site is particularly beneficial for those preparing for a Try Scuba experience, a Scuba Skill Update, or beginning the Explorer program before progressing to protected dive sites such as Oceanium Bay, Cap Manuel, or Gorée Ecole. Additionally, it serves as an excellent location for all types of freediving and scuba training, allowing divers to test equipment and capture their first underwater photographs.

14.6612, -17.4324

Seminol

The Seminol dive site is located off the coast of the Iles de la Madeleine, featuring the unique Séminol Plateau. This area is characterized by basalt formations that extend in parallel bands between 20 and 40 meters deep, showcasing evidence of ancient volcanic activity. Divers can expect to encounter a variety of marine life, including rays, tuna, red carp, grouper, barracuda, and schools of pelagic fish amidst the gorgonian fields. The entry to this site is from the shore.

14.6040, -17.4720

Shams

Shams is a dive site featuring a wreck that lies on its side at a depth of 34 meters, with its highest point reaching 27 meters above the sandbank. The wreck's depth contributes to its excellent preservation. The site is rich in marine biodiversity, showcasing various species such as rays, red carp, groupers, amberjacks, sars, and bream. Divers can access this site from the shore.

14.6121, -17.3975

Suzuki

The Suzuki wreck lies at a depth of 27 meters, accessible from the shore. While entry to the interior is currently not feasible, the wreck's distinctive angle and the diverse marine life surrounding it provide an engaging dive experience. Divers can observe various species, including stingrays, angelfish, butterflyfish, trumpetfish, flutefish, amberjacks, and others in the area.

14.6575, -17.3847

Tacoma

The Tacoma wreck, a Danish cargo ship from World War II, lies off the coast of Dakar, having been requisitioned during the conflict in 1940. Divers can explore the remains of this historical vessel, which serves as a habitat for various marine species. Notable sightings include sars, sea bream, pelagic fish, trumpet fish, butterfly fish, and several types of rays. The site is accessible from the shore, making it convenient for divers to reach the wreck and observe the marine life that has made it their home.

14.6712, -17.3984

Welle

Welle is a dive site located on the coast of Gorée Island, featuring a small rectangular section of a cargo wreck. Divers can walk on the wreck and explore the surrounding drop-off. The site is accessible to divers of all experience levels. Marine life commonly observed here includes sar fish, sea bream, angel fish, butterfly fish, trumpet fish, octopus, spear crabs, and nudibranchs, among others.

14.6666, -17.4007