Gran Canaria

Use local guides for El Cabron, La Catedral, Caleta Baja, wrecks, and any exposed shore entry. Carry a DSMB, confirm gas and turn pressure before swimming away from shore, and listen when operators switch sites because of swell. Avoid solo snorkeling or freediving at rocky coves. Respect conservative no-fly and altitude guidance after scuba, especially before driving into the central highlands. Spanish diving safety regulations govern recreational diving in Spanish maritime waters, so stay within training, depth, equipment, and supervision limits.

Call 112 for emergencies in Gran Canaria; the official tourism site notes it operates 24 hours and can handle calls in Spanish, English, German, French, and Italian. DAN Europe provides a 24/7 diving emergency hotline for medical advice and evacuation coordination. Hospital Perpetuo Socorro in Las Palmas advertises a 24-hour emergency service and ICU. Hyperbaric-chamber arrangements can change, so confirm the current chamber pathway, oxygen plan, and evacuation process with your dive operator before the first dive.

Follow responsible-diving rules: perfect buoyancy before approaching reefs, keep fins off the bottom, do not collect shells or animals, do not feed marine life, do not move fauna or substrate, and use moorings rather than damaging anchors. For angel sharks, keep at least 1.5 m from buried animals, never uncover them, never touch them, do not block their swimming direction, and do not chase a swimming shark. Report sightings through Angel Shark Conservation Network channels or your operator.