Murcia: Cabo de Palos and Islas Hormigas

Dive within certification, recent experience, gas plan, and thermal comfort. Carry a DSMB and know how to deploy it. Follow the local guide's briefing, especially around current, ascent location, mooring pickup, and boat traffic. Bajo de Fuera and deep wrecks can involve current, depth, complex navigation, and decompression risk, so do not book them as casual sightseeing dives. Avoid overhead penetration unless trained and specifically planned. Keep a conservative final-dive-to-flight interval, and add more surface time after repetitive, deep, or decompression dives.

Call 112 for immediate emergency response in Spain. Cabo de Palos incidents are typically coordinated through regional emergency services and transferred toward Cartagena when hospital or hyperbaric support is needed. DAN Europe provides 24-hour dive-emergency advice through its international hotline, and your insurer should be contacted as soon as practical after emergency stabilization. Dive boats should carry oxygen; confirm oxygen, communications, and evacuation procedures before advanced dives.

Marine-reserve rules are central to the destination. Do not collect animals, plants, minerals, shells, artifacts, or wreck remains. Do not feed fish, chase wildlife, touch Posidonia, damage gorgonians or sponges, disturb fishing or scientific gear, dump waste, anchor on habitat, or use spearfishing gear. Use assigned moorings and obey guide instructions. Lights, cameras, and penetration around caves, wrecks, or overhead environments can be restricted where wildlife could be affected. Report abandoned gear, damage, pollution, or illegal activity to your guide or reserve staff.