Skip to content
Go to Dive Champ home pageDive Champ LogoDive Champ

Arcanzil

The underwater rock formation called Arcanzil is situated just a short distance from the coast of Sesimbra, near Cape Espichel in Portugal. It stretches from a depth of 15 meters to the surface, with the top of the stone rarely being completely submerged. Divers exploring this area will have the opportunity to witness a diverse range of marine life, including wrasses, seabreams, red mullets, nudibranchs, cuttlefish, octopuses, and more.

The Arcanzil stone extends towards the west, reaching a depth of 10-12 meters. Its surface is characterized by irregularities, featuring crevices and tall stones. As we move away from the stone, the rock and sand bottoms gradually deepen towards the south and east. It's important to check for strong currents caused by tides in this location, as visibility can vary between 3 to 10 meters depending on the sea conditions.

For divers planning to explore Arcanzil, it's worth noting that the visibility typically averages around 9 meters, allowing for a clear and immersive diving experience. The maximum depth of this dive site is 14 meters, making it suitable for beginner divers. Its close proximity to other landmarks such as Arco da Pombeira, Ruínas Chã dos Navegantes, and Castelo adds to its appeal as a fascinating dive destination in Sesimbra, Setúbal, Portugal.

Diving Conditions Score for Arcanzil

6.3
Above Average

Decent conditions, proceed with caution.
The score is based on a calculation of the current weather and sea conditions.

Dive Site Overview for Arcanzil

Depth

14m

Visibility

9m

Experience Level

beginner

Weather Conditions for Arcanzil

Wave Height

0.78m

Wind Speed

10.8 m/s

Water Temp

17.5°C

Visibility

22.48km

Cloud Cover

95%

Wave Period

6.9s

Air Temperature

23.9°C

Precipitation

0 mm

Detailed 7-Day Diving Forecast for Arcanzil
Alpha

Dive Score Chart for Arcanzil

Best time to dive: 9:00 with score 7.9371794871794865/10. Water conditions: Waves 0.76m, Wind 4.6 m/s.Best night dive time: 1:00 with score 7.228533333333333/10.

Chart showing hourly dive conditions including wave height, wind speed, water temperature, and visibility throughout the day.

Sunrise at Arcanzil: 06:00
Sunset at Arcanzil: 18:00

Optimal diving conditions at Arcanzil are affected by daylight hours. Sunrise occurs at 06:00 and sunset at 18:00, which impacts visibility and water temperature for scuba diving and snorkeling.

🌞
Best Overall
9:00

Score: 7.9/10
Waves: 0.76m (6.5s), Wind: 4.6 m/s

🌙
Best Night
1:00

Score: 7.2/10
Waves: 0.84m, Wind: 4.4 m/s

Seasonal Analysis for Arcanzil
Alpha

Historical patterns and best seasons for diving at Arcanzil

The dive score combines all factors to rate overall diving conditions throughout the year. Higher scores indicate better diving conditions.

Monthly Dive Score Analysis - Seasonal Diving Conditions

Higher values indicate better diving conditions

Seasonal DiveScore Chart

This chart displays monthly diveScore data throughout the year, showing seasonal patterns. The data is presented as a bar chart with an overlaid line graph.Dive scores range from 1 to 10, with 10 being optimal conditions.

Higher values indicate better diving conditions

Best Season for Arcanzil

Winter

Avg. Score: 9.9/10

Winter offers the best overall diving conditions with calmer seas and better visibility, despite cooler temperatures.

Best Months for Arcanzil

January
Score: 10.0
February
Score: 9.8
December
Score: 9.8

Ideal Conditions for Arcanzil

Water Temp

Thermometer Emoji

23.8°C / 74.8°F

June

Visibility

Telescope Emoji

20.1m / 65.9ft

October

Wave Height

Wave Emoji

0.2m / 0.7ft

January

Wave Period

Wave Emoji

8.0s

January

Seasonal Insights for Arcanzil

Arcanzil shows typical northern hemisphere patterns with June being the warmest month (23.8°C) and December the coldest (19.8°C). The calmest conditions typically occur in January with average wave heights of 0.2m and wave periods of 8.0s. The most comfortable wave conditions are in January with a low wave steepness ratio, creating gentler swells. January offers the longest wave periods (8.0s), creating more comfortable and predictable conditions for boat entries and exits. Ocean currents are slowest in January (0.5m/s) and strongest in January (0.5m/s). January is usually the driest month with 0.0mm of precipitation. For beginners, the best time to visit would be during January to March, when ocean conditions are calmer with long-period waves and currents are typically weaker. Experienced divers might enjoy the challenges and potentially better visibility during the shoulder seasons, with moderate currents that can improve marine life encounters.

Scoring Legend:
9-10 (Excellent)
7-8 (Good)
5-6 (Average)
3-4 (Poor)
1-2 (Dangerous)

Last updated: 1 min. ago - Jun 22, 2026

Note: This dive site is not a verified dive site. Please dive with caution. This dive site might have incorrect information by the community.

31 Dive sites near Arcanzil in

Find more dive sites in Portugal

PortugalPortugal

Portugal

Got feedback?

Help us improve this dive site by giving us feedback.