Diving in Porto Santo: Explore the golden island's underwater world

I took a diving course when I was 18. I'm 33 now, and in these 15 years I've only dived once... which was last year in Indonesia. Returning to diving opened a door that had been closed for a long time, and when the opportunity arose for diving in Porto Santo, I couldn't have been more excited! I knew about this island's reputation for this activity and had no doubt that the experience would be incredible.

So that you can experience a little bit of this day with me: the sunrise had been beautiful, contrary to all the forecasts, and the sea was calm. Everything was aligned so that my reunion with the underwater world would be perfect.

I woke up with a good sense of anticipation, I couldn't wait to put on my suit, adjust my weight vest and feel the 'light' weight of the bottles on my back again. However, these were all things I wasn't very familiar with, hence the anxiety. In any case, I knew I'd be in good company.

I headed to the Clube Naval do Porto Santo, where the Cipreia Dive Club team was already waiting for me in good spirits. Everyone I met was amazing to me, and Susana accompanied me from the beginning to the end of the dive. That nervous feeling of going underwater without much experience quickly dissipated.

So we set off for the spot of the day: Cabeço do Poio. Don't be fooled by the strange name, the place is beautiful and is one of the most famous spots for diving in Madeira. It's located near Ilhéu de Cima, like many other diving spots in Porto Santo. It was beautiful to see the change in the colour of the blue water from the moment we left the port to the islet, which was actually 'just over there' - we didn't travel more than 10 minutes by boat. Cabeço do Poio is incredible for those, who like me, don't have much experience. It's a relatively easy place to dive, with rocky blocks covered in life that form an almost lunar setting, with depths varying between 15 and 28 metres. Although there was some swell in this area, the visibility that day was surreal - more than 30 metres of crystal blue water awaited us.

The briefing was very simple and clear, and the Cipreia Dive Club team was very patient with me. Susana suggested I put on a cap as the water was cold, but I didn't think it was necessary since I'd been in the water the day before, and I thought it was impeccable. We all jumped off the boat and I immediately realised the mistake I had made: yes, the water was much colder there than on the beach! But even so, the thrill of being in the water was stronger than the cold, so it was quite tolerable!

Little by little, the noise of the surface disappeared and was replaced by that liquid, deep silence, where even the beating of the heart seems to have to adapt to the rhythm of the sea.

For me, diving feels like flying. Every time I take the plunge, I don't realise why I haven't done it for so long, and I want to do it again and again. What an incredible feeling, of peace, of connection with the world around us. Although I experienced some difficulties with the basics, such as keeping afloat, nothing compromised the experience of being there, underwater, surrounded by the typical blue of the Madeira Archipelago.

In the end, I managed to control the most important thing without any problems: breathing and looking! And I just enjoyed it.

I must admit that I wasn't expecting to see so many fish. We soon saw salemas, curious cutlassfish, lots of trumpetfish and many others that I can't identify. We saw three or four groupers - some larger, others smaller - but all imposing and serene, patrolling their territory with the nobility that characterises them.

I'm glad this place is protected! As a natural, protected and unspoilt refuge, Cabeço do Poio (and the other diving spots in Porto Santo) are ideal for diving all year round, with visibility of up to 100 metres on some days! It's impressive! The water temperature remains more or less stable, and there is always life lurking around. It's a true paradise for those who enjoy exploring the sea calmly and thoroughly.

Along with the instructors, there were two other people diving with me. One of them was taking the Advanced Diver course, to be able to dive up to 30 metres. His idea was, at the end of the course, to dive down to the General Pereira d'Eça corvette – a corvette that was sunk in 2016 to become an artificial reef. It must be incredible. The other person was doing a 'refresher' - he hadn't dived for a long time and wanted to revise some basic concepts in order to feel comfortable doing more technical dives. We all had different goals and experiences, but the same purpose: to enjoy diving and travelling through this different world that exists underwater. Cipreia allowed us to do all this and, above all, you could see the passion and respect of the people who work there for the sea and for what they do.

We returned to the Clube Naval with salty skin and eyes filled with colour. The boat cut through the small waves smoothly, and everyone was in a comfortable mood. I realised that I was the only one who didn't wear a cap and therefore the only one who felt cold, so I learnt my lesson: always listen to the instructor. The rest of the guys went off for more dives, but I also wanted to enjoy the other things Porto Santo has to offer, and my diving experience ended there.

Anyone who has been diving, snorkelling or even likes to spend a lot of time in salt water knows how good they feel after a long hot shower. That feeling of relaxation is so comforting. I spent the rest of the day on the beach enjoying the sunshine. What a good day!

Porto Santo has a lot to offer - more than most people realise. The beach is incredible and it's worth spending many hours lying on this sand, which many say has therapeutic properties. But there are hiking trails to explore, lesser-known beaches to discover and, of course, the wonderful cuisine that characterises every corner of the country. So if you ask me 'what to do in Porto Santo?', I have plenty of answers. But one of them is: go diving! Do yourself a favour - whether you're experienced or not, you can even do your diving 'baptism' here, or even the course. You won't regret it!