“The Wild Islands offer a marvel for any enthusiast of the ocean floor and nature at large,” states Sergio Hanquet, a naturalist photographer. He emphasises the resemblance of these three Atlantic territories to the Canary Islands, “although they feature a larger marine fauna” and significantly more biodiversity, due to their remoteness from the mainland and their status as a nature reserve.”
The Belgian diver and educator, residing in the southern part of Tenerife, has just returned from this uninhabited archipelago, which is situated closer to the Canary Islands than to Madeira – 165 kilometres north of Anaga and 280 south of the Portuguese islands, which they administratively belong to. He returns with experiences and photographs that he is sharing with readers of DIARIO DE AVISOS.
Las Salvajes are scarcely visible on maps and consist of three small islands (Salvaje Grande, Salvaje Pequeña, and Islote de Fuera) that collectively cover an area of 2.73 square kilometres (slightly more than half that of Lobos). These territories require permission from Funchal to visit, and anchoring is permitted only at a couple of designated spots. They are deemed a sanctuary for seabirds, particularly shearwaters, while the surrounding waters are classified as a marine reserve. Any terrestrial excursions, where camping is forbidden, are conducted for limited durations and under the supervision of an environmental warden.
“From Anaga, it takes 18 hours by sailing boat and 20 from Santa Cruz, but the journey must be undertaken during calm sea conditions, between September and November, as travelling outside this window is very challenging,” warns Hanquet after his fifth trip to the Wild Islands for diving, accompanied by four friends, indulging in his greatest passion: diving among groupers, pejeperros, chopones, goats, old fish, and amberjacks—the most common species found in its waters.
Additionally, the uneven topography of the seabed and the strength of the currents make exploration complicated, emphasising the navigational risks. Indeed, this region is home to the wrecks and remains of sunken vessels, including an oil tanker that sank 50 years ago near Salvaje Pequeña.
Hanquet recalls that these islands are not only visited by scientists studying seabirds, who find it an exceptional laboratory, but also by sailors from the European continent: “They navigate down through the Azores and Madeira, and here, in many instances, they seek refuge, as there is a small bay where they can anchor to escape the winds before proceeding to the Canary Islands.”
