About Dago
The SS Dago, a British merchant vessel, lies off the coast of Peniche, Portugal, approximately four miles southwest. This historic shipwreck is a casualty of World War II, having been sunk on March 15, 1942, by a German Focke-Wulf FW 200 Condor bomber. Its significant historical context as a war-effort merchant ship makes it a notable dive site in the region. The Dago project, focusing on this specific wreck, was active from 2005 to 2012, indicating a period of dedicated exploration and study. While the sources do not provide details on the wreck's current topography, such as depth bands or specific features, its historical significance and the research conducted suggest it holds interesting structures for divers to explore. Information regarding specific marine life, seasonality, or likelihood of encounters at the Dago site is not detailed in the provided sources. However, as an Atlantic dive site, it would generally host cold-water species typical of the Portuguese coast. The sources do not specify the practical diving experience for the Dago, including typical current conditions, entry methods, or recommended diver certification levels. The mention of the 'Dago project' being 'extended, in operational terms, until 2012' suggests it is a known and accessible site, but further operational details are absent.
Highlights
WWII British merchant vesselSunk by German bomberPeniche coast history
Season calendar
Best months to dive here
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Excellent
Good
Off-Season
Jul – Oct (Summer/Autumn)
Best visibility 20–30m, warmest water 21–24°C. Blue sharks, mobula rays, whale sharks. Peak pelagic season at offshore sites.
Apr – Jun & Nov (Shoulder)
Improving/declining conditions. Water cooling but still diveable. Fewer pelagics but good reef life.
Dec – Mar (Winter)
Cold water 16–18°C, rough Atlantic swells, reduced visibility. Limited dive operations. Only for experienced cold-water divers.
Dive site facts: Dago
- Current
- Mild
- Entry
- Liveaboard or dayboat
- Level
- Intermediate
- Dive type
- Wreck, Reef
- Region / port
- Portugal
- Coordinates
- 39.9140° N, 9.0060° W
Conditions & Currents
Currents are usually mild, which makes this a relaxed dive suitable for most certified divers. It is usually briefed as a dive for intermediate divers. It can be dived from a liveaboard or a day boat, depending on where you start the trip. Tide, wind and season all shift the picture from day to day, so the crew's briefing on the boat always overrides any general description.
Why dive Dago from a liveaboard?
Dago is one of Portugal's signature dive sites. A liveaboard sleeps you on the water and puts you in the water for three to four guided dives per day, including dawn and night dives that day-boat operators rarely offer. You skip the daily commute back to port and reach quieter, less-crowded sites in the same region on a single trip.
Below are the liveaboards that include Dago on their Portugal itineraries.
Liveaboards diving Dago
These liveaboards may visit Dago on selected itineraries, the exact dive sites depend on departure, weather and conditions.
Water And Wind
Portugal
8 guests13 m
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