Baixa do Ambrósio (Ambrósio Reef)

Baixa do Ambrosio sits in open Atlantic off the north coast of Santa Maria, so it is fully exposed to the dominant W-NW-N groundswell and any northerly windsea - the N through W sectors are wide open ocean with no shelter. The island bulk lies to the south and southeast of the reef, shadowing swell from the S, SSE and SE, which are the calmest directions; the SW-WSW quarter is only partly blocked by the island western end. Being just a few miles offshore, it feels northern and western swell directly, and a north or northwest blow or a distant Atlantic groundswell will build surface waves and reinforce the site notorious currents, making the boat ride rough and forcing dives to be called off. The best conditions come with light winds and swell out of the southern sectors shadowed by the island.