2. Mascarat

Route 2: Mascarat

Level: **

Access: boat

Maximum depth: -20m

Flashlight: Convenient

Leaving Altea heading N we find the cliffs of Mascarat, where you can still see the small huts and rope ladders that were once used by local fishermen in the traditional and dangerous fishing art of alspenyasegats.

Anchoring under one of these huts, we will descend to a bottom of posidonia and sand with some scattered rock, at -l3mts to, advancing a little out to sea, we will immediately find two large stones that stand out in the clear landscape, stones in which with luck you can see some lobster. After going around them we will head towards the wall and the sand gives way to rocks that we can browse, leaving on our left the perpendicular wall in which some tears appear in the form of scars or slides.

In this background with splashes of gorgonians, breams, gilthead breams and moray eels abound. When it reaches a depth of about -15 meters, the wall gathers inwards forming the mouth of a short tunnel with no exit inside which there is usually a sea bass.

We will continue advancing along the wall until the air marks the moment of return, when we will reverse direction and now leave the wall on our right while we ascend progressively to adequately reduce the excess nitrogen, enjoying at the same time the small species that populate and carpet it. such as the yellow encrusting anemone, actinias, nudibranchs or the friendly gobies and blennies. When we reach the height of the anchorage and at an altitude of -5 meters, we find the entrance to a small chimney through which, if the conditions allow it, we can pass and observe the wonderful backlights that form some arches, the exit being at -3 meters.