Princess Alice Bank

Portugal

A submerged seamount about 50 nautical miles southwest of Pico Island, rising from depths of over 1,500 m to a peak near 35 m, famous for large pelagic encounters.

Surveyed and named during Prince Albert I of Monaco's 1896 oceanographic expedition, the bank rises from more than 1,500 m to a platform around 190-241 m with a peak near 35 m. It is not formally protected but lies within a 50 nmi fisheries reserve zone. Reached by a 2.5-3 hour boat trip from Pico, it draws schools of mobula and manta rays (July-September), tuna, barracuda, dusky groupers and occasional whale sharks. Source: Wikipedia (Princess Alice Bank), Scuba Diver Life.