Victory! Master Diver Joe Lepore Explores the Savage Islands

Carapace Master Diver Joe Lepore touched down in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Portugal. There he and his team geared up the research ship. They were headed to Portugal’s Savage Islands.

These islands are a small Portuguese archipelago almost in the middle between Madeira and the Canary Islands.

National Geographic’s Pristine Seas partnered with the Waitt Foundation for a 10 day expedition to the Savage Islands to film and conduct the first surveys of the health of the islands’ underwater systems, from shallow to deep.

The results of the expedition will be used to inform the Portuguese government on the expansion of the current Marine Protected Area around the Islands, which currently only covers water down to 200 meters deep.

They meticulously set up, testing their recompression chamber, underwater cameras, communication gear, small boats, and dive gear. Joe even hand carried critical spare parts to repair their High Pressure Dive Compressor. What they found below the water was plenty of enriched life, abandoned life, and some hairy situations.

The combined team of the Waitt Foundation and National Geographic’s Pristine Seas headed out for their expedition and left port in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. They had all their gear including Carapace Master Diver Joe Lepore’s ENDO1 custom wetsuit available at carapacewetsuits.com

Leaving port for the Savage Islands during a beautiful sunrise.

Carapace Master Diver Joe Lepore and his ENDO1 custom wetsuit for underwater diving. Check out the collection.

Portugal flags fly while in the Savage Islands.

Suspended in the open waters of the Savage Islands.

An eel between the cracks in the Savage Islands.

A fish eyes the unfamiliar lens in the Savage Islands.

Mr Grumpy Gills in the Savage Islands.

And then a school of barracudas swam right above Joe’s head.

Savage Island barracudas schooling above Carapace Master Diver Joe Lepore.

Savage Island barracudas schooling around.

On the ocean floor, the team found a sunken ship and explored the rusting manmade marvels now taken back over by nature.

Sunken ships on the Savage Islands floor.

By a reef, Photographer and Diver for National Geographic’s Pristine Seas Manu San Felix ducks and covers a wave crashing over his head. In the video below he quickly gets the shot and maneuvers effortlessly to dodge the power.

The vast and open ocean surrounding the Savage Islands harbors a lot of life not yet surveyed by the Portuguese government. The dolphins rule the waters and shine in the sun’s reflections through the water. As the sun sets in the Savage Islands, Carapace Master Diver receives a goodbye wave.

A dolphin waits for its pod as it shines in the water’s reflection in the Savage Islands.

A Pod of dolphins reach for air in the Savage Islands.

A Pod of dolphins reach for air in the Savage Islands.

Goodbye wave as the sun sets in the Savage Islands.

All photos above were taken by Carapace Master Diver Joe Lepore @thejoelepore (instagram). He works closely with the Waitt Foundation and frequently links up with National Geographic to survey and explore not yet surveyed waters around the world. He has many trips coming up soon so please keep up to date!

Where would you like to see Joe go next? Visit at www.carapacewetsuits.com/blog to see his past adventure in Albania.