Dive Sites
- Nave dei Cavoli
Located in Variglioni dei Cavoli, named after the rock formation resembling a ship’s bow, shaped by erosion on granite. This site offers varied landscapes of large boulders and landslide blocks with multiple paths, ranging from shallow to depths up to 40 meters.
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- Traversability: Sub
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- Buttiglione
A site of high scenic interest characterized by fragments of amphorae.
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- Traversability: Sub
- Patent Required: 2nd level
- Maximum Depth: – 20 m
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- Le ancore secca dei Berni
Noted more for historical artifacts such as amphora shards and two anchors than natural qualities.
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- Traversability: Sub
- Patent Required: 1st level
- Maximum Depth: – 16 m
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- Madonna del Naufrago
Offers a modest interest for fish and marine flora, but is visually enhanced by a statue of pink trachyte.
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- Traversability: Sub
- Patent Required: negligible
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- Parete delle Gorgonie
Features a large selection of routes up to a boulder with gorgonians, marking the wall’s maximum depth.
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- Traversability: Sub
- Interest: Marine fauna
- Patent Required: 2nd level
- Maximum Depth: – 39 m
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- Relitto Egle
The Egle was a cargo steamship over 70 meters long, built in 1893 and registered at the Maritime Compartment of Genoa. During World War II, it was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and used for transporting supplies. It was sunk by three torpedoes on March 29, 1943, by the Dutch submarine Dolfijn while navigating from Cagliari to La Maddalena, about a mile from Capo Carbonara, escorted by a minesweeper. A total derelict is lying in a navigation stance on a detrital seabed at about 35 meters depth. The surrounding environment and largely also the metal sheets are covered by the dense weave of the clump-forming green alga Caulerpa racemosa, a species that has penetrated the Mediterranean from the Red Sea and is spreading at an impressive speed. The metal sheets are also covered by the typical photophilic algae of the area, with specimens of Codium bursa in their characteristic ball shape. In less illuminated areas, the colors of the sponges stand out, and sparse colonies of yellow gorgonia (Eunicella cavolinii) are found. At the bottom near the stern of the hull, there are some specimens of noble pen shell (Pinna nobilis). On the wreck, you can find resident fish such as scorpionfish, but often also passing fish such as amberjacks.
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- Type: Sub
- Patent Required: 2nd level
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- Punta Karalis
The dive is interesting due to the high scenic value and the presence of sea fans.
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- Traversability: Sub
- Interest: Marine fauna
- Patent Required: 2nd level
- Maximum Depth: – 20 m
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- Punta la Guardia
The site, while also suitable for beginners, allows the observation of landscapes, light effects, and colors among the most beautiful in the area.
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- Traversability: Sub
- Patent Required: 1st level
- Maximum Depth: – 25 m
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- Secca di Santa Caterina
A metal beacon marks the wide granite relief that forms the shoal. It consists of an articulated set of granite buttresses that from a minimum depth of about 12 meters slope down beyond 30 meters. Cracked bastions rich in tafoni (wide natural hollows in boulders) alternate with landslides of large rounded blocks offering a considerable variety of paths during which it is also possible to observe two modern anchors and a lead stock from Roman times.
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- Type: Sub
- Patent Required: 2nd level
- Maximum Depth: – 30 m
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- Secca delle Ancore
The site, of high scenic interest, is characterized by the presence of fragments of amphorae.
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- Type: Sub
- Patent Required: 3rd level
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- Scoglio del congresso
This site, of medium-high interest for landscape and fish presence, is also suitable for beginners.
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- Type: Sub
- Patent Required: 1st level
- Maximum Depth: – 28 m
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- Variglioni dei Cavoli
To the southeast of the Isola dei Cavoli, numerous granite rocks continue with tortured profiles underwater. From here, numerous paths branch between the surface and the bottom that rapidly degrades even beyond 40 meters. Large stacked boulders form cavities, deep fissures with continuous changes in elevation with towering blocks rich in tafoni and other erosive forms. The dive generally takes place around the 25-meter mark. From the first meters of depth, the complexity of the landscape is enriched by the passage of swarms of mullets, salema, and barracuda swiftly glide between the large boulders. Upon encountering a shaded area, the vivid colors of sponges and sea daisies explode. Adding color are the Eunicella and Paramuricea gorgonians. Everywhere, the long arms of the snake star (Ophidiaster ophidianus) appear black until the light reveals their characteristic red. Among the blocks swim the large groupers, which sometimes find refuge in the wide cavities and allow for prolonged observation. Here, it is easier to encounter shad, less inclined to swim in open water, whereas dentex patrol the bottom in search of prey.
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- Type: Sub
- Patent Required: 1st level
- Maximum Depth: – 30 m
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- Secca dei Dotti
This dive site is a segment of a long succession of granite elevations that continue southwest with Secca di Mezzo and Secca di Libeccio. The seabed is slightly over 30 meters, while the rocks rise to between 24-26 meters. From the debris seabed, scattered boulders lead to more compact formations characterized by cracks, tafoni, erosive shapes, and passages among stacked blocks, allowing for numerous routes. The current, when hitting the flat seabed relief, speeds up, sneaking into crevices and depressions among the boulders, creating an environment particularly suited for gorgonians. On the debris seabed, white Eunicella fan corals alternate between candelabrum shapes and more articulated forms, while yellow Eunicella and Paramuricea flourish on the boulders, sometimes so densely packed they block channels. All shaded areas are covered by uninterrupted carpets of sea daisies, interspersed with tube-shaped protrusions of the sponge Haliclona mediterranea. Around, one can encounter groupers, brown groupers, white seabream, dentex, and amberjacks in a very luminous environment despite the depth.
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- Type: Sub
- Patent Required: 2nd level
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- Punta nord di Serpentara
This site in the northeastern part of the MPA, within Zone A, allows diving with authorized centers along the ridge that slopes down from a rock characterized by large vertically oriented boulders forming a landscape of spires and overhangs surrounded by landslides of large blocks. The bottom drops quickly beyond 30 meters, and the dive typically occurs around 25 meters. The slope and blocks are covered with photophilic algae with a dense presence of Caulerpa racemosa. As depth increases, white (Eunicella singularis) and yellow (Eunicella cavolinii) gorgonians become more frequent, enhancing the landscape with their branches. Shaded areas are covered by orange sponges, yellow sponges, and sea daisies. The common snake star, a protected species, is widespread. From the first meters of depth, swarms of barracudas glide among the stones and channels between the spires. Out of the blue, dentex and Atlantic bonitos make predatory incursions. In the crevices, groups of elegant swimming brown groupers hide. Curious groupers peek out from among the boulders.
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- Type: Sub
- Patent Required: 1st level
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- Variglioni di Serpentara
The paths at this site allow for the observation of numerous fish species, predominantly mullets, gilt-head bream, brown groupers, and cemies, in a colorful scenario rich in tunnels that enhance light play.
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- Type: Sub
- Patent Required: 2nd level
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- Scoglio di Santo Stefano
Diving around this group of rocks, suitable for beginners, you will find a massive and varied presence of fish species.
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- Traversability: Sub
- Patent Required: 1st level
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- Scoglio Proci
This site of moderate natural interest allows a single circular route around a central emerging boulder.
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- Type: Sub
- Patent Required: 1st level
- Maximum Depth: – 15 m
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- Sa Campana - Secca dei Berni
Diving at this site allows a circular route around boulders surrounding a beacon, where seasonal species like barracudas and dentex can be observed.
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- Type: Sub
- Patent Required: 1st level
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- Secca di Mezzo
This high scenic value site offers a particularly challenging dive, both due to strong currents and high risk at depth. One of the possible paths allows observation of an iron anchor and, at the greatest depth, the lead stock of a Roman anchor.
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- Type: Sub
- Patent Required: 3rd level
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- Secca di Piscadeddus
A path around boulders rich in octopuses and Posidonia, also suitable for beginners.
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- Traversability: Sub
- Patent Required: 1st level
Maximum Depth: – 18 m
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- Secca di Libeccio
Diving around the boulders of this shoal allows for particularly interesting passages and the observation of multiple types of fish, including groupers, moray eels, and peacock wrasse.
- details
- Type: Sub
- Patent Required: 2nd level
- Maximum Depth: – 30 m
- Map
- Secca di Capo Boi
A scenic route suitable even for less experienced divers. The marine fauna is rich with white seabream, gilt-head bream, brown groupers, groupers, and dentex.
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- Type: Sub
- Patent Required: 1st level
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- Scogli di Piscadeddus
A shoal about 3.5 meters deep with two main granite blocks that slope towards the sand. Numerous marine species can be observed, including false coral, rainbow wrasse, damselfish, and salemas.
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- Type: Sub
- Patent Required: 1st level
- Maximum Depth: – 17 m
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- Relitto dei Tubi
This site, of medium-low interest for landscape and fish presence, is characterized by elevated granite rocks and is also suitable for beginners.
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- Traversability: Sub
- Patent Required: 1st level
Maximum Depth: – 30 m
- Map