Secca del Papa 1

Depth  15 - 45m max

Red and yellow gorgonias...

Degree of difficulty  medium

Current  medium/strong

Visibility  medium

The eastern slope of the shoal is characterized by a vertical wall which is not exposed much to the light and which is entirely colonized by an animal benthos. On the latter, from the 25m you can find the red sea fans of Paramuricea Clavata, here with wonderful yellow streaks. 

The several fissures and cavities give shelter to brown meagres, forkbeards, and big moray eels.

Beyond the wall you can reach the deepest pinnacles, where several groupers conceal among the gorgonians. You will also see big dentexes preying on and barracudas in mid-water, and it is not rare to meet greater amberjacks and bonitos.

This dive is suitable for all levels: the calcareous cliff vertically falls from the surface to 8-10 m of depth; then the detrital seabed gently degrades, interrupted by big boulders forming fissures and densely populated by brown meagres and some big groupers. Where the seabed is less steep, there are some spots of Poseidonia beds which make it even more interesting from the naturalistic point of view.

The presence of big-size white breams and several groupers also at low depths, associated to a seabed very rich in species, demonstrate that environmental safeguard is leading here to great results

Dive which can be easily reached and which is protected by the north-west wind.

The limited depth and the variety of the surrounding habitats, boulders, sandy areas and Posidonia seabeds, make this site particularly rich in different species. Particularly suitable for night diving
 

This shoal with its peculiar shape of an elephant head at depth dives quickly to 24 meters on a rock bed covered of algaes.  Underneath the rocks you can see some colorful yellow sponges (verongia aerophoba) and nudibranches widespread on the hydrozoans.  Nearby there is an old anchor of the 19th century.  It is not unusual to see curious and large groupers each in its favorite crevice. 

The light games among the granite peaks going from a depth of about thirty meters and almost reaching the surface, create a unique scenery. Among the pinnacles it is easy to meet barracudas and dentexes.

The shadow areas are inhabited by filtering organisms like sponges and Coelenterata, which make the walls multicolored: these places are the ideal destination for people fond of underwater photography
 

Near the cliffs of Cerri, at about one mile east of Molara island, you will find the Omega wreck on a seabed of 16-19 meters. During the fall, the dive gives the opportunity to meet pelagic fish, like great amberjacks and bonitos.

It is an ideal site for beginners interested in wrecks, both for the reasonable depth and the great visibility
 

Wreck of a French merchant boat with mixed sail/steam propulsion, which sank during World War II.

It lies on a sandy seabed at a depth of about 39 meters. The wreck is richly colonized and houses crabs, big mullets, white breams, and groupers.

Search for large heels in the crevices!!