The south side of the Mourtias reef, run as a larger wall dive than its northern counterpart and headed towards the sea end rather than back into the bay. Old fishing nets are caught along the rock, and schools of sea bream and damselfish come over the top and down the face to look the group over. Points of interest are 15 to 25 metres, with 35 metres the maximum.
Also known as Xera Mourtias.
Where it is and how deep
39.1360° N, 23.8410° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
This is the bigger of the two Mourtias wall dives, and it starts on the same drop-off as the north side before turning south towards the sea end of the reef. The face along this side is longer than the one on the north. The points of interest sit between 15 and 25 metres while the site maximum is 35, so there is more wall below the working depth than you will actually use.
What sets the south wall apart is the old fishing net caught along it, which the operator reckons makes for a picturesque dive. Fish come to you rather than the other way round: schools of sea bream and damselfish cross over the top of the reef and drop down the wall to see what the divers are up to, which keeps the mid-water busy for most of the swim before you turn back along the shallower rock.
Marine life and season
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Off-season | Off-season |
Season follows Alonissos & the Peristera Wreck: The underwater museum and most operators run May–Oct only; meltemi winds can close the exposed Peristera site in midsummer.
Know before you go
- Old fishing net is caught along the wall - stay off the rock face, keep hoses and gauges tucked in, and carry a cutting tool.
Questions divers ask
What is the difference between Mourtias North and South?+
The south side is the larger wall dive of the two and has old fishing nets caught along it. Both are dives on the same stone reef and share the same 15 to 25 metre band of interest and the same 35 metre maximum.
Sources
- Mourtias Reef - South — Alonissos Triton Dive Center
- Alonissos Triton Dive Center dive sites — Scubaverse
More dive sites in Alonissos & the Peristera Wreck
Wall from 8 m to 30 m, with rock running on to 50 m
The shallow half of the cove, with its best rock at 8 to 20 m
Reef
One of the area's dive highlights, and an ideal night dive
Wall to 20 metres, then into the most famous cave on Alonissos
Cave & cavern
A 70 m cave passage with its mouth between 22 and 34 m
A sharp drop to 50 m with openings and cracks in the face
A boulder-strewn plain further offshore than the West side
Often ends in a small cave full of young fish
Similar dives elsewhere
A 200 m wall under sponges, bryozoans and soft corals
A yellow-daisy wall at 20–30 m with groupers and barracuda over it
Fast drop-off onto a gorgonian platform at 30 m
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The canyon exit opens onto a wall that falls to 45 m