Baia & the Phlegraean Fields · Italy · Reef
Secca delle Fumose
Fumaroles streaming hot volcanic gas bubbles out of the seabed
Photo: Francesco Guerra Photo · CC BY-SA 4.0
Secca delle Fumose is a shallow shoal in the Campi Flegrei volcanic area near Naples. Underwater fumaroles stream hot gas bubbles out of the volcanic seabed, and divers come to see the volcanic origin of the coast at work in water shallow enough for newly certified divers.
Also known as Smoky Reef, Secca della Fumosa.
Where it is and how deep
40.8230° N, 14.0884° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The route winds among pillars richly colonised by flora and fauna. Along the way the active fumaroles appear: columns of gaseous bubbles of volcanic origin rising from the seabed. Most of the dive stays around 12 m (39 ft), and it reaches 16 m at its deepest.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Baia & the Phlegraean Fields: One Lucrino centre dives daily from May to October and on weekends from November to April; the sea is warmest in July and August.
Know before you go
- Active fumaroles release streams of hot volcanic gas bubbles from the seabed along the route.
Dive videos
Scuba Diving on an Underwater Geyser - Smoky Reef - Italy - Gopro Hero8 · Andrea Ferrari Underwater on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Is Secca delle Fumose a shore or a boat dive?+
A boat dive: the shoal lies offshore in the Campi Flegrei, and the Pozzuoli centres reach it in a few minutes. The route stays within 12 m, so Open Water certification covers it.
Sources
- Secca delle Fumose Diving — DivePlanner Pro
- Secca delle Fumose — Centro Sub Campi Flegrei
Photo credits
- A diver in a yellow-framed mask fills a large syringe from a tube on the seabed as bubbles stream upward by Francesco Guerra Photo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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