A reef wrapping a peninsula near Mononaftis that steps down in levels from 6 m to 30 m at its deepest point on the northwest side. The feature divers come for is a tunnel: the entrance is at 14 m and the exit at 8 m. Shallow ground for beginners and deeper rock for certified divers, on the same dive.
Where it is and how deep
35.4006° N, 25.0341° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The reef wraps the peninsula in terraces, so you choose your depth rather than follow one contour. It starts at 6 m near the rock and steps down, level by level, to the deepest ground on the northwest side at 30 m. That range is what makes the site work for mixed abilities: the shallow terraces are a dive in their own right, and the deep side is there for anyone certified to use it.
The tunnel is the set piece. The entrance is at 14 m and the passage runs up through the rock to an exit at 8 m, so you go in deep and come out six metres shallower than you went in. Take a torch and keep your trim settled: it is an overhead, however brief. After that, the shallow terraces will absorb whatever gas you have left and the safety stop is over rock rather than in blue water.
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 | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair |
Season follows Crete: Apr–Nov is the season with Jun–Oct warmest; the meltemi blows hardest in July and August and closes the north coast.
Sources
- Mades — Scubago — Scubago
More dive sites in Crete
Reef
A 400-year-old anchor at 32 m, with more scattered around it
Wreck
A sugar carrier lost in 1985, lying in 12-16 m
Cave & cavern
A fixed rope up a siphon into an air pocket inside the cliff
Fossil dwarf-elephant bones in a chamber that still holds air
Seagrass, sand and rock in 7 m, straight off the beach
Reef
Cool, fresh-fed water over rocky patches to 15 m
Wall
A vertical wall dropping to 40 m, 15 minutes out by boat
A Bf 109 upside down on sand, its guns and ammunition still in place
Similar dives elsewhere
Faults and small caves between 5 and 30 m, with groupers and congers in the holes
A statue of Eros on a reef of cavities and a steep drop-off
Gullies and caves under the islets, gorgonians on the rock
A lost steamer's anchor and chain at 26 m, plus two big caves