Elba & the Tuscan Archipelago · Italy · Wall · Reef
Formiche della Zanca
A red-gorgonian wall from 20 to 40 m off Capo Sant'Andrea
Area photo: CTHOE · CC BY-SA 3.0
The Formiche della Zanca are semi-submerged rocks just past Punta di Sant'Andrea on Elba's west coast. Underwater they form a vertical wall from 20 to 40 m thick with red gorgonian, with several routes of different depths so a group can dive it at more than one level. Lobster, octopus, moray and conger eels live in the rock, and there is always a chance of pelagic fish passing in the blue.
Where it is and how deep
42.8055° N, 10.1265° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The Formiche della Zanca sit just past Punta di Sant'Andrea, a group of rocks that barely break the surface. Dives here are by boat: you drop in beside the rocks, and because the site offers several diving routes of varying depth, the guide matches the plan to the group before anyone descends. The rocks themselves give a reference at the start and end of the dive, and the main feature lies below them.
The wall itself is vertical and runs from 20 to 40 m, and the reason divers come is the red gorgonian that covers it. Work along the wall at your planned depth with the rock on one side and open water on the other. Lobster, octopus, moray eels and conger eels hold in the holes and crevices, so look into the rock as well as at the fans.
Keep an eye on the blue as you go. Scubago describes a constant possibility of pelagic fish here, naming snapper, barracuda, tuna and eagle rays, but that is a possibility rather than a promise, so treat any sighting as a bonus. Turn on gas or no-decompression time, come back up the wall to the shallower rock and finish the dive around the outcrops.
Marine life and season
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Barracuda
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Elba & the Tuscan Archipelago: The season runs May–September with a warm October; the sea bottoms out near 14 °C in February–March, spring and autumn winds push boats to sheltered sites, and Pianosa's buoys open April–November.
Know before you go
- The wall runs from 20 to 40 m: plan no-decompression time before descending and agree a turn depth for the group.
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Formiche della Zanca dive?+
The wall runs vertically from 20 to 40 m, with several routes of different depths around the rocks off Punta di Sant'Andrea.
Sources
- Isola d'Elba — Wikipedia (it)
- Formiche della Zanca — Scubago
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