Elba & the Tuscan Archipelago · Italy · Reef
Scoglietto - Franata Nord
A fish-rich rockfall from the surface to 40 m in a 1971 no-fishing zone
Photo: Janericloebe · Public domain
Franata Nord is the rockfall on the north side of the Scoglietto di Portoferraio, where fishing has been banned since 1971. The tumbled rock runs from the surface to a maximum of 40 m, so beginners can dive its upper part while others go deep, and it is rich in fish: schools of bream, salema and mullet, grouper, scorpionfish and nudibranchs, with barracuda and snapper hunting through the area.
Also known as Scoglietto di Portoferraio (Franata Nord).
Where it is and how deep
42.8260° N, 10.3404° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The dive takes the rockfall north of the Scoglietto di Portoferraio, which ranges from 0 to a maximum of 40 m. Because it starts at the surface, the boat can put beginners onto its shallow upper part while more experienced divers follow the boulders down. Choose your depth from the start and follow the rock, which drops as a tumble of boulders rather than as one clean wall.
The rockfall lies in the biological protection zone where fishing has been banned since 1971, and the fish list is long: scorpionfish, grouper, nudibranchs, bream, salema and mullet are always present, many of them in schools, and barracuda and snapper hunt through the area. Move slowly along the rockfall and let the schools come to you rather than chasing them across the rocks.
Ascend back up the boulders in stages, which keeps the fish in view and gives a natural safety stop in the shallow rock near the surface. Because the rockfall starts at 0 m there is no open-water ascent at the end: you simply follow the rock up until you are at the surface, which is why the site suits mixed groups of beginners and deeper divers.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
- Nudibranchs
- Barracuda
- Reef fish swarms
| 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 rockfall reaches 40 m: divers without deep training should agree a shallower limit with the guide before entering.
Questions divers ask
Is Scoglietto Franata Nord suitable for beginners?+
Yes, on its upper part. The rockfall runs from the surface down to a maximum of 40 m, so beginners dive the shallow section while more experienced divers go deeper.
Sources
- Scoglietto - Franata Nord — Scubago
- Scoglietto di Portoferraio — Wikipedia (it)
Photo credits
- The Scoglietto di Portoferraio islet beside Isola dei Topi, seen from the Elba coast. by Janericloebe, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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