Elba & the Tuscan Archipelago · Italy · Pinnacle · Reef
Secca di Fetovaia
A shoal off Fetovaia beach rising from 50 m to 10 m with large red gorgonians
Area photo: CTHOE · CC BY-SA 3.0
The Secca di Fetovaia is a shoal directly in front of the gulf of Fetovaia, one of Elba's best-known beaches, rising from 50 m to about 10 m below the surface. Large red gorgonians grow on it, the ravines hold lobster, moray and conger eels and spider crabs, and pelagic snapper and amberjack are reported as always present around the rock.
Where it is and how deep
42.7294° N, 10.1638° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The boat drops you on the top of the shoal, which comes up to about 10 m in front of the gulf of Fetovaia. Get your bearings on the summit, then head down the flanks; the rock keeps going to 50 m, so the depth you reach is a decision to make before you enter the water, not on the way down.
Large red gorgonians grow on the rock. Between the fans, the ravines that cut the shoal hold lobster together with moray and conger eels and spider crabs, so bring a light and look into the cracks. Keep the shoal on one side and use it as your reference so you can come back up the same face without losing it, and keep checking depth as you work along it.
Pelagic fish, snapper and amberjack in particular, are reported as always present around the shoal, so look out into the blue as well as at the rock as you come up. The top of the rock at 10 m is the place to watch for them while you do a long safety stop, and it is where the boat expects to pick you up when you surface.
Marine life and season
- Trevally & jacks
| 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 shoal bottoms out at 50 m: fix a maximum depth with the group beforehand and watch the gauge on the flanks.
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Secca di Fetovaia?+
The shoal rises from 50 m to about 10 m below the surface in front of the gulf of Fetovaia, so the dive can be as deep as you plan it.
Sources
- Secca di Fetovaia — Scubago
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